Requesting a Reduction in Council Tax
Guide and Useful Information
What to Do:
Step 1: Prepare Your Request:
Download the files using the links to the right, attach them to an email, and include your personal details (name, address, council tax account number, and any other details you feel are relevant) in the email.
Step 2: Submit Your Request to:
cllr.tony.dyer@bristol.gov.uk
Step 3: Track Your Application:
Keep a copy of everything you submit and note the date you submitted your request. Follow up with the Council if you do not receive a response within 31 days.
Share updates in the Facebook group or email us your results, only if you feel comfortable.
Step 4: Understand What Happens Next:
The Council will review applications individually and may contact you for clarification.
A decision may take several weeks, depending on the volume of requests.
Remember: the adjustment is temporary. Once conditions improve, the standard council tax rate will resume.
Why request a reduction in council tax?
Residents living around The Downs have faced severe and ongoing impacts from mass vehicle dwelling and associated anti-social behaviour. Despite repeated reports, the loss of amenity and safety has continued for years. We believe it is only fair that until conditions are restored, households most affected should be granted a temporary reduction in Council Tax under section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
This is not about avoiding responsibility - it is about fairness. Residents should not pay full rates while living next to conditions that would be unacceptable elsewhere in the city.
Who is eligible?
Households directly bordering or within the immediate impact zone of The Downs.
Residents who can show evidence of significant loss of amenity or public safety concerns caused by encampments, waste, fires, noise, or anti-social behaviour.
Both homeowners and tenants that pay Council Tax.
By making formal requests together, residents can:
Secure a temporary council tax adjustment to reflect the ongoing disruption, loss of amenity, and public safety concerns caused by mass vehicle dwelling around the Downs.
Demand redress for the Council’s failure to deliver on its statutory duties to maintain safe, clean, and accessible public spaces.
Ensure that residents are not unfairly charged full rates while essential services and protections are being undermined.
Important Information
Before applying for council tax reduction under s.13A(1)(c), please be aware of the following points.
What it means for your property
This is a temporary discretionary adjustment — it does not change your property’s council tax band or official valuation.
Once the adjustment period ends, your council tax will return to its normal level.
Future buyers of your property will pay the standard council tax rate.
What it could mean when selling your home:
When selling, UK law requires sellers to be honest about local issues that have affected the property (via the Property Information Form, also called “TA6”).
If you have applied for a council tax reduction because of anti-social behaviour, loss of amenity, or other problems linked to the Downs, you may need to disclose this during the sale process.
Our View
The issues on the Downs are plainly visible for everyone to see, at all hours of the day. A temporary reduction in council tax is a fair recourse for loss of amenity and public safety for those who live within the immediate impact zones. If you feel reasonably able to, please help our campaign by applying for a temporary reduction in council tax.
Collective action matters: A large number of applications will naturally create an administrative and financial burden on the Council. This is intentional — it highlights the urgency and seriousness of the situation.
Highlighting economic impact: Coordinated applications help demonstrate that the proliferation of vehicle dwellings in Bristol is creating tangible economic losses for the city, affecting businesses, property values, and overall investment confidence.
A message for our Bristolian neighbours
Since our establishment, we have received countless messages from Bristol residents across the city who have also been affected by antisocial behaviour, a loss of public amenity and a decline in safety associated with vehicle dwelling encampments. Due to the unique scientific, natural, social, and economic benefits the Downs bring to Bristol, we are only focusing our campaign on this small area
However, we believe our campaign strategy, including guidance on potential council tax reductions for affected residents, is useful to communities across the City. If your area has been adversely affected by dwelling encampments, please join us in forming a Bristol-wide community alliance. Our message is stronger together.
Email us at: the.downs.bristol@gmail.com
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