Would appreciate any advice pleaseeeee

5stey

Hi could someone please help. Following an article about council tax bands I realised using the MSE advice I was paying too much compared to my neighbours they were all on Band B while I was on C.
Well the Valuation office took absolute forever and I'd completely given up pursuing.
Last few years my child suddenly became ill and then worse and ended up in a wheelchair this January and still getting worse . We had to purchase the house next door in order to make vital adaptations.
Guess what the valuation officers got in touch came around measured the house and then told me I have now got band D!!!!
I was given the impression my band would be going down not up, and what about the 11 years I've been payin too much tax.

lincroft1710

Did you buy next door and convert the 2 houses into one and the Band D in fact covers new merged larger house? If that is the case the band of your original house no longer exists and cannot therefore be easily amended unless you had made a valid appeal. Your band has effectively gone down as Band D payment is much cheaper than your original Band C together with original band of next door house.

However VOA should have investigated original band and told you if band was right or not. You can only ask them to confirm if Band C right or wrong.

soappie

What someone I know did in a similar situation - i.e. bought next door and put one door through to make a bigger property - they asked the council to reassess as one dwelling. The council refused because the combined CT value was less than two dwellings. So, they said right, we're putting the kids in that half of the building and we're claiming full exemption because they're all under the age of 18.

The council tried to say they would revalue after all, but the owners decided the under 18 rule was far more tax efficient - and they won.

Could you do something like that?

lincroft1710

It's actually a bit more complicated - just putting a connecting door between 2 houses will not in itself result in single CT band for them. If both houses remain capable of separate occupation, i.e. each has own living/sleeping area(s), facilities for preparation of food and for washing and also WC, then in CT law are considered separate dwellings and each will still have own CT band.

5stey

I guess this means I carry on paying, but it doesn't make sense because if you are saying band D is cheaper than band C . Then why has my council tax gone up £200 odd pounds?? and what about the room we have made for our daughters use i don't like the word but 'disability' access doesn't that account for any thing?? Because that is the reason the houses were joined in the first place.

lincroft1710

Band D is cheaper than Band C (your original house) and Band B (presumed band of house next door) combined. According to www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/DG_064481 you could only get a reduction in CT band if a fixture required by a physically disabled person devalues the property sufficiently to put it into a lower band. You may be entitled to reduction in payments however, can only suggest you have a read.