Property Attribute Details

TheWhysguy

Anyone in England has the right to request the property attribute details for a property they are the Council Tax payer for. This consists of the 16 values the VOA hold against the property such as area/detachment/rooms etc. This info is a useful starting point if you think your property banding is incorrect as it gives you precisely the figures they hold on your property.and therefore that the banding is based on. 

If any of these details are incorrect you should be automatically be entitled to a review of your banding without having to provide any other evidence such as comparable properties. The caveat being that as with any other challenge to your banding there can be three outcomes: a banding can increase/decrease or stay the same.

I think the availability of this info should be made more aware to members of the public.

You might have to provide a copy of the Council Tax Bill showing you are the named payer to request this info as it is protected data. But if you are entitled to it, you can request easily by emailing the VOA at ctinbox@voa.gov.uk asking for the property attribute details for your property.

lincroft1710

Can you give a link to the part of the government website which says a CT payer can ask for this information, please?

TheWhysguy

It isn't overtly there as with many other things, if it is I cannot find it. As you will well know as a fellow former VOA employee. The government website is not set up to actually help members of the public only to minimise queries. 
I have provided this information to many members of the public in my former VOA role which finished recently. Normally as a result of a customer getting really frustrated at providing comparables that do not fit the VOA critieria and not being able to be told why as they are not allowed to provide the details held on other properties only a tax payers one. Often this would eventually lead to a specific question asking what details the VOA hold on their property to give them some chance on finding valid comparables. And there is a specific template that the VOA complete for these queries.

lincroft1710

All this has happened since I left the VOA. I would happily divulge property details to the CT payer of that property but was not aware that there was any official guidance or template. I have to admit to giving details of neighbouring properties (perhaps vaguely) to CT payers, e.g. "my house is much smaller than my neighbour's" "My records show your house is actually larger"