Council Tax Bandings

There will be one council tax bill for each domestic property whether it is owned, rented or empty. The listing officer from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) places each property into a band for council tax purposes. The VOA is part of the Inland Revenue and is independent from the council.

They are required by law to allocate an appropriate band to each domestic property, by calculating a market value for each property. This is the value which would have applied on April 1 1991.

The value will fall into one of eight prescribed bands and that will determine the appropriate amount of council tax that you will be required to pay each year before any council tax discounts are made.

Sometimes improvements made to your home will increase its value and it could justify an increase
in your council tax banding. However this increase will not take place until the ownership of the
property changes or a revaluation takes place.

The bandings

There are eight council tax bands as listed in below

Band A - if the valuation of the property on April 1 1991 was under £40,000, then council tax for 2007-08 was £787.30 and council tax for 2008-09 is £814.64

Band B - if the valuation of the property on April 1 1991 was between £40,000 and £52,000, then council tax for 2007-08 was £918.51 and council tax for 2008-09 is £950.41

Band C - if the valuation of the property on April 1 1991 was between £52,001 and £68,000, then council tax for 2007-08 was £1,049.73 and council tax for 2008-09 is £1,086.19

Band D - if the valuation of the property on April 1 1991 was between £68,001 and £88,000, then council tax for 2007-08 was £1,180.94 and council tax for 2008-09 is £1,221.96

Band E - if the valuation of the property on April 1 1991 was between £88,001 and £120,000, then council tax for 2007-08 was £1,443.37 and council tax for 2008-09 is £1,493.51

Band F - if the valuation of the property on April 1 1991 was between £120,001 and £160,000, then council tax for 2007-08 was £1,636.19 and council tax for 2008-09 is £1,765.06

Band G - if the valuation of the property on April 1 1991 was between £160,001 and £320,000, then council tax for 2007-08 was £1,968.24 and council tax for 2008-09 is £2,036.60

Band H - if the valuation of the property on April 1 1991 was over over £320,001, then council tax for 2007-08 was £2,361.88 and council tax for 2008-09 is £2,443.92

If your home is in the former parish of St Mary Newington or St Saviours you will pay slightly less, the amounts will be detailed on your bill.

If you wish to appeal against the banding of your property, this should be made to the listing officer of the Valuation Office Agency and not Southwark Council.

You may appeal against your banding if

You have been liable for your property for less than six months and can demonstrate that its value at April 1 1991 would have been in a different band

You believe that your property's value has altered enough to merit an alteration in band, eg as a result of a change in the physical state of the area or the demolition or conversion of part of the property

Please remember that all council tax valuations are based on April 1991 values. General changes
in the level of house prices since then are not grounds for appeal.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA)

The Valuation Office website allows you to view the banding for your property as well as others in your area. It will also allow you to submit an online appeal.

VOA contact details

The listing officer
Tel: 020 7445 0200
Fax: 020 7445 0299
http://www.voa.gov.uk/
Lambeth Valuation Office
2nd Floor
Wingate House
93/107 Shaftsbury Avenue
London
W1D 5BU

Contact us

By telephone

020 7525 1880 - housing and council tax benefit
020 7525 1850 - council tax

By post

Council Tax Section
London Borough Of Southwark
P.O. Box 782
Bromley
BR1 3YE

Please indicate which department your query is for.

In person

Bermondsey One Stop Shop
Spa Road
Bermondsey
SE16 3QN

Peckham One Stop Shop
Ground Floor
Peckham Library
122 Peckham Hill Street
SE15 5JR

Walworth One Stop Shop
151 Walworth Road
London
SE17 1RY

Dulwich Area Housing Office
41-43 East Dulwich Road
Dulwich
SE22 9BY

All one stop shops are open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. In addition, Peckham one stop shop is open on Saturday, 9am to 1pm.

By email

Housing/council tax benefit: Soucounciltaxuk@Liberata.com
Council tax: Soucounciltaxuk@Liberata.com