If you appeal, you must continue to pay your full council tax liability until your appeal is decided. If your appeal succeeds, we will refund any Council Tax that you have overpaid.
1. Challenge your band
In England and Scotland, valuation bands are based on property values on 1 April 1991, not what a property is worth today. In Wales, valuation bands are based on property values on 1 April 2003.
You must continue to pay your your full council tax bill while you challenge your band.
You can challenge a council tax band by:
- asking the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to check it – eg if you think your home was valued incorrectly
- making a formal challenge to the VOA – you can only do this in certain circumstances (eg if your property has changed significantly since it was valued)
Ask the VOA to check your council tax band
They will tell you how your council tax band has been worked out. They can review your band if you provide information that suggests it’s wrong (eg evidence that similar properties in your street are in a different band).
If they agree your band is wrong, they’ll put it right. This service is free.
Please be aware that the VOA can make one of 3 decisions
- Your property's banding is incorrect and it should be in a lower band. You will therefore be liable for less council tax.
- Your banding is correct and therefore it should remain in the same band. Your council tax bill will not change.
- Your property's banding is incorrect and it should be in a higher band. You will be liable for more council tax.
You can not appeal against the VOA decision, but in some cases you may be able to make a formal challenge against the decision.
2. Council tax liability, discounts and exemptions
If you disagree with some aspect of a council tax bill because you do not think you are liable for the council tax for that dwelling, or you think an exemption or a discount should be applied, you need to appeal first to the Council. There is a right of appeal to the Valuation Tribunal against the Council’s decision.
3. Penalty notices
The Council may issue a penalty notice if they request some information from you in connection with your liability for council tax, and you do not supply it.
To appeal against a penalty notice, you must contact the Valuation Tribunal within 28 days of receiving the notice from Brentwood Borough Council. You must do this in writing and you must include a copy of the penalty notice with your appeal. You can get an appeal form from the Valuation Tribunal's website.
The Valuation Tribunal will need evidence that you either do not have the requested information or that it was provided as requested. You should bring along some proof of posting if you contend that you have supplied the information requested.
4. Local Council Tax Support
If you have applied for Local Council Tax Support and you disagree with our decision you should write to us and ask us to look at the decision again. We will notify you of your decision and tell you about other options available to you
5. Other appeals
You should contact the Council if
- You think you should not have to pay council tax at all because you do not live in or own the property
- You feel the property should be exempt from council tax
- You believe we have made a mistake working out your bill
- We have not given you a discount or we have not reduced your bill because you or someone you live with has a disability.