Are you paying too much council tax? Get our independent, evidence filled report and see if you are paying the right rate. If you are overpaying, our report can be used as strong evidence to support your appeal.
You could reclaim thousands of pounds
Hello, my name is Ben Ricardo. My team and I produce independent council tax band reports designed to assess your council tax band as well as giving you detailed evidence to support the conclusions.
In the UK today, a surprising proportion of houses are banded incorrectly. This means that you could well be paying too much for your council tax. You could also be owed a refund for the money you have overpaid on your council tax so far. Properties were originally sorted into council tax bands very hastily, and have never been revised (except in Wales). Our report can help you see if you are paying to much, and if you are, give evidence to help in appealing your council tax band.
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Example report
To see a complete example report please click on the image below and download the PDF
Click the image above to view the sample page.
The sample report will show you what you can expect from one of our council tax band reports. It contains five pages of useful information, which we will compile specifically for your property. The report will give our opinion on the case for appeal and will provide crucial evidence if you do decide to make an appeal. It includes:
- The council tax bands of your nearest and most similar properties
- Recent transactions in your area where a property in a lower tax band has sold for more than your property is worth
- Recent transactions in your area where a property in a higher tax band has sold for less than your property is worth
- Average values of properties within council tax band in your area
- A summary of the findings
Frequently asked questions
How much can I save if my band is reduced?
This depends on a variety of factors and will be different for many people. On average, if the assessors decide to lower your property band by one level, you could expect to save a few hundred pounds per year. Additionally, if you have been living in the property for a long time, you can get a retrospective rebate, which goes back to when you first moved into your property. This could go back to 1993, the year when the tax was first introduced.
Could I just do these reports myself?
It is possible to collect the underlying valuation and band information yourself but it would take you a very long time. Gathering the data for just one postcode with 15 properties is feasible, but to get the data for your entire neighbourhood would take days to gather. We have the experience and the tools at had to offer a cost effective service. Our experts have paid for professional level subscriptions to various valuation databases and are therefore able to compile the data much more quickly and effectively. It is these economies of scale that allow us to offer you these bespoke reports for such a reasonable price.
Can I use a house price calculator to work out the value in 1991?
The VOA frowns on this approach and does not consider the outputs of house price calculators such as the one provided by Nationwide as strong evidence to support a claim. They point to the lack of reliability in "indexing" prices from current values to their equivalent back in 1991. A more reliable approach to measuring relative values is to compare a property's band with the bands of properties with a similar current value in the area.
If you are interested in the background to this question do read the article by Martin Lewis at moneysavingexpert, however please bear in mind that assessors will largely ignore 1991 value estimates derived from a house price calculator.
Where do you get your data from?
The primary data we use to compile the reports is taken from The Land Registry, the VOA (valuation office agency) website and Calnea Analytics. We also pay other organisations for access to comparable valuation data.
What if I don’t know the value of my property?
All you need to provide is a rough estimate of what you think your property would likely sell for in the current market. This is so we can find properties that are clearly worth more than yours, but are in a lower band. If you have no idea about the value of your property, you can get an instant valuation estimate for free from the website mouseprice.com. Here you can also see previous selling prices as well as what is currently for sale in your neighbourhood. In my biased opinion it is the best source of house price information. If you are basing your own estimate on current asking prices of similar properties, please bear in mind that property typically sells for around 5 to 10 per cent less than the asking price.
What if I don’t know my current council tax band?
This can be found on your council tax bill, or if you don't have a bill to hand, you can simply look it up on the VOA website. When at the site, you can enter either your billing authority area, or your postcode. Then you will be taken to a page to enter your address and some other details. Once you fill this in, you will be shown your current tax band.
How can I appeal my band?
Once we provide you with your report, you'll be able to assess the evidence. If the evidence shows that you are probably overpaying you should contact the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) on 0845 602 1507, or contact your Local Listing Officer to request a reassessment. For those in Scotland, you can contact your Scottish Local Assessor.
When applying for a reassessment, it is useful to have a specific reason for requesting a lower council tax band. The official list can be found here: http://www.voa.gov.uk/council_tax/can_i_appeal.htm. It’s worth taking into account any extensions you might have had since 1991, as this is likely to have increased the value of your property.
How successful are council tax band appeals?
A suprisingly large number of requests for band changes are accepted. In response to a question by the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Barabara Follett (Minister of State) provided the following information:
| Year |
A |
B |
C |
D |
Total settled |
| 2005-06 |
14,455 |
11,397 |
840 |
1,262 |
27,954
|
| 2006-07 |
13,296 |
12,244 |
999 |
793 |
27,332
|
| 2007-08 |
15,132 |
10,624 |
5,477 |
1,244 |
32,477
|
| 2008-09 |
9,856 |
17,185 |
4,457 |
974 |
32,472
|
A = accepted
B = rejected by the VOA and not subject to appeal
C = rejected by the VOA, considered by the Valuation Tribunal Service and not successfully appealed against
D = rejected by the VOA, considered by the Valuation Tribunal Service and successfully appealed against
When can I expect to hear back about my appeal?
In some cases, the matter can be resolved over a short telephone call. If the VOA decide to review your band, you will receive their decision in writing in about 2 months.
Can I still make an appeal if I’ve lived in the property for some time?
If you have lived in a property for over 6 months, it is common to be told that you have waited too long to make an appeal. However, this should not put you off, as it is the Local Listings Office’s legal duty to make sure that all properties are banded correctly. Therefore, if you press them for an investigation, they should oblige and, if they find sufficient evidence, correct your banding.
If you have been denied an investigation, a tried and tested way of getting results is to write a letter to the VOA telling them that you believe your property is listed in the wrong council tax band and that they should investigate and make necessary corrections. Perseverance may be required!
Additionally, if there is no reason given on your re-valuation on the official list, you are also entitled to request an appeal.
For more information, please read the article by Martin Lewis at moneysavingexpert
How council tax bands started
Council Tax was created in the early 1990s to replace the unpopular Poll Tax. The idea was to create more equitable tax, where the amount people paid was based on the value of their property. There are 8 bands, A-H, A containing the least expensive properties and H the most expensive. The band that your property falls into determines how much you have to pay.
Why are so many council tax bands incorrect?
Fundamentally assessing the value of a home is not a precise science. Inconsistencies and inaccuracies are inevitable and many people have been in the wrong council tax band since 1991. Adding to the difficulties in valuing properties consistently is the fact that the 1991 valuations were heavily constrained in terms of time and budget. As a results many of the property valuations were rushed. As they were hard pressed for time and resources, those who carried out the valuations did not usually inspect each house individually; entire roads were sometimes put into the same banding. The valuers didn't usually have time to enter properties either, relying instead on the outward appearance of a home.
Despite this evidently being a hurried operation, apart from in Wales, there has not been a revaluation for England. The responsibility clearly falls to individual residents to ensure they are not being overcharged.
Another problem that comes up with council tax is that it is not always seen as a fair way of charging people, as it assumes that your property reflects your current earnings, which is not always the case. It can also be seen as unfair to renters, who would not necessarily be able to afford to buy the property they were living in.
About me and council-tax-band-reports.co.uk
I am responsible for managing Council-tax-band-reports.co.uk and for the production of all council tax related analysis. Council-tax-band-reports.co.uk is owned by Calnea Analytics. Not only do they provide a full-money back guarantee, but they also provide me with the database tools I use to produce the analysis. Calnea is a statistical consultancy specialising in UK residential property. They produce the Land Registry House Price Index, automated valuations for mortgage lenders and they also run Mouseprice.com.
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