Rented Property Council Tax Banding

diablobear

Howdy!

Any advice from those who have been successful???

I have been renting my house from my S-I-L for the last 2 years bills included. In a recent change I am now renting the property plus bills. I was really shocked at the amount of Council Tax she has been paying for such a small property and have been looking at Martin's advice and seriously considering contesting the banding of the property.

The current banding is C and looking at the VOA website most of my neighbours are Band A for exactly the same house. I did the Nationwide house price calculator thingy (1991 valuation) and it came back as Band A/B borderline.

The property was a holiday home for my S-I-L from July 2004-October 2006 until I moved in, so it stood empty for most of that time and she paid the full price, then the council tax was put in my name when I moved in and received a single person discount, but my S-I-L still directly paid for it from the rent I paid her.
So my questions are -

• Who should be writing to the Council regarding the re-banding (both of us I guess)??? I'm the tenant; she's the owner, both of us Council Tax bills (with no arrears) in our names from July 2004 to present.

• The majority of the neighbours are on Band A (the same size property) from an effective date of 1/4/1993. (A very few are Band B with much bigger properties than the one we're living in) - Will this potentially cause trouble for those on Band A if the Council agree that this property should really be Band B? They are mainly pensioners and I would hate to see the council change the banding for them too.

• Does anyone have or know of a working letter template that I can use to start the process of asking the Council to consider rebanding? I'm not being lazy but would love to see something that worked!!

If successful I see my S-I-L could be due for a rebate from 2004 until I took over the bill. I would love to put the wheels in motion for a potential rebate for her, but as a single working mum, I would love to see my future bills cut too.

Thanks in advance!

diablobear

Sorry - did some further reading today and jumped the gun with my post, my questions have been answered!!!