Campaigners are calling for a major change to the council tax system in a new petition.
The petition, on the Parliament website, states that council tax should be reformed so it is based on occupancy rather than the size of the property.
The message says: “We petition for council tax reform based on occupancy. We think a higher value property with two residents should incur the same council tax as a lower value property with two residents, as services like waste collection can remain consistent regardless of the property’s value.
“The current council tax system charges higher valued properties more, despite what can be equal service usage. We think this is unfair, and we propose a model where council tax is aligned with the number of occupants.
“We believe this change would better reflect actual service use, promote fairness, and alleviate the financial burden on smaller households occupying larger homes.
“We urge the Government to consider occupancy-based council tax, which we think will ensure a just system for all.”
Under the current rules, the council tax for a property is determined by which band it is in, which is in turn determined by the value of the property.
People are encouraged to check they are in the correct council tax band, as you could get thousands of pounds back if you are in too high a band.
Martin Lewis urged his fans to check after one person received £7,000 after they were moved into a lower band.
However, there are two important steps to take before challenging your council tax band.
The first is to compare your property with similar properties in your area, to see if they are in a lower band.
Then you should check how much your property was worth when the system was put in place, to make sure you should be put in a lower band.
Otherwise, if you challenge your bill, your neighbours could be moved up into your band while yours stays the same.
Council tax bills increased from the start of the tax year this month, with many local authorities in England increasing bills by the maximum five percent.
For the latest personal finance news, follow us on Twitter at @ExpressMoney_.
