Non-Compliant Council Tax Band Data is a Legal Risk!

In today’s data-driven economy, organisations are always on the lookout for high-quality datasets to improve customer insight, build smarter models, and gain a competitive edge. But not all data that looks public is legally safe to use.

A key example? Residential council tax band data.

Used across property tech, finance, insurance, utilities, and marketing, this dataset can be extremely valuable—but it also comes with legal risks if sourced incorrectly.

Why Businesses Use Council Tax Band Data

Council tax band information provides a proxy for the size, value, and characteristics of a property—without relying on volatile or unavailable price data. This makes it incredibly useful for:

• Property platforms enriching listings and estimating values
• Insurers calculating premiums and property rebuild costs
• Utility providers forecasting energy use or broadband needs
• Financial institutions modelling affordability or creditworthiness
• Marketers targeting households based on home type or assumed income level

In short: it’s a rich signal—but one with legal strings attached.

Council Tax Bands: Public Information or Personal Data?

It’s a common misconception that council tax band data is “free to use” just because it’s visible online. However, there are two major legal issues organisations need to understand:

1. You cannot legally scrape the VOA website. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) explicitly prohibits automated data scraping in its website terms and conditions. Using bots or scripts to extract council tax data from the VOA’s platform breaches those terms and may result in legal action for unauthorised use.
2. The data is classified as personal under UK GDPR. When council tax band data is linked to residential addresses, it relates to identifiable individuals or households. The VOA recognises this—and as a result, the data is treated as personal data under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

That means any collection, storage, or use of this data must comply with data protection principles—such as having a lawful basis, providing transparency, and respecting individual rights.

Bottom line: Scraping the VOA’s site not only violates their terms of service but also risks unlawful processing of personal data—potentially triggering action from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The Legal Risks of Non-Compliant Data Use

The ICO, the UK’s data protection regulator, enforces strict rules around the handling of personal data—even when it’s sourced from websites or third parties.

Using council tax band data without a clear legal basis can expose organisations to:

• Fines of up to £17.5 million or 4% of global turnover
• Enforcement notices and public investigations
• Legal claims from individuals whose data was misused
• Reputation damage that erodes trust and brand equity

Real-World Case: ICO vs. Experian

A notable example is the ICO’s enforcement action against Experian in 2020. The ICO found that Experian had been collecting personal data from a mix of public records and third-party sources to build detailed consumer profiles for direct marketing—without properly informing individuals.

Although no fine was issued, the ICO served an enforcement notice, requiring Experian to change how it processes personal data. The case is a clear reminder that data from public sources can still fall under GDPR—and must be handled with care.

The Smarter, Safer Alternative: Ethical Data Sourcing

The good news? You can still tap into the power of council tax band data—legally and responsibly—by sourcing it from GDPR-compliant providers.

One example is Doorda, a trusted data platform offering ethically sourced council tax band information that:

• Is properly licensed for commercial use
• Meets GDPR and data protection standards
• Comes with audit trails and legal clarity

As a trusted ethical provider Doorda sources data directly from local authorities under Open Government Licences (OGL) and then models this data to assign esitmated tax bands to properties based on their valuation in 1991. This protects your organisation from legal exposure and ensures your data strategy is futureproof.

4 Tips for Using Council Tax Data Safely

To minimise risk and maximise value:

1. Understand when data is personal – Even if it’s publicly accessible if the site terms define it as personal then GDPR applies.
2. Use compliant data providers – Choose sources like Doorda who are transparent about licensing and legal compliance.
3. Be transparent with users – Update your privacy policies and explain how you use third-party data.
4. Document your lawful basis – Consent, legitimate interest, or legal obligation? Know it, and write it down.

Final Thought

Council tax band data can be a game-changer for many sectors—but only when used responsibly. With increased scrutiny from regulators and more informed consumers, businesses must treat data ethics as a strategic priority—not a checkbox.

By working with trusted, compliant providers like Doorda, you gain the insights you need while protecting your business from unnecessary risk.

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Need compliant council tax data?
Book a demo to explore Doorda’s GDPR-ready datasets and see how ethical data sourcing can power smarter decisions.