To claim or not to claim and unoccupied status.

OxfordRob

I am in serious minds to challenging my Council Tax banding but have real reservations and would appreciate the collective mindset of money savers unite...

According to my checks following Martins main article my property was £36,000 in 91 and that puts it in Band A yet I am currently on Band B. All my neighbours with like for like flats are also in Band B however I believe that they too are in the wrong band and checked some other flats all coming in around £30 to £35 K back in 91. A lot of those are people who rent so I suspect they have just got on with things.

There is one flat that is subject to a Valuation Tribunal but it slightly more value than my place so the question is do I go for it? I have been at mine since the near end of 2002 so they may say I have no claim?

What could happen if they disagree?

The other question... I am moving out, in fact have already, to live with my fiancee. We are currently painting and sprucing the flat up to either sell or rent it but the fact is it is unoccupied at the moment. Can I get any rebate or stop my Council tax whilst it remains like that?

One friend suggested a rather radical step of removing the loo as it deems a property uninhabitable and then re-plumbing it when I sell or let it.

Any help would be so appreciated thanks.

dickieg

We bought a house and phoned council to say we did not live there but would be doing it up, they gave us 6 months were we did not have to pay council tax,i think it was called a categroy c or something like that, as i under stand it if there as been 6 weeks occupancy of the property and the 6 weeks have been had council tax paid for you should be able to get 6 months free

Fire_Fox

Property must be empty (no furniture) to be able to claim the six months council tax exemption.

DCodd

As for going for rebanding - Go for it would make the flat more attractive to buyers with a lower tax band.

lincroft1710

You will only be able to ask for rebanding, you are out of time for formal appeal. But if you let out property, new occupier can make formal appeal. Bear in mind that house price indices are inaccurate as they cover too large an area and cannot take account of local anomalies.

If you wish to practise your plumbing skills then by all means remove the WC, but you won't get any exemption from CT payment by doing it.

OxfordRob

Hello,

Thank you to all that have replied. Looking at it all and properly studying now the prices I feel it is just too much red tape and too much of a weak case to risk challenging the authorities on. As much as reclaiming money appeals to me I am going to have to find other revenue options. As it is we are so almost done now on the flat and it is looking so much better.

We are going to have it valued for both selling and renting to see what is the best option. Ideally renting it out is better long term but we have a duff boiler and very very old sofa at the house plus the wedding that a quick sell and pocket the cash seems very tempting.