Council Tax Banding

[Thisoldbird]

If anyone responsible for paying the council tax on a property thinks its in wrong band can I contest it even tho I have lived in it for many years, please. 

[davebro3]

https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands

[Atheist]

I believe you can ask the council to review your banding. But it's possible they might rate it upwards instead of downwards. Perhaps try to find out from your neighbours in similar properties what they are paying?

[maclarencat]

https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands

This tells you your neighbours bands and how to appeal

[Atheist]

That's useful, maclarencat. However, if the neighbours have houses of different sizes, there could be different bands. If thisoldbird is surrounded by similar or identical properties, then it's a good guide.

[barry1010]

My house looks identical to my neighbours but because I have added en-suites it will go in to a higher band when I sell it.  

So you can't always tell if your identical neighbours' houses are really in the same band just by looking at the outside.

[Atheist]

barry; I thought the bands were based on the selling price at some time well in the past. Our close has originally identical houses, all in the same band, but quite a few have roof and rear extensions and sell for all sorts of prices with differentials of  100k and more. Would the council re-band a house on request, based on its current condition and value??

[barry1010]

Atheist, it does - which is why I pay council tax at the original band but there is an 'improvement indicator' on my property that means it will move in to a higher band when sold.

Open the link in davebro's post, click on any property and you will see yes or no next to Improvement Indicator.  

This explains it better.

https://valuationoffice.blog.gov.uk/2023/07/13/how-home-improvements-affect-your-council-tax-band/

[barry1010]

If you do challenge it and your council tax goes up, your neighbours will hate you - theirs could go up to.

Why do you think it is in the wrong band?

[dasherman]

My old neighbours actually requested to move up a band, because they thought it would make them look posh.