Inverness estate agent fears coronavirus collapse after admin error
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AN estate agent hit hard by coronavirus could miss out on an emergency £10,000 Scottish Government grant after failing to properly register the company with Highland Council.
Tony Lister says his firm Remax qualifies for full rates relief and should be eligible for the Coronavirus Business Support fund. It helps any small business receiving rates relief on March 17.
But an administrative error in neglecting to alert the local authority on a move into Fairways Business Park premises last October could see the application rejected.
Mr Lister said: “A Highland Council official told me that this grant could only be paid out to businesses that have registered with Highland Council.
“The application form does state that you must have been in receipt of small business rates relief on March 17 to qualify.
“I hope this isn’t a hard and fast rule because I’ve made an honest mistake here.
“When I moved into this premises I paid to have the lease registered and I thought that meant it was being registered with Highland Council.
“But it wasn’t and I’ve just found that out now.
“I’m contesting this and I’ve put my application for the grant in to the council. I have to do everything I can to save my business but without the grant, things are looking desperate.”
Mr Lister, who lives near Nairn and operates his agency from Fairways Business Park in Inverness, turned to regional MSP David Stewart for help.
He, in turn, wrote to Highland Council’s chief executive Donna Manson and to the Scottish Government minister for business and fair work, Jamie Hepburn, and is awaiting replies.
Mr Stewart said: “I know Mr Lister is not the only small business owner in the Highlands and Islands who is in this situation.
“Until he gets a definitive answer on this he’s in limbo.
“This is a hard enough time for small businesses to eke out an existence and I think it would be really unfair to deny him and those other firms a grant hand out because of such an honest oversight.
“Businesses like Mr Lister’s will go down the drain without this help and I’m trying to do what I can to support them.”
A council spokesman said: “The original decision was based on the information available at the time. The council will however review that decision based on the further information submitted, and contact the applicant in due course.”
