Government braced for increase in council tax band challenges - here's how to dispute yours

The Valuation Office Agency says it's expecting an increase in the number of people challenging their council tax band in the coming months.

This is because council tax bills for the new financial year usually land on doorsteps in March, setting out the annual charge and the monthly payments expected. Many households are expecting an increase of up to 5% - while some are bracing themselves for an even steeper hike.

Last year, the government granted six areas - Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, City of London, and Windsor and Maidenhead - permission to raise rates by even more. Ahead of bills landing, the VOA said: "The Valuation Office Agency is responsible for making sure that 27 million properties across England and Wales are in the correct council tax band.

"As council tax bills are being issued, we expect to see an increase in people challenging their band over the coming months." How to challenge your council tax band... If you believe your home has been assigned the incorrect council tax band, there are ways to challenge it - but it comes with risks.

Let's start by looking at why people can challenge their band if they're in England or Wales (people in Scotland can find out how to challenge via the Scottish Assessors Association here)... The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for England and Wales accepts appeals on the following grounds: Your house has been overvalued - you'll need proof here, such as the sale price;Neighbours with similar or bigger homes are in lower bands;There's been a change to the property (ie some of it has been demolished or it's been converted into flats), or the surrounding area since the original valuation;You haven't extended your home, or made significant improvements, that would justify a band shift;The valuation is wrong due to a legal decision on another property;The property details are wrong or incomplete.How to gather evidence The first thing to do is check what band your neighbours with similar properties are in.

You could ask them or check the VOA or SAA websites. You then need to look at the valuation.

Your council tax band is based on your property's value in 1991 in England and Scotland, and 2003 in Wales - and you'll need to gauge this even if your property wasn't built at the time. Read more from Money:'Halifax closed my 16-year-old's account - and won't tell me why?''My sister doesn't have internet or a smartphone - how can she get online when she's on benefits?''Can I stop my neighbour using Ring doorbell? She's spying on me' There are a few steps to this.

First, if you've just bought the house, you have an up-to-date valuation - or you get information from sites such as Rightmove and Zoopla. Once you have an idea of the current valuation, you can use tools such as the Nationwide House Price Calculator to discover the valuation in 1991 or 2003.

Which band does this old valuation put you in according to this table... How to appeal If you think your original valuation is wrong, it's now time to go to the VOA or SAA to state your case.

If you think your band has changed since the initial valuation, you need to go to your local council. Making improvements to your property won't increase your council tax - but the band could change upon sale.

This can also happen if the property is subject to a new lease for more than seven years. Top tip: you can check if a home you are buying is pending a band review on the VOA's council tax list.

Helpfully, the government website has a step-by-step guide to appealing in England and Wales here. You could lower your band through a review - but beware: assessors could also find your property, and potentially those of your neighbours, are undervalued.

Your council tax bill(s) would then go up..