MoneySavingExpert.com reader John explained how he was encouraged to check his council tax banding after reading an article online
A fan of Martin Lewis has revealed how he reclaimed £7,600 in overpaid council tax – going back 18 years.
MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) reader John explained how he was encouraged to check his council tax banding after reading an article on the MSE website. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of homes are in the wrong council tax band.
If this is you, you may have unknowingly been paying too much council tax – and could be due a refund, plus lower bills going forward. John explained it was a lengthy process – but he would still go through it again.
Richmond Council agreed that John had overpaid council tax by £7,602.71. However, instead of refunding the full amount, they paid him back £4,564.14 and applied the remaining £3,038.57 to his 2026/27 council tax account.
Have you had a similar council tax success story? Let us know: moneymatters@mirror.co.uk
But after MSE contacted the council on his behalf, he was refunded nearly all of the total amount he was due. His direct debit was reinstated so he could continue to pay monthly, as he had originally planned, and the remaining balance was applied to his council tax bill for the last several months.
John told MSE: “If your council tax band is corrected and you become entitled to a substantial refund, don’t simply check the amount. Check that your council has actually refunded all of the money due and has not unilaterally credited your account or altered your payment arrangements without your agreement. […]
“Once again, thank you for giving people the confidence to challenge incorrect Council Tax banding. Without your website, I would almost certainly still be paying the wrong amount today.”
A spokesperson from Richmond Council told MSE: “We always encourage residents to contact the Council Tax Team directly if they have any concerns about their account, so the matter can be reviewed and resolved as quickly as possible. While we cannot comment on the specifics of individual Council Tax accounts for privacy reasons, we are actively working to resolve this case with the resident.”
How to challenge your council tax band
If you suspect you might be on the wrong council tax band and are thinking of launching a challenge, make sure you do your research first. If it turns out you are on too low of a band, your bills can go up – and this can also impact your neighbours.
Your first step is to compare your council tax band against your neighbours. You can also do this online on GOV.UK for England and Wales or Scottish Assessors.
You should compare homes of similar sizes and value – but again, keep in mind that it could be your whole street has been paying too little council tax.
Before going ahead with a challenge, you should also work out how much your property was worth in 1991. MSE has a free calculator to help you do this.
Your council tax band is based on your property’s value in 1991 in England and Scotland, and 2003 in Wales.
If you believe you have a successful case and you decide to challenge your council tax band, you should contact the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) in England and Wales, or Scottish Assessors in Scotland.
You can appeal to an independent valuation tribunal if you are not happy with the decision.
