Council tax revaluation: the facts

Here’s a heads-up about council tax revaluation – something all home improvement enthusiasts and people thinking about buying or selling a house need to know about.

The value of every home in the country is soon to be reassessed to calculate new council tax payments. And many are concerned that any home improvements they carry out could have an impact.


So, what are the facts about council tax revaluation and how will it affect you?

This is the first time the nation’s homes have been revalued since the Council Tax was introduced in 1993. And then values were backdated to reflect how much homes were worth in April 1991.

Since then house prices have increased considerably – and by different amounts in different areas of the country. This has led to fears that the current system, where properties are placed in one of eight bands according to their value, is no longer fair.

Who and how?

The revaluation has been on the cards since 2000. It will be carried out by a government body called the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and is likely to be the start of a regular cycle of revaluations.

The exercise will be done largely by computer modelling and will consider factors such as the number of rooms, the floor area and the age of properties.

Some people are concerned that home improvements that increase the value of their property (such as a brand-new kitchen, bathroom or conservatory) might also increase the cost of their council tax.

A major improvement?

However it is perhaps important to consider whether the improvements you have planned really will have a significant impact on property value.

To get a feel for how a property is valued, visit the VOA website or consult the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors website.

It’s not yet certain when the revaluation will take place. The government originally expected it to be completed by April 2007.

But it has been postponed as part of a larger inquiry into how local councils are financed. For more information visit the communities and local government website.

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