You may be entitled to a council tax rebate if you have been paying too much council tax. This can happen if your property is revaluated and you are placed in a lower tax band. If this is the case you can claim back some of the council tax you have already paid.

You can request a reassessment of your council tax band by contacting the valuation office agency. However, if the comparative value of your home has increased since 1991, for example if you have extended the property, it is not usually in your interest to seek a reassessment as your council tax band could be raised.

Before you request a reassessment of your council tax band you should research the value of your property in 1991 and check this against the band your home is currently placed in.

There are many websites that will provide you with details of historical property prices in your area.

The following are the Council Tax bands based on 1991 house prices:

  1. £40k and below: band A
  2. £40k-£52k: band B
  3. £52k-£68: band C
  4. £68k-£88k: band D
  5. £88k-£120k: band E
  6. £120k-£160k: band F
  7. £160k-£320k: band G
  8. Over £320k: band H

If you find that you are currently in a higher band than your 1991 house price indicates, you can contact the Valuation Office Agency to request a formal reassessment.

If the reassessment places your property in a lower council tax band then you can claim a refund on any excess council tax you have been paying. These claims can be backdated for as long as you lived in the property or until 1993 when the tax started.

If you wish to claim a Council Tax refund because you have been paying the full rate of Council Tax when discounts (such as single person discount) should apply, you should inform your local authority. You may be eligible for a refund of excess paid in the current or most recent tax year. You will need to provide evidence to support your claim.

To find out your current council tax band use the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands

If you need to contact The Valuation Office Agency please find contact numbers below.

For England Telephone:
03000 501501

For Wales Telephone:
03000 505505