Challenge your Council Tax band
Evidence that supports your challenge
You’ll be asked for evidence that your Council Tax band is wrong when you challenge a Council Tax band in England or Wales. You’ll need to give your evidence when you apply.
If there’s been a change that affects the property
If you’re proposing a new band, you must provide one of the following pieces of evidence:
- a description of any changes to your property - if it has been demolished, split into multiple properties or merged into one
- details of your property’s change of use - if part of your property is now used for business
- a description of how your local area has changed physically - for example, if a new supermarket has been built
- details of any physical works which have taken place to your property
If you think your band is wrong
You’ll need to provide addresses for up to 5 similar properties in a lower band than yours.
The properties should be the same as your property in terms of:
- type - for example, if you live in a semi-detached house the properties should be semi-detached houses
- size - for example, number of bedrooms and total area
- age
- style and design
The properties should also be either:
- in the same street or estate - if you live in a town or city
- in the same village - if you live in the countryside
Evidence from house prices
You can also use the price that your property or similar properties sold for as evidence, if the sales were between:
- 1 April 1989 and 31 March 1993 - if your property is in England
- 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2005 - if your property is in Wales
You can look up property sale prices online from 1995 onwards.
Compare the sale prices to the prices the properties are valued at for Council Tax.
| Council Tax band | Properties in England - value in April 1991 | Properties in Wales - value in April 2003 |
|---|---|---|
| A | Up to £40,000 | Up to £44,000 |
| B | More than £40,000 and up to £52,000 | More than £44,000 and up to £65,000 |
| C | More than £52,000 and up to £68,000 | More than £65,000 and up to £91,000 |
| D | More than £68,000 and up to £88,000 | More than £91,000 and up to £123,000 |
| E | More than £88,000 and up to £120,000 | More than £123,000 and up to £162,000 |
| F | More than £120,000 and up to £160,000 | More than £162,000 and up to £223,000 |
| G | More than £160,000 and up to £320,000 | More than £223,000 and up to £324,000 |
| H | More than £320,000 | More than £324,000 and up to £424,000 |
| I | - | More than £424,000 |
If the sale prices are outside the Council Tax band, you can use this as evidence. You will need to give:
- the addresses of the properties
- the sale prices
- the dates the properties were sold - the closer this is to the valuation date, the more likely the VOA will be able to use this evidence
The VOA will not consider average house price information from websites such as Nationwide House Price Index, Nethouseprices, Rightmove or Zoopla as strong evidence.