Check and challenge your business rates valuation: privacy notice
The Valuation Office Agency's responsibilities with personal information obtained through the check and challenge service.
Data Controller
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) provides this service as part of the business rates appeal process known as check, challenge, appeal. The service covers the VOA’s check and challenge digital service. Appeals are handled separately by the independent Valuation Tribunal for England.
The VOA is an Executive Agency of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). HMRC is the Data Controller for personal data processed by VOA.
How we will use the information you provide
The information you provide will be used to:
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verify your identity with HMRC, create an account on the VOA service and verify your right to view information we hold
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enable us to display and receive property and valuation details and consider whether an amendment to the rating list is appropriate
Under the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005, when we obtain information for one of our functions we may use that information for our other lawful functions.
The legal basis for processing the information
VOA provides this service in connection with its responsibilities under the the Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2009 (as amended).
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the legal basis for processing your information is the exercise of official authority under Article 6 of GDPR.
Sharing information with third parties
We will not share you information with other parties unless it is lawful to do so.
We will send information about your challenge to billing authorities and others who have a right to see it such as the owner or occupier. Under the Local Government Finance Act 1988 any person can ask to view a copy of your challenge.
How long your information is held
We aim to retain your personal information for only as long as is necessary to undertake our functions and in line with our retention and disposal policy. We will also adhere to any legal or regulatory requirements for retaining or deleting the information.
Your rights
Note that we can restrict the application of the rights where exemptions apply. For example where compliance with a right would be likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, the apprehension or prosecution of offenders, or the assessment or collection of a tax or duty.
Subject to some lawful restrictions in certain circumstances, you have the right to:
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request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
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have any inaccuracies in the personal information corrected
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request that your personal information is erased where there is no lawful justification for us continuing to process it
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object to the processing of your personal information
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request the restriction of processing of your personal information
Contact us
To request a copy of the information we hold about you or to make a complaint please contact:
Complaints Resolution team Valuation Office Agency Wycliffe House, Green Lane, Durham, DH1 3UW
HMRC has appointed a Data Protection Officer to oversee compliance with data protection obligations. The Data Protection Officer can be contacted here advice.dpa@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). You can contact the ICO here:
The Information Commissioner Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
You can find more information about data protection and your rights by visiting the Information Commissioner’s website.
Changes to this privacy notice
We keep our privacy notices under regular review. If there are any changes we will update this page. This privacy notice was last updated on 24 May 2018
Updates to this page
Published 24 May 2018Last updated 10 March 2023 + show all updates
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Complaints investigation team has undergone a name change, address change and have a new email. Their details have been updates.
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First published.