Homeowners could face internal property inspections as officials determine which homes will be liable for Government’s new high-value council tax surcharge.
According to The Telegraph, Valuation Office Agency inspectors will be able to visit properties where information required to establish their value cannot be confirmed externally.
The so-called ‘mansion tax’ will apply to English properties worth more than £2m, with owners facing an additional annual charge of between £2,500 and £7,500 depending on value.
London and the South East are expected to account for a significant proportion of affected properties.
INTERNAL INSPECTIONS
Officials will initially use third-party data and publicly available information to assess values, but parliamentary answers reveal internal inspections could also form part of the process.
Inspectors could gather information including a property’s size, architectural style and number of floors, rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms.
The Valuation Office says inspections will be necessary where property attributes can only be confirmed internally or remeasurement is required.
Homeowners who intentionally obstruct valuation officers carrying out their duties could face a £200 fine, while failure to provide requested information without reasonable excuse could result in a penalty of up to £500.
The Government says visits will be arranged in advance with homeowners and conducted in accordance with its code of practice.
LONGSTANDING UNFAIRNESS
Opposition politicians have criticised the prospect of inspectors entering homes, with Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride describing the measure as a “sinister assault on civil liberties”.
A Government spokesman says: “The public understands that we are addressing a longstanding unfairness, where a Band D home in Darlington pays more in council tax than a £10m mansion in Mayfair.
“The Valuation Office has extensive experience valuing domestic property, and will use a wide range of evidence to determine bandings.”
The Valuation Office is expected to reassess properties previously valued above £1.5m to establish whether they now exceed the new £2m threshold.
