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Council tax - account enquiries

If you have an enquiry about any part of your council tax bill or regarding your own council tax account, please contact our council tax section in person.

Details of your local council tax office are shown on the back of your bill.

Please note that we cannot give anyone other than the liable council tax account-holder information about your account without your permission.

Alternatively you can view your account online.

Your right to appeal

Appeals about the way your council tax bill has been calculated should, in the first instance be made to the council tax section. The appeal must be in writing and should provide details about why the appeal is being made.

Our decision on the appeal must be made within two months from receipt of the appeal, although we have the right to request further information in the interim period. You will be advised of the decision in writing.

You can make a further appeal if you are unhappy with the decision we make or if we have not dealt with the appeal within two months. This appeal must also be made in writing, this time to: 

David Mulgrew,
Clerk,
Valuation Tribunal Service,
17 - 18 Navigation Business Village,
Navigation Way,
Preston,
Lancashire.
PR2 2YP

Tel: 01772 760 400  

Fax: 01772 760 355 

Email: vtpreston@vto.gsx.gov.uk

The appeal must be made within two months of us reaching our decision, or within four months of the initial appeal to the council, if we have not responded.

The appeal letter should state:

  • the reason for the appeal
  • the date on which the first letter was sent to the council
  • and the date, if any, that the council responded to the first appeal

The clerk of the tribunal will acknowledge receipt of the appeal within two weeks. Under normal circumstances, the clerk will arrange a hearing date, where the taxpayer and a council representative can attend. The taxpayer can request that they are represented at the hearing by another person, for example, a solicitor.

Under exceptional circumstances, the tribunal may consider an appeal via written representation. The Valuation Tribunal will inform the taxpayer and the council in writing of its decision.   

Contacts
Contact Point - Chester-le-Street
Durham County Council
Council Offices
Civic Centre
Newcastle Road
Chester-le-Street
County Durham
DH3 3UT
email:
Tel:
0191 387 1919
Fax:
0191 387 1583
Contact Point - Consett
Durham County Council
Council Offices
Civic Centre
Medomsley Road
Consett
County Durham
DH8 5JA
email:
Tel:
01207 693 693
Fax:
01207 218 200
Contact Point - Durham
Durham County Council
Council Offices
17 Claypath
Durham
County Durham
DH1 1RH
email:
Tel:
0191 301 8470
Fax:
0191 301 8555
Contact Point - Easington
Durham County Council
Council Offices
Seaside Lane
Easington Village
Peterlee
County Durham
SR8 3TN
email:
Tel:
0191 527 0501
Fax:
0191 527 4497
Contact Point - Spennymoor
Durham County Council
Council Offices
Green Lane
Spennymoor
County Durham
DL16 6JQ
email:
Tel:
01388 816 166
Fax:
01388 824 105
Contact Point - Barnard Castle
Durham County Council
Council Offices
Teesdale House
Barnard Castle
County Durham
DL12 8EL
email:
Tel:
01833 690 000
Fax:
01833 637 269
Revenues and Benefits - Crook
Durham County Council
Council Offices
Civic Centre
North Terrace
Crook
County Durham
DL15 9ES
email:
Tel:
0845 337 0227
Fax:
01388 766 660