Guidance
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) explains how domestic properties are valued for Council Tax bands.
Published 22 January 2016
Last updated 13 February 2020 — see all updates
From:
Council Tax valuations are based on the value of properties that aren’t used for business purposes.
The value is based on the price the property would have sold for on the open market on 1 April 1991 in England and 1 April 2003 in Wales.
All properties are banded on the same basis, including properties bought under discount schemes, such as Right to Buy. The purchase price discounts applied to these properties aren’t taken into account when setting the band.
The VOA doesn’t use property price indexes for information or valuations.
| Band | Value at 1 April 1991 |
|---|---|
| A | up to £40,000 |
| B | £40,001 to £52,000 |
| C | £52,001 to £68,000 |
| D | £68,001 to £88,000 |
| E | £88,001 to £120,000 |
| F | £120,001 to £160,000 |
| G | £160,001 to £320,000 |
| H | more than £320,000 |
| Band | Value at 1 April 2003 |
|---|---|
| A | up to £44,000 |
| B | £44,001 to £65,000 |
| C | £65,001 to £91,000 |
| D | £91,001 to £123,000 |
| E | £123,001 to £162,000 |
| F | £162,001 to £223,000 |
| G | £223,001 to £324,000 |
| H | £324,001 to £424,000 |
| I | more than £424,000 |
The VOA assesses properties to ensure that they’re in the correct Council Tax band. They automatically assess some properties, for example when a property has been made smaller or when a property is newly built. The VOA also assesses properties when asked to do so, such as during a Council Tax appeal or band review.
Assessments are based on a number of factors, such as a property’s:
Check your Council Tax band in England and Wales or Scotland.
A property that’s increased in size may move to a higher band when it’s next purchased.
If you have any concerns regarding the assessment of your Council Tax band contact the VOA.
When a new property has been built, or an existing property is converted to domestic use (for example, a warehouse conversion), the property will need to have a Council Tax band.
If you’ve moved into a property that doesn’t have a Council Tax band, you should contact your local council. They’ll provide the VOA with the information they need to allocate a band.
There’s guidance available on how to start paying Council Tax.
If the VOA is unable to get enough information to band a property, they’ll arrange a visit.
Usually, the VOA can get all the information they need from outside, so they won’t need to disturb you. The inspector will often take photographs to save time. Generally, only 1 or 2 external pictures are necessary – much like an estate agent would use.
If the VOA can’t get all the information from the outside, they may ask to go inside the property. If photographs of the inside are needed these won’t be taken without your permission.
Inspections can only happen with your consent. VOA staff inspect property in accordance with the government’s code of practice on exercising powers of entry.
The VOA will arrange the visit when it’s convenient for you. Visits usually take 10 to 30 minutes. If you have any questions, please contact us. The contact details can be found on the appointment letter.
Staff always carry and present identity cards that include their photograph. If someone claims to need to inspect your home for Council Tax purposes and you have your doubts, don’t allow them access. Please contact the VOA to check the identity of callers if you have any concerns.
Telephone (England)03000 501501
Telephone (Wales)03000 505505
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm. Closed on bank holidays.
Find out about call charges: https://www.gov.uk/call-charges
Domestic properties that have separate dwellings are known as houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). Each separately let part of a property qualifies as a separate dwelling with its own band. There may be circumstances where the VOA can combine the bands.
HMOs with little or no adaptation: Where minor adaptations have been added then the VOA can put the whole property into one band. This could be where door locks are added and the occupants of the separately let parts share the kitchen and bathroom of the original house.
HMOs with adaptations to each floor: A single band can be given where each floor of a house let in parts has standard facilities and can be treated as a self-contained unit. This applies where the occupiers of the floor share a kitchen and a bathroom.
HMOs with adapted letting rooms: Separately let rooms in a HMO may have been adapted, for example, so that they have their own kitchenette or separate shower/bath and WC. They will be given their own band even though may share some facilities. In making a decision, the VOA will look at the degree to which each part has been structurally altered.
Purpose built HMOs: These properties would generally not be combined and would have separate assessments for each internal unit.
There’s more information available on houses in multiple occupation.
Your local authority calculates a separate Council Tax bill for every property banded and collects payments. The council is responsible for applying relevant discounts or exemptions.
If you believe your band is wrong, or your household shouldn’t be banded at all, you may be eligible to appeal.
If the VOA determines that your property contains more than 1 area of separate living accommodation, you may find you’re charged for more than one Council Tax band.
The VOA is required by law to apply a separate Council Tax band to every:
“building, or part of a building, which has been constructed or adapted for use as separate living accommodation”
The operational instructions followed when applying this can be found in Practice note 5: disaggregation of dwellings in the VOA’s Council Tax manual.
“A family adapts two rooms in their house so that a relative is able to live with them. This includes installing kitchen appliances and a toilet and shower and also creating a single entrance to the new annexe. As a separate area of living accommodation this annexe would normally require its own Council Tax band.”
The VOA will make a decision on every case based on the specific nature of the construction and / or adaptation of the property, such as:
Only physical features are considered when deciding whether or not an additional area of living accommodation exists within a domestic property, not how it’s used. A separate Council Tax band is still required if an area of a house, flat or other domestic property which could be occupied separately is vacant.
If you have an annexe you may be entitled to relief from the local authority. Contact your local authority for more information.
Accommodation occupied by tenants wouldn’t be treated as an annexe, but it would still have its own Council Tax band.
Various discounts and exemptions are administered by your local authority (council).
If you’ve removed a separate area of living accommodation by making physical changes to your house, flat or other domestic property, you should contact the VOA. The VOA will only be able to remove a Council Tax band if the area or annexe has been sufficiently altered so that it could no longer be lived in separately.
The VOA is unable to give specific advice on any planned changes to a property. They can only explain how relevant Council Tax regulations are applied.
If you think your property has incorrectly been given an additional Council Tax band, you have the right to appeal that decision.
Your local authority (council) sets rates and collects Council Tax payments. You can find out the Council Tax rates set by your local authority.
It’s possible to pay your Council Tax online.
Published 22 January 2016
Last updated 13 February 2020 + show all updates
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