THE Home Office waged a seven-year war against its own tax rates, attempting to shave nearly £16 million off the amount it pays for its headquarters, official documents show.

Valuation tribunal decision documents disclosed today show that the Home Office first lodged an appeal against the £25 million rateable value in 2010, hoping to slash it down to £19.1m, but that was dismissed in March.

The department eventually lost its lengthy battle against the level of property taxes it pays for the site at 2 Marsham Street in Westminster earlier this year.