Valuation appeals

All matters relating to Council Tax valuation and banding appeals are dealt with by the Listing Officer at the Valuation Office Agency (which is part of HM Revenues & Customs) and not the Council.

Please remember that the valuation band is based on the price a property would have fetched if it had been sold on 1st April 1991. Any rise or fall in the property’s value due to general changes in the property market will not be a reason for changing your band, so the Listing Officer will not accept an appeal purely on this basis. Recent purchase prices are not necessarily adequate evidence for appeal.

Grounds for appeal

Where you have become the new owner or taxpayer for a property and you believe that the banding is wrong, you can appeal to the Council Tax Listing Officer within 6 months of becoming the taxpayer, but only in the following circumstances:

  • Where the Listing Officer has changed the band of your property and you believe that the banding is wrong, you can appeal to the Listing Officer within 6 months of the change being made.
  • Where the Valuation Tribunal has agreed to change the band of another property similar to yours, you can appeal to the Listing Officer to within 6 months of the change being agreed
  • Where your property has reduced in value for any of the following reasons:
  • there has been a change in the physical state of the local area
    • there has been an adaptation to make the property suitable for someone with a physical disability
    • part of the property has been demolished

In these cases the Listing Officer will re-value the property as soon as possible.

  • Where you start or stop using part of the property to carry out a business, or the balance between domestic and business parts of your property changes;
  • Where the Council Tax Listing Officer has amended the entry in the valuation list for your property, without you asking for a change. If your home increases in value because you have had improvements to it, such as building an extension, any increase in the banding will only take place after the property has been sold.

The Listing Officer

If you want to appeal against your band or you require any more information on Council Tax banding matters, please contact the Listing Officer at: Barking Valuation Office.

Other Appeals

You can also appeal if:

  • You think you are not responsible for paying the Council Tax
  • you have claimed a discount or exemption and this has not been awarded or has been refused
  • You think any item on your bill apart from Council Tax Benefit has been worked out incorrectly
  • A claim for disability reduction has not been granted
  • You have to pay a penalty
  • if we have sent you a completion notice, and you do not agree with the date on it. If you want to appeal about these matters, contact the Revenues and Benefits Service.