Glossary

Chargeable dwelling

A property that attracts council tax — most homes, but not all buildings on a plot.

The Local Government Finance Act defines a chargeable dwelling as any self-contained residential unit. A granny annexe with its own kitchen and bathroom is a separate chargeable dwelling; a spare bedroom is not. Whether something counts as chargeable affects whether it gets its own band — an important test for annexes, converted outbuildings, and HMOs.

Related terms

HMO banding
Whether a house in multiple occupation is banded as one property or one band per room.
Exempt property
A home that pays no council tax at all — e.g. all-student households, care-home residents.

Check your own band

The fastest way to see if your band is wrong is the neighbours test. Enter your postcode and compare every band on your street.

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