You may appeal against any decision the council has taken. However you should continue to pay your original council tax bill while your appeal is outstanding.
Appeals against council tax bandings should not be made to the council - they must be made directly to the valuation office.
You can appeal if you think:
You should first write to your council giving reasons for your complain. The council has two months to make a decision. If you disagree with the council's decision, or if it has not acted within the two months, you can appeal to a valuation tribunal.
There are two stages to the appeal process:
Stage 1: Representations
You must first write to the council, to make your representations known. You should state who you are and where you live. You should say which decision you are unhappy with and why you are unhappy with it. The council may ask for further information.
The council has two months in which to consider your representations. You will not have to attend a hearing at this stage. If the council rejects your arguments, or it acts on your complaint but you are still not satisfied, or at the end of two months you have not heard from your council, you will be able to appeal to the valuation tribunal. You must do this within two months of the date when the council notified you of its decision, or if you hear nothing, within four months of the date when you wrote to the council with your representations.
Stage 2: Appeal to a valuation tribunal
Doncaster Valuation Tribunal Office has now closed, we have not been provided with an alternative postal address. You can only contact the Valuation Tribunal Service via:
Email: appeals@valuationtribunal.gov.uk
Website: www.valuationtribunal.gov.uk
Telephone: 0303 445 8100
Most valuation tribunal hearings heard for Amber Valley Borough Council's are take place at:
Belper Town council offices, St Johns Chapel, The Butts, Belper, Deryshire.
The tribunal will ask you to make your appeal in writing, stating which decision you are appealing against, why you disagree with it, or, as the case may be, that the council did not reach a decision. If you and the other parties agree, your case may be dealt with by a exchange of written representations. Otherwise, the tribunal will get in touch with you to make arrangements for a formal hearing and will send you a leaflet explaining its procedures in detail. Hearings usually last no more than a day.
A tribunal hearing will not cost you anything unless you choose to employ a solicitor or other person to present your case.
If the tribunal decides in your favour, your council will revise your bill and adjust your payments, if necessary.
Contact the team directly on 01773 841440 or email council.tax@ambervalley.gov.uk
