Form CR3 Northern Ireland: How to Request a Valuation Review

What Form CR3 Does

Form CR3 — officially titled "Review of Property Valuation" — is the first step in challenging your domestic rates valuation in Northern Ireland. It asks Land & Property Services (LPS) to re-examine the capital value assigned to your property in the Valuation List.

You use Form CR3 when more than 28 days have passed since your property was last valued or entered into the list. If 28 days or fewer have elapsed since your property was first entered into the Valuation List, you skip CR3 and appeal to the Commissioner of Valuation using Form CR20.

Filing Form CR3 is free.

How to Get and Submit It

You have two options:

Online (recommended): Submit through the nidirect valuation portal. You'll receive an automated acknowledgement within 15 minutes, followed by a formal confirmation with a reference number within 24–48 hours.

By post or email: Download the hard-copy form from the nidirect website or request one from the LPS Rates and Valuation Helpline (0300 200 7801). Post it to the LPS Valuation team or email it to the address on the form.

Online is faster and creates an immediate paper trail. Keep a copy of whatever you submit.

What to Include With Your Application

Form CR3 itself is straightforward — your property address, contact details, and the reason you believe the capital value is wrong. The form works better when you attach supporting evidence upfront:

• Comparable capital values from the LPS Valuation Search showing similar nearby properties with lower valuations
• Physical evidence of errors — if the list shows features your property doesn't have (wrong floor area, outbuildings that were demolished, incorrect property type)
• Photographs documenting structural issues or demolitions if that's the basis of your challenge

You don't need professional valuations at this stage. Save the formal evidence pack for the Commissioner's appeal (Form CR20) or tribunal (Form 3) if it reaches that point.

What Happens After You Submit

LPS follows a standard sequence:

1. Acknowledgement — confirmation with your reference number
2. Desk audit — a valuation officer reviews property records, GIS mapping data, and the details you submitted
3. Inspection — the officer may arrange a visit to measure the property externally and verify structural features
4. Certificate of Valuation — LPS issues a formal decision, typically within about 90 days, stating whether the capital value has been reduced, confirmed, or increased

That last point matters. A review can go in any direction. If the inspector finds an unrecorded extension or loft conversion, LPS can raise your capital value — and your rates bill goes up. Before submitting Form CR3, check whether your property has had improvements that weren't notified to LPS.

If You Disagree With the Outcome

If LPS keeps the value unchanged or raises it, you have 28 calendar days from the date on the Certificate of Valuation to lodge Form CR20 with the Commissioner of Valuation. That 28-day deadline is enforced strictly — phone calls, emails, or pending complaints don't extend it.

After the Commissioner's decision, there's a further appeal to the Northern Ireland Valuation Tribunal using Form 3, within 28 calendar days.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Citing your current market value — rates valuations are pegged to 1 January 2005. What your home is worth today is irrelevant to LPS.
• Contacting your council instead of LPS — district councils have no power to change capital values or process reviews.
• Filing without checking for unrecorded improvements — this is how valuation reviews end in a higher bill.

Our valuation challenge guide includes a pre-filing risk diagnostic and a comparable-evidence worksheet to help you build the strongest possible case before submitting Form CR3.

See more Northern Ireland guides →