Help centre
Short, plain-English answers to the questions we get asked most.
- What is Council Tax?
A quick primer on what Council Tax pays for, who sets it, and why bands matter.
- How are Council Tax bands set?
Why your band is anchored to a 1991 (or 2003) valuation that may not reflect reality.
- What does "overbanded" mean?
Overbanded means you're paying more Council Tax than comparable neighbours for no good reason.
- What's the success rate?
VOA stats: ~27% of all challenges succeed; informal Band Reviews are 41%, formal Proposals 19%.
- How long does a challenge take?
The VOA targets 90 days; in practice 90–180 days is common for complex cases.
- What evidence do I need?
Comparable properties at lower bands, plus floor area / property type if available.
- What if my challenge is rejected?
You have 6 weeks to appeal to the Valuation Tribunal — and we offer a tribunal-prep upgrade.
- Do I need to pay anything upfront?
The check is free. The submission package is £29 with a money-back guarantee on rejection.
- Is BandCheck a claims management company?
No — Council Tax appeals fall outside the FCA's claims management perimeter.
- What data do you store about me?
Postcode, house number, email if you provided it, and the comparison result. Retained for 6 years per UK contract limitation.
- What makes a strong comparable property?
Same street, same property type, similar size, currently in a lower band — and ideally a recent transparent sale.
- Why can't I just use an official API?
There isn't one. The VOA does not publish a programmatic submission endpoint.
- Why does Wales have 9 bands?
Wales revalued in 2003 and added a Band I at the top end. England and Scotland never did.
- How does it work in Scotland?
Scotland uses local Assessors per council, not a centralised VOA. Same idea, different paperwork.
- Can I cancel my submission?
Yes — you can withdraw a Proposal in writing before the VOA decides. The £29 fee is refundable per our guarantee.