My name is Angelo Couchman and I run a small business called Surface 2 Air Sports Ltd. We are extreme sports enthusiasts and sell all the products needed for Wakeboarding, Kitesurfing, Snowboarding and all manner of gear for outside sports. We are based in Poole near Bournemouth. 

RVA Surveyors, a company often in the press exposing them (you can read about them on the hyperlinks below) allege that I entered into a lengthy contract with them to reduce my business rates.  I have defended the case, and made my own counterclaim against them for recover of money paid to them. I have defended on a number of grounds, including that they failed to leave me with a copy of the contract (so I did not know about my right to cancel) and that they have not given me valuable consideration for their fees.

In these hard times when every small business is suffering from the effects of COVID-19, if they are successful in their claim I could lose everything I have worked so hard to achieve.

I am fighting for my business' financial life and for its future. I want to stand up to RVA and show them that they cannot simply forward documents to the council and then claim thousands from hard working businesses.  

I have already filed my defence, disclosure (evidence) and witness statements. We are scheduled for a trial in the middle of March. As you are likely to know, paying for a legal team even in normal times is very expensive. At the moment all business are suffering and I need help.  

My solicitor, Elliot Hammer of Branch Austin LLP https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-hammer-37522920/ has previously won against them on numerous occasions https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/lili-baston-2-rva-surveyors-18977616

Thank you for taking the time to listen and I welcome all the help you can offer. 

Here are numerous links to online reports about RVA.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/businesses-rates-reduction-firm-rva-21950411

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/major-victory-war-against-business-21793204

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/rva-surveyors-accused-forging-signatures-21441069

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/lili-baston-2-rva-surveyors-18977616

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/small-firms-hit-out-over-rva-surveyors-fees-for-free-rates-relief-xmx9ffq85

https://www.magzter.com/article/Newspaper/Daily-Mirror/Sponging-Off-The-Covid-Rates-Relief

Thank you !