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NDR for Holiday let
Hi, We currently pay a council tax premium on our second property which is a holiday let. Do we have to meet holiday let conditions for a year before we can claim business rates? Thanks
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Diesel car compensation
Daft question but I stay next to a motorway which all the different law breaking cars drove past day in day out and would have thought twice about buying a house there if I knew my children were at higher risk of poor health outcomes due to the emissions cheating devices the manufactures had utilized, as such I would have…
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Council tax new changes
As of April 2024, my local authority (not sure about others) quite slyly introduced a new rule that means any property unoccupied for more than one year will be charged double the annual standard council tax rate. We completed and got the keys on the 4th April as soon as this came into force - there was absolutely no…
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Tracing Lost Accounts
My mother in law for whom I am LPA, has Alzheimers. He has repeatedly told me that she has money in an account "in London" but has no more information than that. There is nothing in her paperwork referring to this but she has mentioned it on a number of separate occasions. I have tried my lost account but it needs more…
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Money Moral Dilemma: Should I tell the previous owner of my home he's due a council tax refund?
This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks... I recently bought a house, and during the sale process the previous owner made various promises he didn't keep, leaving me around £2,000 out of pocket. After moving in, I followed Martin's guide on challenging your council tax band, and was successful, so I'll save £550 a…
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Second home Council tax premium (Wales)
I had to buy a house in West Wales 3 years ago because I work here full time, in this time my second home council tax premium has risen from plus 50% to 200% for 2024-25. For my band C house, this means the council tax payment of approx £1600 plus a further £3200 per year. My wife can`t move here full time because of her…
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On Disability Benefits & Being Charged Council Tax
Just moved house and district and the new council (South Holland) have a policy of charging every household, regardless of income status, a minimum of 25% Council Tax. Anyone know of any other council doing this as I need to challenge it. It feels inappropriate to me that a council can effectively 'divert' money the…
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Detached domestic garage over 25 square metres
Hi, I wasn't really sure which section to post this in... but we have a detached garage with a ground floor area of approx 50 sq. m. It has a second floor which has been mostly removed. It was a commercial garage and is registered for Non-Domestic Rates. We use it for storage of our own vehicles and some domestic storage.…
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SMI ..Council Tax !
There's no forums on this so it appears it's one of the Local Councils hidden items. As I've just found out after 20 years. SMI: severe mental impairment you can claim Council Tax full rebate.If you have Severe mental impairment ie: paranoid pyschophrenia, and similar you just have to contact Council tax SMI dept and they…
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Council tax on 2 rented properties
Hi I signed a new tenancy with a social housing landlord in late February. I had to give 4 weeks notice on my then council property so I held 2 tenancies at the same time. I lived in the council property during the 4 weeks notice period so I could get decorating etc done on the new flat. The council tax on my council flat…
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Getting council To change banding
I’ve tried to get our council in Huntingdonshire to reduce our council tax band as I’ve found out that the four bed detached house next door to us that has many outbuildings and 7 acres is in a lower band than us with a four bed detached with 2.8 acres. The council say I have not provided evidence of a like for like…
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Council Tax Band - Challenging based on HIGHER PRICED properties?
Hi there, first time homeowner here! I want to challenge my council tax band, but I can't meet the criteria Martin suggests and the VOA demands... My flat is listed as band D, which seems absurd for a 2 bed flat with less than 70sq m of space! The same goes for all the other flats in my building. Some of them are 1 bed,…
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Scotland’s council tax freeze
So my brown bin doubled in price and had £4 added to my bill each month I wonder how they can call it a freeze?
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Council Tax banding appeal question
Hi there ... I am helping a neighbour make a council tax banding appeal and wondered what advice/experience can be given to overcome the valuation office objection that he has not made the appeal within 6 months of taking residence in his rented accommodation? I am sure I remember Martin Lewis stating that was an objection…
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Council Tax Rebanding
Hey can anyone advise please?I am in Scotland and bought a new build house in 2010 - council tax band was set as EHowever I have recently done research and have considerable evidence this should be a D in line with valuation regulations I submitted a proposal 2023 to local council - who rejected it based on "invalid out of…
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Council Tax Long Term Vacant Premium
I purchased a small flat for retirement in November and I am currently serving my 3 months notice to retire at the end of April. My job requires me to live on-site and a flat is provided. I was expecting to pay £141.00 per month in council tax on my new flat, however, the Council have sent a bill for £3531.80 for 2024/25…
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Council Tax Appeals can I appeal a second time ?
We are living in a 2 bedroomed bungalow and we are in Council Tax Band C, two for sale around the corner have 3 bedrooms and I found out they are in Council Tax Band B !! We appealed our tax band when we first moved in some 10 yrs ago because we thought even then that we were in the wrong tax band but the appeal was…
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Second home council tax on sole home in UK
I own a house in the UK which I have been paying a second home council tax premium on. I split my time between a holiday home in Europe and the rest of the time in the house in the UK. I intend to return to the UK on retirement and do not have a permanent right to stay where I am in Europe. I consider the UK house as my…
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Council Tax Band Review
We challenged our Council Tax banding as we purchased our house in 1991 for £ 47500 which according to the table puts us in Band B. We are in Band C. Neighbour in identical house albeit with an extension is Band B Sent all purchase evidence to VOA and received this response What is our next step ? I have checked your…
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Challenging council tax banding
Hi have tried to challenge my council tax banding 3 times in the last 25 years but not got anywhere with it. The last recent reason is that I cannot prove the house price sales figures of my area between 1989 and 1993. I am unable to get this information that far back. I have requested it from voa and also looked on zoopl…
