Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help ensure fair council tax valuations in areas with new residential developments.

For Council Tax purposes all homes are assessed to reflect their open market value at a valuation date set in law, which in England is 1 April 1991. This is so all properties, even new ones, are valued on a fair and consistent basis. To band a property, the Valuation Office Agency considers the property details and looks for sales of similar properties (in terms of age, location, size and character) which took place on or around 1 April 1991. Further information about how Council Tax bands are assessed can be found here:

www.gov.uk/guidance/understand-how-council-tax-bands-are-assessed.

The Valuation Office Agency has published a blog article specific to the assessment of new properties here: How we value new properties for Council Tax – Valuation Office Agency