Council Tax Band Comparison Worksheet

Who this is for

Gather the evidence before you ask for a band review. Your home goes in the first row and similar homes nearby below it, with their bands; sale prices go underneath.

Households in England, Scotland or Wales who suspect their council tax band is out of line with similar homes nearby, and anyone who has just moved and wants to check before deciding whether to do anything.

What this helps you track

• Your home's type, size, age and style beside each comparison
• The band of each similar home, and where and when you checked it
• Whether each comparison is on the same street or estate
• Sale prices of similar homes, with dates and sources
• Your decision, the date anything was sent and its reference

How to use it

1. Write your address, current band and the date you checked at the top, then describe your own home in the first row of the table.
2. Add up to five similar homes, as close a match as you can find, with their bands from the official list and how you checked.
3. If you have them, add sale prices of similar homes with the date of sale, the price and where the figure came from.
4. Write the differences that matter in the notes, then decide; check how reviews work with the body that sets bands before sending anything.
5. If you go ahead, record the date sent and the reference; the browser version saves in your own browser.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

What makes a home a good comparison?

One as close to yours as you can find: the same type and style, a similar size and age, and ideally on the same street or estate. The closer the match, the more a difference in band means.

Where do I find the bands of other homes?

Bands are published on an official list you can usually search by postcode or address. Note in the How checked column where you looked and when, so you can show your working.

Can a review put my band up?

It can, depending on the rules where you are, because a review looks at the band afresh. Check how reviews work with the body that sets bands before you send anything, and write your decision at the top.

Are average house prices good evidence?

Area averages say little about one home. Prices for specific, similar homes sold around the date that matters where you are tend to say more; record each sale's address, date, price and source.

Does this sheet send a review request?

No. It is a worksheet for gathering and weighing your evidence. Any request goes through the official route where you are, and the sheet keeps the date and reference.