How to appeal your Council Tax bill

You can appeal your Council Tax bill if you think there has been a mistake. Common reasons for appealing include:

• You think you are not liable to pay Council Tax
• You think you are entitled to a discount that has not been applied, or the amount of discount is incorrect
• You believe your property should be exempt from Council Tax

Please note there is a different form to complete if appealing against a decision regarding Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support.

How to appeal your bill

Your appeal must be submitted via the Appeal form, clearly outlining the reasons for your appeal and including any supporting evidence.  We will be in touch if we need any further information. We have two months to decide on your appeal and to provide a response. We will tell you in writing of our decision and if you are successful, we will make any necessary change to your Council Tax account.

Please note, if you make an appeal, you must continue to pay your Council Tax until your appeal is decided.

Appeal against a decision we have made

If you disagree with the outcome of your appeal

You can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal Service if;

• We have not decided within two months
• We do not accept your reasons
• We make a change you do not agree with

The Valuation Tribunal is a free, independent body funded by Parliament that deals with Council Tax and rating appeals in England. Guidance on how to submit an appeal is available on the Valuation Tribunal Service website. If you're unsure which type of appeal to make, the site also provides information on the six types of Council Tax appeals to help you decide.

How to appeal your property's Council Tax band

If you believe your band is incorrect, you can challenge it with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). They are responsible for valuing properties for Council Tax, which determines your Council Tax band.

You can find out more about when you can challenge your band and what you need to do on the Challenge your Council Tax band GOV.UK website.

Please note, if you challenge your band, you must continue to pay Council Tax at your current band until your appeal is decided.

You can contact the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). If you are unable to use the online service, you can also contact the Valuation Office Agency on 03000 501 501.

Penalties for not reporting a change

You must tell us about any changes in your circumstances that affect your Council Tax within 21 days of the change. This applies whether the change means you pay more or less Council Tax.  If you fail to report a change, we may apply a £70 penalty to your Council Tax account. If you fail to report changes more than once, this penalty can increase to £280 for each further occasion.

You may be fined if you don't tell us about:

• A Single Person Discount that should have ended
• A property exemption that is no longer valid
• Any other discount that should have ended
• A change of address
• A change in your household that affects who is liable for Council Tax
• Information we've requested to establish liability
• Information we've requested after a liability order has been issued

Penalties will usually be added to your Council Tax account, and a revised bill will be sent to you. You can also appeal to the Valuation Tribunal Service. If you do, you don't need to pay the penalty until your appeal is decided. 

Please note you must continue to pay your Council Tax as normal while your appeal is ongoing.