Council Tax Rebanding SUCCESS stories

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  • **kym**
    **kym** Posts: 183 Forumite
    Local Borough Council: Restormel
    Council Tax Band Before: E
    Council Tax Band After: D
    Amount refunded: £2,400
    Annual saving going forward: a little over £300 per year


    Followed advice from this website. Sent one letter stating I believed the house to be in the wrong band having found out my neighbours were all D with similar houses. 3 weeks later received a letter confirming the band had been changed and a refund was being processed. 3 weeks later received a cheque for just over £2,400.

    Oddly we had tried to change the band 12 years previous and been refused. Obviously weren't citing the correct reasons. Many thanks MSE!
  • Local Borough Council: East Hampshire District Council
    Council Tax Band Before: E
    Council Tax Band After: D
    Amount refunded: £1869
    Annual saving going forward: about £230 this year
    It was a struggle. Convincing the VOA was hard work. Sent photographs, plans and eventually, I got hold of a copy of my neighbours property deeds from Land Registry (online) and proved that their house (in band D) originally sold for significantly more than mine (band E) in the same year. QED. I also copied my MP on the final letter I sent to the VOA and I think this was instrumental in getting the banding corrected.
    Many thanks Martin.:T
  • Leeds
    Before F
    After F

    Having cited neighbouring properties in lower bands, my 80year old neighbour has received a letter advising her that her band is to increase from E to F! I haven't spoken with anyone else along the street!
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 17,510
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    Ian in Oulton - reminds me of when I worked at Valuation Office and received phone call from a woman rather annoyed that she was in F, but 2 neighbours in D. Investigated and 2 neighbours duly went up to F! The lower band isn't always the correct band unfortunately.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • Local Borough Council: Stroud

    Council Tax Band Before:E

    Council Tax Band After: D

    Amount refunded:£3,450

    Annual Saving going forward: £245

    Tried to appeal against banding in 1993 but advised out of time as past the cut-off date.

    Tried on other occassions during the past 16 years and told the same thing.

    Inspired by recent advice on Money Saving Expert, pursued the comparison of neighbours bandings and valuation of property - got a bit complicated so my wife just rang up the valuation officer and asked for a review.

    Advised by letter that they felt our banding was correct and that we had no right of appeal against this decision, I picked up on the fact that they stated in their letter that if similar properties in the local area had been rebanded then mine should have also have been included.

    I therefore responded and advised that all of my four neighbours had appealed in 1993 and been rebanded D and all had similar properties.

    Response was to agree to my property being rebanded D with a refund of nearly £3,500 - a fabulous result so thanks for the knowledge and inspiration to pursue.

    :T
  • thanks for the advice about council tax rebanding. after reading the article i found that my mother was in band b when all her neighbours in same houses were band a. sent email to assessors and they changed it to band a. should be getting refund of £1200 within the next 2 weeks!!!!:beer::T:beer::T
  • Local Borough Council: Woking
    Council Tax Band Before: F
    Council Tax Band After: E
    Amount refunded: Est £1200
    Annual saving going forward: Now saving £330 .

    Took about a year to complete, several letters requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act (which they never supplied me with) they decided to investigate my claim having already stated I was in the correct banding. Today received the confirmation that the council tax banding was incorrect. Changes to take effect from 7th July 1995.

    Looked on the VOA website and they've changed the banding but also have changed the neighbours, even without her challenging.

    Thanks again

  • Gt Yarmouth Borough Council.
    Was Band D now C.
    Refund of £956.87
    Reduction each year of about £155.
    One letter to Valuation Authority giving info of houses around which were similar. Also gave estimated price for 1991.
    Six weeks later letter saying re-banded and in three more weeks cheque from local council for £956.87.
    What a great result for one letter. Thanks Martin!:j
  • webtalk
    webtalk Posts: 213 Forumite
    Thanks guys - am down from band F to Band E - don't have the figures in my head but am a happy bunny with my cheque. Probably wouldn't have done it without your success stories.

    Am going to chase interest now - might be more difficult than previously given the economic situation. But what the hell ...
  • mr_jetlag
    mr_jetlag Posts: 116 Forumite
    mr_jetlag wrote: »
    I have just received a letter from the VOA last week advising me of a rebanding. While I have not heard from the council as of yet, here are preliminary details:

    Local Borough Council: London Borough of Southwark
    Council Tax Band Before: E
    Council Tax Band After: D

    I will update when Southwark round to the actual refund.

    Just so you know, the process was epically slow for us and I thought to be honest I was out of luck. I had put in my rebanding request in Feb 2006! Didn't hear from the VOA until Jan 2007, where they advised they would be looking at my request etc etc... we are in a 1-bed flat with the same band as the 2-bed flats which go for considerably more.

    While I am obviously pleased I wonder why the differences in timelines for resolving these... could be they had to get a bunch of us rebanded as I notice similar 1-beds in my building have also had theirs go down.

    Savings ongoing: about £250 pa.
    Savings rebated from 2005: £868
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