In 1991, every house in the Nation had to be valued for the upcoming introduction of Council Tax. Due to the sheer size of the task at hand this was outsourced to people in pairs driving down streets and valuing properties, usually without ever getting out of the car. Since this is a far from ideal method to value homes there are bound to be some homes that are banded incorrectly.
Appealing your council tax band can be a double edged sword and could result in your band actually being raised, so it is firstly important to be sure about what band your property should be in.The process itself though is relatively simple:
- Go to the Valuation Office website. This will allow you to search your street and other nearby streets, giving the council tax band for each property. Focus on properties comparable to yours. If you find that you are in a higher band that these properties then you probably have a case for appealing your band.
- If you are sure that have a case for re-banding you can write to your Local Listing Officer. They will send you a questionnaire to fill out; state why you think your property is in the wrong band, return it and hope for the best.