How is council tax bands

Visits usually take 10 to 30 minutes. If you have any questions, please contact us. The contact details can be found on the appointment letter. Staff always carry and present identity cards that include their photograph. Please contact the VOA to check the identity of callers if you have any concerns. Domestic properties that have separate dwellings are known as houses in multiple occupation HMOs. Each separately let part of a property qualifies as a separate dwelling with its own band.

There may be circumstances where the VOA can combine the bands. HMOs with little or no adaptation: Where minor adaptations have been added then the VOA can put the whole property into one band. This could be where door locks are added and the occupants of the separately let parts share the kitchen and bathroom of the original house. HMOs with adaptations to each floor: A single band can be given where each floor of a house let in parts has standard facilities and can be treated as a self-contained unit.

This applies where the occupiers of the floor share a kitchen and a bathroom. They will be given their own band even though may share some facilities. In making a decision, the VOA will look at the degree to which each part has been structurally altered.

Purpose built HMOs: These properties would generally not be combined and would have separate assessments for each internal unit. Your local authority calculates a separate Council Tax bill for every property banded and collects payments. The council is responsible for applying relevant discounts or exemptions. This includes installing kitchen appliances and a toilet and shower and also creating a single entrance to the new annexe. As a separate area of living accommodation this annexe would normally require its own Council Tax band.

A separate Council Tax band is still required if an area of a house, flat or other domestic property which could be occupied separately is vacant. If you have an annexe you may be entitled to relief from the local authority. Contact your local authority for more information. The VOA will only be able to remove a Council Tax band if the area or annexe has been sufficiently altered so that it could no longer be lived in separately. The VOA is unable to give specific advice on any planned changes to a property.

They can only explain how relevant Council Tax regulations are applied. If you think your property has incorrectly been given an additional Council Tax band, you have the right to appeal that decision. Your local authority council sets rates and collects Council Tax payments. You can find out the Council Tax rates set by your local authority. Consolidation of information of two pages 'Banding of houses in multi occupation HMOs ' and 'Council Tax bands and annexes'.

Check what you need to do. Properties in Wales were revalued in , meaning council tax bands are based on their market value on 1 April Northern Ireland did not switch to council tax in the s, but kept the old system of domestic rates. These are based on rental values. In , Northern Ireland changed to a modified system of domestic rates, based on the capital value of individual properties.

Domestic rates are worked out by multiplying the rateable capital value of your property by the domestic regional rate and domestic district rate added together. The rateable capital value is specific to your home. The domestic regional rate is the amount of pence in every pound you pay to the Assembly for regional services.

The domestic district rate is the amount of pence in every pound you pay to your District council for local services. Here are the Northern Ireland domestic rate poundage levels for each council area in If your property is newly built, the Valuation Office Agency for England and Wales VOA will automatically assess it in order to place it in a council tax band. For example, if nearby long-term roadworks have affected the rateable value of your property, you can submit one challenge for works that started on 31 December , and a new challenge for roadworks starting on a different date.

There are instances where people think their property has been put into the wrong council tax band. If there have been changes to the property, such as being converted into flats, you can request a revaluation from the VOA or SAA. If you think there was a mistake in the original valuation of your property, you can request a band review from your local valuation office. If nearby properties are around the same size, age and style as yours, you should be in the same council tax band as them.

If you know your neighbours well, you could ask them about it. As your council tax band is based on your property's value in in England and Scotland, or in Wales, you'll need to find this out to gauge whether or not you should make a challeng, even if the property didn't exist at the time.

To find out its current value, check house price websites such as Rightmove and Zoopla which offer free historic sales prices information. Note down the most recent sales price and date of similar properties to yours in your street. You can use this to estimate what your property would have been worth in or by using tools such as the Nationwide House Price Calculator. With this estimated property price, you can roughly see which band your property would have been placed in, according to the bands below:.

If, after working through the steps above, you're still sure your property is in the wrong band, it's time to make a challenge. State your case, explaining the checks you've carried out in steps 1 and 2 above, and why you think your property is in the wrong band. If you think your band has changed since its initial valuation, you should write to your local council and explain why you think the band should be changed. The council will either accept or reject this claim.

If it's rejected, you can make an appeal to the valuation tribunal — follow the steps outlined in our guide on how to get a council tax refund. Property improvements won't increase your council tax, but your band may change if the property is sold or the subject of a new lease for more than seven years. Before buying a new home, it's worth checking the VOA's council tax list to see if it's pending a band review.

The list includes all properties that are known to have been improved. Watch our short video below to find out how council tax bands work, and what you can do if you think your property is in the wrong council tax band. If your challenge finds that your property has incorrectly been put in a higher band, not only will your council tax bills be lowered in the future, but your council will refund you the money you've overpaid.

This should be backdated to whenever you began paying for the wrong band; usually when you moved into the property. Repayments will be backdated to at most, as this is when council tax payments were first introduced. If you can't change your property's council tax band, another way to reduce your council tax bill is to apply for a discount. Our guide provides an extensive list on who is eligible for a council tax discount , and how to apply for one.

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