APPEALS

Write to:

The District Valuer and Valuation Officer,
Chaddesley House,
12a Lime Street,
Bedford. MK40 1JU.
Telephone: (01234) 687500
National Helpdesk number: 0845 6021507

The Valuation List and the Rating List contain the bands and values of domestic and non-domestic property and both lists may be inspected at South Bedfordshire District Council offices during normal office hours.

The grounds for appeal are restricted to the following cases:

  • where you believe that the band should be changed because there has been a material increase or material reduction in the value of your property;
  • where you stop or start using part of your property to carry out a business, or the balance between domestic and business use changes;
  • where the Listing Officer has altered the list without a proposal having been made by a taxpayer;
  • where you become a taxpayer in respect of a property for the first time (your appeal must be made within six months, but if the same appeal has already been considered and determined by a Valuation Tribunal, it cannot be made again).

Your appeal letter to the District Valuer should contain details of your address, the address of the property concerned (if different), the band you think the property should be in and why you believe the property should be in that band.

You may appeal to the council if you consider that:-

  • the council is sending bills to the wrong person;
  • your property qualifies as exempt;
  • the council has made a mistake in calculating your bill.

You should first make your complaint in writing to the council so that we have the opportunity to consider your case. If you have not been contacted within two months, or if no agreement has been reached by this time, you may appeal directly to a Valuation Tribunal. Making an appeal does not allow you to withhold payment of tax owing in the meantime

COMMISSION FOR LOCAL ADMINISTRATION
At any time a complainant may refer a complaint about council services either directly, or through a Councillor, to the Local Government Ombudsman. However, the council has introduced a Complaints Procedure as part of its overall customer care programme and if you have any complaint please make it to the council service concerned. If you remain dissatisfied there are three further stages concluding with an investigation by the Maladministration Panel which includes Councillors. If you still wish to proceed with the complaint the matter should be referred to the Ombudsman. You can obtain a free booklet about this service from:

Local Government Ombudsman, The Oaks, Number 2, Westwood Way,
Westwood Business Park, Coventry, CV4 8JB Telephone: (01203) 695999

Full details about the Complaints Procedure can be obtained from the council.