From postcode to challenge letter in minutes
EntitledUK uses the public VOA register to check your council tax band against comparable nearby properties and — if there's a case — gives you everything you need to challenge it yourself.
Enter your postcode
When you enter your postcode, we query the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) public register in real time. The VOA holds the official council tax band for every residential property in England and Wales — the same data your council uses to calculate your bill. We pull all properties in your postcode and return them in seconds. Nothing is stored at this stage; the check is entirely free and no account is required.
Select your property
You choose your property from the list. We then look at the bands of every other property in your postcode and compare them to yours. The key question is: are similar nearby properties in a lower band? If so, it may indicate your band was set too high when the VOA carried out its 1991 valuation exercise. We classify each comparable property by how relevant it is — properties on the same road carry more weight than those elsewhere in the postcode.
See your result
We show you a clear summary: how many nearby properties are in a lower band, which ones are on the same road as you, and an illustrative saving estimate if your band were reduced. If the pattern suggests your band may be worth reviewing, we flag it clearly. If the data shows your band is consistent with nearby properties, we say so honestly — we don't pressure you to challenge if the evidence isn't there.
Get your evidence pack
For £29.99 you receive a personalised evidence pack as a PDF. It includes: a full comparable properties table with every property in your postcode and its band; a pre-written challenge letter addressed to the VOA, personalised with your address and the strongest comparables; a step-by-step submission guide with the exact URL and what to do at each stage; and a FAQ covering everything that might happen after you submit. The pack is generated and emailed to you within 60 seconds of payment.
Submit to the VOA yourself
You submit the challenge directly to the VOA at gov.uk/council-tax-bands. The process takes around 15 minutes. The VOA will acknowledge your submission within 5 working days and aim to issue a decision within 2–6 months. If they agree your band should be reduced, the change is applied from the date you first raised the challenge (or earlier, depending on circumstances). Your council then recalculates your bill and issues any refund owed. EntitledUK has no role in the outcome — the process is between you and the VOA, which means your savings are yours entirely.
Submit a Review of Band request to the VOA at gov.uk/council-tax-bands. Include your comparable properties and evidence pack. Takes around 15 minutes.
The VOA will send you a confirmation that your submission has been received, along with a reference number. Save this — you will need it to track your case.
The VOA reviews your evidence. They may contact you for additional information. No news during this period is normal — you do not need to chase them. Continue paying your current council tax bill.
The VOA will write to you with their decision: band reduced, band unchanged, or (rarely) band increased. If a band increase is proposed before a final decision, you have the right to withdraw your challenge.
If your band is reduced, the VOA updates the valuation list and notifies your local council. Your bill is adjusted going forward, and any overpaid council tax is refunded — backdated to when you submitted the challenge (or your move-in date, if earlier).
Note: Timelines are indicative and can vary. The VOA aims for 2–6 months but complex cases or high volumes can extend this. You will receive written notification at each significant stage.
Ready to check your band?
Free instant check. No sign-up. £29.99 evidence pack if you want to challenge.
Check your council tax band