27 August 2004

Valuation Office Agency notifies householders in Wales of new council tax bands

Householders in Wales will soon receive notification of their new band for council tax from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), an Executive Agency of the Inland Revenue. Throughout September 2004, the VOA will issue council taxpayers with a ‘notice’, a letter that states their previous and new band, together with an explanatory leaflet from the Welsh Assembly Government.

Taxpayers are invited to contact the VOA if they have any queries regarding their new band. From 1 September 2004, a dedicated VOA helpline will be open for enquiries about the new council tax bands - 0845 600 1748 (calls charged at local rate). Lines will be open from 08:30 to 17:00 Monday to Friday and will be staffed by fully trained VOA employees able to answer queries related to banding and the revaluation process. Welsh speaking staff will also be available to take calls and the VOA will be offering translation facilities for council taxpayers who have queries but do not have English as their first language. Alternatively, council taxpayers can write to, e-mail or visit their local Valuation Office to discuss their query; contact details will be on the notice letter.

The VOA is responsible for assessing all 1.3 million domestic properties in Wales and placing them in the appropriate banding for council tax purposes. The VOA has a legal duty to review property values to bring them into line with changes in the property market and ensure information is up to date, an exercise known as ‘revaluation’. This is the first revaluation of domestic property in Wales since council tax was introduced in 1993.

The VOA takes account of the size, age, character and locality of the property and uses sales price data from around the valuation date to arrive at the correct band. The valuation date is set two years prior to the date the revaluation comes into effect. Because the new bands come into effect on 1 April 2005, the valuation date is 1 April 2003. The set valuation date ensures that the value of all properties is assessed as at a fixed point in time, making it a fair system for everyone.

Local authorities will use the new band to calculate council tax bills for the year 2005/06 and bills will be issued between February and April 2005. Householders who are moving house before 1 April 2005 are asked to pass on the notice letter stating the new band to the new occupier.

Mary Hardman, Chief Valuer, Wales, VOA, adds, “Once taxpayers receive notification of their new band, we are encouraging them to contact us early if they have queries so that we can iron out any discrepancies and arrive at a solution together. It is important that the new valuation lists, that show the band for all domestic properties in Wales, are as accurate as possible and we can only achieve this by working with taxpayers. We have put in place a number of different ways for taxpayers to contact us - by telephone, post or e-mail - so they can choose whichever is most convenient for them.”

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Notes for Editors:

Distribution of Notices by the VOA

The schedule of delivery of notices is based on local authority area and is outlined in the table below.

* Powys 1 - Welshpool and surrounding areas - former county of Montgomeryshire
* Powys 2 - Llandrindod Wells and surrounding areas - former county of Radnor
* Powys 3 - Brecon Town and outlying areas - former county of Brecon
* Carmarthen 1 - Carmarthen and district - former county of Carmarthenshire
* Carmarthen 2 - Ammanford and district - former Dinefwr Borough Council
* Carmarthen 3 - Llanelli and district - former Llanelli Borough Council

About The Valuation Office Agency

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is an Executive Agency of the Inland Revenue. Its main responsibilities are assessing rateable values for the purpose of non-domestic rating and valuing domestic properties for Council Tax purposes in England and Wales. It is also involved in establishing capital values for the Inland Revenue in connection with capital gains tax and inheritance tax as well as carrying out a range of property related services for other government departments and public sector bodies. It has around 5,000 employees and a network of offices throughout England, Wales and Scotland, which provide a local service.

Website: www.voa.gov.uk

Media Enquiries:

The Valuation Office Agency
Steve Perkins
Communications Projects Co-ordinator
Valuation Office Agency
Tel: 0207 506 1926
Email: steven.perkins@voa.gsi.gov.uk

Julie Styles
Communications Projects Manager
Tel: 0207 506 1969
Email: julie.styles@voa.gsi.gov.uk