Council Tax Cost Cutting: reduce your band and grab any discounts Discussion Area

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Comments

  • praven
    praven Posts: 9 Forumite
    From my local council's web site it says the bandings are based on property values in 1991. How can I check my property value in 1991?
    Paul
  • gdcox
    gdcox Posts: 9 Forumite
    Anyone thikong of expanding their house and worying about going up a rate band should note that that does not happen until you sell the house.
  • browolf
    browolf Posts: 154 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    i got mine reduced when i bought my flat (about 6 years ago which was rated at band 'B' at the time) using the argument if house prices generally go up, how can my flat be band B if its only worth £34k now!

    my council tax with single person reduction in band A is about 66 / month

    i found the valuation bands here
  • after much tooing + froing including having the valuation officer come round to assess, finally have notiifcation of reduced banding.

    please can someone advise whether it goes back to 1993 [ have been in situ for all council tax bills so would expect it ALL ] as they have assessed refunds on only 1998- date [ and taken all this years full outstanding against the refund !!! ]
    presumably there is not statue of limitations etc ?


    finally - is statutory interest payable on these monies.
    if it was commercial premises and the RV was downgraded, you do get stat interest back as well.
    any legal bits to quote in the next round of correspondence

    much appreciated and always good fun hassling for the dosh....
  • Pere_Ubu
    Pere_Ubu Posts: 220 Forumite
    Does a neighbour mean in an area or a road? How far does it cover?

    We live on a private road which is accessed through an unadopted road. Did write to the council and ask for a reduction becuase of this but they have only acknowledged my letter which I wrote some 6 months ago. Does it normally take this long? Also I am single and have asked for a reduction but they have said I need to provide them with my husband's address details first (we are separated). Am I obliged to provide this info to get a reduction?
  • praven wrote:
    From my local council's web site it says the bandings are based on property values in 1991. How can I check my property value in 1991?
    Paul

    Paul you can go to https://www.nationwide.co.uk/hpi/ where you can input your figs and it will tell you the estimated value in 1991. We did a successful appeal using this as supporting info and archive info from the local property pages in April 1991
  • Dalavich
    Dalavich Posts: 40 Forumite
    Unfortunately we're one of those mugs you hear about.

    Both in full time jobs (not highly paid!), we don't have kids (or rather not able to).

    So as a result, elegible for diddly squat.

    Not even a bit of help replacing our coal fire with a modern boiler and radiators.:mad:
  • The price your house was worth in 1991 dictates how much council tax you pay. If your house was built after April 1991 then an assumption is made to what would have been its value in 1991. I would advise anyone who thinks they were in the wrong band to ask the Listings Officer at your Valuation Office for the information he is using to value your property and in addition to trawl through local newspapers from Jan 1991 to April 1991, usually on record at Public Libraries. Look at the estate agents pages to see if any houses in your locality were up for sale and what they were valued at, and if necessary take a copy to the Listings Officer. We had our house band reduced and the Listings Officer has a duty to ensure that the valuation list is correct so he had to alter my neighbours as well.
  • Just be careful; if the Valuation Officer finds or believes that your band is too low, he can put it up!

    So, do your homework, first.

    :confused:
  • gb39
    gb39 Posts: 6 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    The original article is wrong in saying that there is no legal basis for the "6 months rule". New occupiers can appeal against the banding only within 6 months of moving into occupation of a property. These appeals are to the VOA and a Valuation Tribunal, and the Council is not involved. The Council is involved in discounts/voids/renovations etc.

    However, the way round the 6 month rule is not to appeal - that would just be dismissed as invalid. The technique, if you think the banding is wrong, is to contact the Listing Officer (VOA) and explain why you think the list is wrong annd then remind him/her of their statutory duty to maintain the "quality of the list". If you can convince them it is wrong, then they have a statutory duty to put it right.
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