About Council Tax

Council Tax is a form of local taxation that helps pay for local services, such as:

• Rubbish collection
• Care for the elderly
• The police service
• The fire service

Council Tax came into existence from 1 April 1993. It is charged on all domestic properties and is based upon the value of the property as assessed in 1991. Find out more about what your Council Tax pays for.

Council Tax charge

You will receive your Council Tax bill at the end of March each year, or as soon as you tell us you have moved into a property.

There are two levels of Council Tax payable within Wandsworth.

Firstly, that set by Wandsworth Council and the GLA which is always published as the Council Tax payable and secondly, those properties which are subject to an additional precept (Commons Rate) by the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators.

The tax is charged at eight different levels, each covering a different band of property values.

Residents living near to Wimbledon and Putney Commons and Putney Heath pay a small additional amount to the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators (WPCC) which funds the upkeep of these open spaces.

You can find out the Council Tax band for your home by looking up your property by postcode (GOV.UK). If you cannot locate your property, contact the Listing Officer.

Council Tax bands and charges for two previous years are available to view online:

• Council Tax bands and charges 2017/2018
• Council Tax bands and charges 2018/2019

Valuation bands

Valuation bands are decided by the Valuation Office Agency, who are part of the Inland Revenue, and not by the Council.

The valuation bands place properties in eight categories that are listed in the table below.

Find out what valuation band your property is in on the Valuation Office Agency website.

Appealing a valuation band

The valuation band for each property has been decided by the Inland Revenue Valuation Office Agency.

You have a right to appeal against a valuation band on a property up to six months after first becoming responsible for the Council Tax, or if there are substantial alterations either to the property or the area in which it is situated.

When considering an appeal, you must take into account that the valuations are based on market values as at 1 April 1991 and assume that the property is in a reasonable state of repair and is sold with full vacant possession. The actual circumstances, or whether you own or rent the property, are not considered.

If you have made an appeal, you should remember that the Council Tax must be paid on the Valuation Band that is presently set. Any credit will be refunded should your appeal be successful.

Combining the Council Tax for two authorities

The Council Tax collected by Wandsworth Council has to cover the spending needs of Wandsworth Council and the Greater London Authority (GLA).  The amounts for each authority are added together to work out the total Council Tax for each band.

The Wandsworth Council element shows the average council tax across the borough, which is a blended rate between the different amounts paid by either the majority of the borough or those properties that attract an additional levy for the Wimbledon & Putney Commons Conservators.

*The Council Tax attributable to Wandsworth includes a precept to fund adult social care.

More information on your Council Tax 2019-2020