Re-Challenge the Council? Band A - not Band B?!

Suzkin

I'm in Southampton (1 bed house), a bit like my neighbours, only they have two double upstairs bedrooms and my second bedroom is effectively a big bathroom (with a small utility room downstairs, where my neighbour has a big bathroom).

Anyway, I bought my house in July 1997 for £44,500. My neighbours property was sold AT THE SAME TIME for £51,000.

I've just seen HBOS calculator, and from this data I've made a calculation based on property prices in the South East Region.

I THINK back in 1991 my property would have been in Band A (and NOT Band B, as is currently). My calculations:

Q3 1997 £72,675 I bought my house for £44,500
Q3 1991 £61,163 My house would have sold for £37,451

£37,451 is band A, whilst £44,500 is band B

Q: Is this methodology correct? I wrote to the Valuation Office once before (without knowing these figures), and was told that my house is very similar in build to my neighbours - but it isn't quite, due to the bathroom/utility scenario, hence the difference in sale price!

My neighbours have: Downstairs - front room, kitchen, bathroom (size to have 1700mm bath)
Upstairs - 2 double bedrooms (used as bedrooms)

I have: Downstairs - front room, kitchen, small utility room (smaller than their bathroom)
Upstairs - 2 double rooms: I a bedroom, 1 a bathroom.

Any advice, really welcome - Should I re-challenge the Council?

CIS

Any advice, really welcome - Should I re-challenge the Council?

You need to direct any challenge to the Valuation Office (https://www.voa.gov.uk) as the council have no say in the setting of the property band.

Suzkin

OK BUT would some please reply to my query? Thanks.

JayZed

The VOA places much more emphasis on what band similar neighbouring properties are in than on house price calculators, which are not at all accurate for measuring the value of a specific property. If they've already rejected you on the grounds of neighbour comparison I don't think you've got much chance - sorry.

What you should do is look at the VOA website and see if there are any similar properties in your street that are in Band A. That would be more plausible grounds for a challenge.