Bury St Edmunds: 01284 769598Haverhill: 01440 768919Sudbury: 01787 468400
    Get a Valuation
    Register
    LogoLogo

    Our Branches

    Bury St Edmunds

    Contact Branch
    Area Guide

    Haverhill

    Contact Branch
    Area Guide

    Sudbury

    Contact Branch
    Area Guide

    How much is your property worth?

    Get an instant valuation

    Home/News/Your council tax & property band questions answered

    Your council tax & property band questions answered

    over 3 years ago
    Lettings
    Your council tax & property band questions answered

    With so much focus on energy bills at the moment, it’s easy to forget the other costs attached to running a property. One unavoidable bill, whether you’re an owner occupier or living in a rented property, is council tax.

    Many of our clients ask us property band and council tax questions, so we have answered the most common below:-

    Q. What is council tax?
    A. People living in properties have been paying money to local authorities or those in charge since the Norman Feudal System in 1066. Today, people living at a domestic address in England have to pay their local council authority a set amount every year – usually paid over the course of 10 months – and this is known as council tax.

    Q. What does council tax pay for?
    A. Your council tax helps to pay for the services that a local authority supplies, such as refuse collection, street lighting, environmental health, trading standards and libraries, among other day-to-day essentials. Some of the money may also be shared with the emergency services.

    Q. Does everyone pay the same amount of council tax?
    A. How much a household pays depends on the value of their property. Even now in 2022, the value is based on the price the property would have sold for on the open market on 1st April 1991 in England, and 1st April 2003 in Wales.

    Q. What are property bands?
    A. Each property is given a letter that puts it into a set property value ‘band’. The bands range from A to H. In England, properties in the A band are worth £40,000 or less, with properties in the H band valued as the most expensive. The full set of bands and more detailed information about them can be found on the Government’s dedicated webpage – How domestic properties are assessed for Council Tax bands

    Q. Can I challenge my property band?
    A. If you’re not happy with your property’s band, you can ask the Valuation Office Agency to perform a reassessment. You may ask this to be done if you have made your home significantly smaller, for instance. Be aware, however, a reassessment may see your property put into a higher band.

    Q. Do I still have to pay council tax if my property is empty?
    A. That depends on your circumstances and the local authority’s stance on vacant properties. In some cases, council tax will be suspended after a death or if the property is derelict awaiting refurbishment.

    Q. Can I get a discount on my council tax?
    A. Some individuals can apply for a council tax discount but each council will have its own criteria. Qualifying characteristics can include: being in receipt of benefits, student status, receiving a low income, having a disability and sole occupancy. Discounts are sometimes granted where a property is empty due a lack of tenants but this is at the discretion of the local authority.

    Q. Does a landlord or a tenant pay the council tax bill?
    A. This depends whether the property was offered to rent with ‘bills included’. The tenancy agreement will stipulate if the annual council tax is included. If the property is a House in Multiple Occupation, each self-contained unit may receive its own band and, therefore, its own council tax bill. It’s advisable to check with the landlord if there’s an individual or shared bill when budgeting.

    If you would like to know more about the band of a property you are interested in moving to and what the annual council tax bill may be, contact us for advice.

    Share this article

    More Articles

    More than half of under 34s hope to become a landlord

    More than half of under 34s hope to become a landlord

    Published 3 days ago

    Younger Millennials (born between 1991 and 1996) and those in Generation Z (1997-2012) still see a future in property investment. That was the surprising finding of a new survey of 2,000 UK adults conducted by Opinium on behalf of Market Financial Solutions.

    Read More
    A tenant’s guide to the Renters’ Rights Bill

    A tenant’s guide to the Renters’ Rights Bill

    Published about 1 month ago

    The Renters’ Rights Bill has taken another step towards becoming law. With no major amendments expected, it’s now that tenants should take notice of the Bill’s contents.

    Read More
    Garden etiquette for tenants this summer

    Garden etiquette for tenants this summer

    Published 2 months ago

    When you become a renter, you’re expected to behave in a ‘tenant like manner’ and that extends to outside spaces as much as inside the home. If in any doubt as to what that means, you can refer to your tenancy agreement. It should list the specific garden jobs you’re responsible for, and what your landlord should maintain. If there’s scant detail, contact us and we can obtain written clarification for you.

    Read More

    Sign up for our newsletter

    Subscribe to receive the latest property market information to your inbox, full of market knowledge and tips for your home.

    You may unsubscribe at any time. See our Privacy Policy.

    Back to Home

    Get in touch 

    Bury St Edmunds
    Haverhill
    Sudbury

    Help & Guidance 

    Money Protection Certificate
    Complaints Handling Procedure

    ARLA
    DPS
    NAEA
    OnTheMarket
    RightMove
    ThePropertyOmbudsman
    TradingStandards
    Logo
    © 2025 Bychoice
    Privacy Policy|Terms & Conditions|Cookie Policy|Copyright Information
    Powered by