Free example wording for the VOA · England & Wales · 2026
There is no rigid official form for challenging your council tax band. What the
Valuation Office Agency (VOA) actually needs is a clear case: your band, the comparable homes that sit
lower than yours, and — where you have it — value evidence. Below is a template you can copy, and
what to put in each part so it lands.
What a good challenge letter contains
Who and where you are — full address, postcode, and your current band.
The ask, in one line — that you believe your band is too high and would like it reviewed.
Comparable evidence — homes of the same type and similar size, near you, that are in a
lower band. This is the heart of the case.
Value evidence (if you have it) — a real sale price brought back to 1991 values that
places your home in a lower band.
The source — state that the bands come from the VOA Council Tax list, so it is checkable.
The template — copy and fill in the red parts
Dear Valuation Office Agency,
I am writing about the council tax band for [your full address, including postcode],
currently in Band [X]. I believe this band is too high and would be grateful if you
would review it.
The following comparable properties — of the same type and similar floor area, in the immediate area — are in
a lower band:
• [address] — [type, e.g. mid-terrace],
Band [lower band]
• [address] — [type],
Band [lower band]
• [address] — [type],
Band [lower band]
[Optional: In addition, my home last sold for £[price] in [year]. Adjusted to 1 April 1991
values this equates to approximately £[1991 value], which falls within Band [lower band].]
These bands are taken from the VOA Council Tax list; floor areas are from the official EPC register. On this
evidence my property appears to be over-banded, and I would be grateful if you would review my band accordingly.
Yours faithfully, [your name]
The part people get wrong: a challenge without real comparables is just an opinion.
The VOA moves bands on evidence — same-type, similar-size homes in a lower band, or a 1991 value that
lands below your band. Vague "my bill feels high" letters go nowhere.
Where the comparables come from
Anyone can look up a band for free on the VOA website, so your comparables are checkable. The slow part is
doing it by hand: reading every band on your street, matching each home's type and floor area so you are
comparing like with like, and keeping only the ones that genuinely sit lower than you. Get that list right and the
letter almost writes itself.
Challenge Your Band does exactly the research above: it reads every band on your street from the official VOA
list, matches EPC floor areas and real sale prices, and produces the letter with your comparables already
filled in — ready to paste into the free VOA service.