Council Tax Appeals
You can appeal your council tax banding through the Valuation Office Agency or your liability to pay council tax.
Appeal your Council Tax Liability
If you disagree with the Council's decision to make you liable for Council Tax, you can appeal.
You can appeal if you think:
- You are being sent Council Tax bills but are not the liable party
- Your home should be exempt from Council Tax
- The amount of the bill is incorrect; for example if you think a discount should apply.
You cannot appeal because you think your bill is too expensive.
How do I appeal?
You must write to us stating clearly why you are unhappy with our decision.
Legally, the Council has two months to reconsider our decision; however, we usually reply much more quickly.
You can write to us at
South Hams District Council
Follaton House
Plymouth Road
Totnes
TQ9 5NE
What if I am still unhappy?
You can take your appeal to an independent Valuation Tribunal. You must do this within two months of the date when we notified you of our decision, or if we haven't replied, within four months of the date when you wrote to us with your representations. You can contact the Valuation Tribunal at:
Valuation Tribunal Service
2nd Floor
120 Leman Street
London
E1 8EU
Tel 0300 123 2035
Email: vtwhitechapel@vts.gsi.gov.uk
What happens next?
- The Tribunal will ask you to make your appeal in writing
- If you and any other parties, including the Council agree, your case may be dealt with by exchanging written statements.
- If any parties do not agree to this, the Tribunal will contact you to arrange a hearing.
- If the Tribunal decides in your favour, we will amend your bill.
- There is no charge for a Tribunal hearing, but you may choose to employ a solicitor or other person to present your case.
For more information about this process, go to the Valuation Tribunal's website.
Appeal your Council Tax Band
If you think your property is in the wrong band, you can appeal against it.
The Council Tax Band for your property is determined by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), a branch of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
If you think your property has been banded incorrectly, you should contact the VOA. You will need to provide evidence as to why you think your property is incorrectly banded.
You can find more information about appealing your Council Tax band on the VOA website.
You must continue to pay the Council Tax bill you have been sent while waiting for a decision. If your appeal is successful and your band is reduced, you will be refunded any monies you have overpaid.