Frequently asked questions

Council tax bands were set in 1991, based on a rushed series of property valuations — many conducted as drive-by assessments rather than proper surveys. They have never been systematically reviewed. Over 30 years of change in the property market mean many homes are in the wrong band today.

The Valuation Office Agency is the government body responsible for maintaining council tax bands in England and Wales. If you want to challenge your band, you submit a proposal directly to the VOA — the process is free and can be done without a solicitor or agent.

• Comparable neighbours, We identify similar properties on your street that are already in a lower band. This is the primary evidence the VOA looks for when assessing a challenge.
• 1991 implied valuation, We estimate what your property was worth in April 1991 using Land Registry sold prices and ONS House Price Index data, then compare this against the band thresholds for that year.
• Band change detection, We continuously scrape the VOA's database, detect when nearby properties have had their band reduced, and surface these reductions as supporting evidence in your report.

A challenge is a reassessment, so in theory a band can go up as well as down. You should review the evidence carefully before submitting. In practice the risk of an increase is extremely low — VOA data shows fewer than 0.1% of challenges result in a band being raised.

A successful challenge can unlock up to £3,000 in backdated refunds — typically going back to when you moved in — plus a reduction in your annual bill going forward. The exact amount depends on the difference between bands, your local council's rates, and how long you have lived at the property.