Council Tax Revaluation - Advice?

Geedoubleu_2

Hi,

Anyone gone through this process?

I'v lived in my 2 bedroom masionette in South East London for over 8 years and I have a Council Tax Band C, so my house should have been valued at £52,001 - £68,000 in 1991.

I've spoke to my neighbours and they have identical maisonettes and are also in Band C. My road has lots of terraced houses with gardens and off-street parking, which are also in Band C. Our maisonettes can easily be mistaken for semi-detached houses from the front.

So in April this year I used NetHouse prices and taken the value of 5 identical house sales from 2004 to 2006 and then used the Nationwide House Price survey for Greater London and selected all quarters in 1991.

My maisonette is valued at between £39,000 and £41,000 in 1991 for all 5 sales. This should out it at the very end of Band A or very beginning of Band B, no where near Band C.

I filled in a form 6mths ago to my local listing office and got a letter back saying they are really busy and not heard anything back since.

I am convinced my masinette was "2nd gear" valued and mistaken for a semi-detached house, as I can't believe that Nationwides survey could be 25% out.

Anybody got any advice on how long this takes and if I am likely to be successful?

If I am successful will I get my council tax rebated for all 8 years?

lincroft1710

Unless you are living on a sink estate of the worst kind I would doubt that a 2 bed maisonette would have sold for as little as £41K in 1991. I have compared both Nationwide and Halifax HPIs with actual sales evidence at two dates and have found them 25% out! Not every time, usually they are 10/15% inaccurate. As your post suggests it existed in 1991 there is a possibility that there were actual sales of these maisonettes at that time so you may be able to search back issues of local papers for property ads - admittedly they will only show asking prices, but you may get some idea.

As you had clearly lived in your home for over 6 months, you could not make a valid appeal, only a request that VOA investigate band, so they are not obliged to divulge actual sales evidence. Talking to various former colleagues from VOA over the past 2 years I know they are inundated with CT rebanding requests, but I think 6 months is a little too long to wait so I would politely remind them of your request.