Council Tax appeals

Some Council Tax appeals are dealt with by us and some are dealt with by the Valuations Office Agency.

Appeal to the Council in writing if:

• You have received a bill but you think you are not the person who should be paying
• You think your home should be exempt from charges
• You think your bill has been calculated incorrectly for example, it should include a discount or a reduction for disabled people

The Council should reply within two months. If you are unhappy with their reply, or do not hear from them within four months of writing, you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.

Making an appeal does not allow you to withhold payment of Council Tax. If your appeal is successful, you will be entitled to a refund of any overpayment.

Contact Customer Services

Appeal to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) if:

• Part of your home has been demolished
• The property has been converted from one house into flats or flats to a house
• There have been physical changes to the area that has affected your home’s value
• The Valuation Officer has changed your home’s band, or a similar property’s band, in the last six months
• You have become the new Council Tax payer for the property in the last six months

Appeal to the Valuation Tribunal Service if:

• You have first appealed in writing to the Council and you are not happy with their decision, you may appeal to the VTS regarding liability to pay Council Tax, or entitlement to discounts and exemptions
• You disagree with the date on a completion notice. The date within the notice will be the date the property will be banded from and included in the valuation list, and the date from which Council Tax should be paid. You must appeal within 28 days of receiving the notice but it may be worth contacting the local authority to discuss your grievance first
• You disagree with the valuation or banding placed on a dwelling by the VOA. You must first have made a valid proposal to the VOA and received a decision notice from them before contacting the VTS
• You disagree with an invalidity notice issued by the VO where they believe the proposal was not made according to the regulations
• You disagree with a penalty notice imposed by the billing authority for failure to provide information they have requested in relation to Council Tax