Council Tax Rebate Refused

moneybags50

jardinier wrote: »

Thanks for the information about R&V. They have done a mail shot in my area that includes a questionnaire. On the basis of what I've read today I think I'll give it a shot. I'll report back in the fullness of time.

Just wondering if you went with R&V and were successful as I am thinking of replying to them as well.

CIS

[QUOTE My next door neighbour and myself have had letters from the above
and are thinking of replying. Going by your post I assume they are reputable and no catches other than the fee they quote ? QUOTE]

I would hold back from saying they are not reputable but from having previously dealt with these companies in an official capacity they are only interested solely in the money - as soon as they realise the money isn't quite what they think they dont think twice about dropping their 'we're only acting in the best interests of the client' line - and cannot do any more than you can do yourself.

lincroft1710

moneybags50 - if you and your neighbour think you have reasonable grounds for a reduction and have some evidence to support this, you should ask the VOA yourselves for a reduction as 99% of council taxpayers do. If you're successful you will have no fees to pay.

System

I got a similar letter from them the other day (they didn't even put my name on the envelope), and so did a neighbour who lives across the road from me. I'm not going to take them up on their "offer". They claim that "one or more of your neighbours" (how specific...) has been reclassified in a lower band than the one I'm in, but I checked and found that the other houses in my part of the street are all in the same band as me, so I can see no basis for a challenge. And even if my band did happen to be wrong, why would I want to let someone else pocket 30% of the rebate?

foxyruby

Hi Moneysavers

I've just got a similar letter this morning from Randall & Vickers. It's asking for a fee of 25% (i.e. one quarter, for anyone who's not comfortable with percentages) of any refund of council tax paid, not just for this year, but for any council tax I have been overcharged since 1993, or since I moved into the property. Note that there is VAT to pay on their fee, which means it will work out to 30% (just under a third) of whatever I could get back from the council. I've read the small print, and if I fill in the questionnaire and sign it, that document would then give Randall & Vickers authorisation to act on my behalf from then on. It also says "I authorise and insist that all correspondence and communications in relation to the refund and investigation be made directly to Randall & Vickers Ltd who will then forward them to me."

Now two things about this leap out at me. 1: They are insisting that all correspondence goes directly to them, so you would need to rely on them to forward it to you afterwards, and if you're not copied into things how do you know what is being said on your behalf? 2: if all correspondence goes to them direct, does that mean any subsequent refund cheque also goes to them first and then they take their fee out first and you have to rely on them to send the rest to you? These things would need to be clarified and confirmed before any authorisation to go ahead is given.

I've done some research of my own. I live in a building comprising 17 flats. Basically, there are flats of three different sizes in this building, but they shoved them all into B band originally. Two were indeed reclassified and moved into A band in April 1993, no doubt because they are 1-bed flats. There are two other one-bed flats in this building that could probably be reclassified into A band but are still in B band. Twelve of the remaining flats are similar sized two-bedroom two-bathroom flats. But here also is the problem: the flat above me is a lot larger, the size of a one-bed flat and two-bed flat combined. The lovely old gentleman who lives there has probably received one of these letters too. It sounds very reasonable at first, but if he allows them to act for him, his flat is likely to be reclassified, but into a higher and more expensive band, probably C or D. He is currently enjoying a very nice B banding, thank you very much. I don't see anywhere on Vickers and Randall's paperwork that they will compensate you if you LOSE money through their intervention!

How did I check this for myself? By going to the Council Tax band checker on the Government's website: http://www.voa.gov.uk/cti/InitS.asp?lcn=0
You can check your own home's banding and which bands your neighbours' homes are in.

And, er, as other Moneysavers have pointed out, you can also apply for a refund yourself through the Government site - you don't have to get a company like Randall & Vickers to do it for you, unless you're happy to part with just under a third of the refund in exchange for their help.

Before you decide to claim for a reclassification, whether you do it yourself or get a company like Randall & Vickers to do it for you, I would definitely urge you to do a bit more research first. Check which band you and your neighbours are in. If you find that other neighbours are in a different band to you, don't just go ahead and apply for a reclassification, check out your neighbours' homes in more detail first. Maybe check on a property price website like Zoopla (http://www.zoopla.co.uk/house-prices/) what their homes sold for to see if their value is a lot different to yours. Knock on their doors if necessary, tell them you're checking your council tax banding and ask tactfully what size their home is.

If you read what I've said above about the flats in my building, two of the flats could probably move into a cheaper band and get a rebate, 12 of the flats like mine would stay the same and people wouldn't get a penny, and I'm absolutely sure that the poor elderly chap upstairs would be moved into a much higher band and this could cost him a fortune, especially if it's backdated to 1993 (I know for a fact that he's been there for donkeys years).

I hope this helps. I think I'll post a little note to my neighbours on the noticeboard in our communal hallway. Good luck, folks!

lincroft1710

foxyruby wrote: »

I'm absolutely sure that the poor elderly chap upstairs would be moved into a much higher band and this could cost him a fortune, especially if it's backdated to 1993

Unlike CT band feductions, CT band increases are not backdated.

Vevey2004

Hi everyone, I have been a viewer on this site for many years, but specifically join the forum today in order to appraise you correctly in regard to Randall and Vickers offer to have your Council Tax refunded.

I Work in local Government, specifically in the Council Tax department
so I know what I am talking about, and have dealt with several customers in recent days who are really worried about this.

The letters circulating around the area for which I cover, are sewing the seeds of doubt that our customers may be in the wrong band for council tax and may therefore be due a refund coupled with the statement that many other local residents have discovered this and have received vast refunds.

The truth of the matter is the Valuation Office are pretty darn good, and if they say your in a band (whatever) property then 99% of the time that will be the case. They shouldn't be trying to convince everyone that the majority of council tax payers are misbanded because I can assure you this is not the case.

That being said, there are certain cases where people may be entitled to a disabled band reduction, or a rebanding due to changes to the property or whatever.

In any case the service Randall and Vickers are offering, can be done by yourself, free of charge through the valuation office at anytime. Randall and Vickers are not offering anything remotely specialist or out of the ordinary.

Although what they are doing is not illegal, I personally think it is immoral. They claim in their letter to be 'consumer champions' yet how can they be championing consumers by taking 25% of any refunds whilst knowing all the time, that anyone can appeal the banding of their council tax at any time for free!!!!!

You simply need to contact the valuation office via their website and they will be happy to look into this for you, for free, with nobody to take a quarter of your money when (or rather) if you win.

Please be aware though that if they investigate a rebanding and it shows the banding to be correct, then it is correct, please do not turn to 'specialist' organisations to take the matter further as any subsequent investigations will just glean the same results.

Hope this helps.

CIS

The letters circulating around the area for which I cover, are sewing the seeds of doubt that our customers may be in the wrong band for council tax and may therefore be due a refund coupled with the statement that many other local residents have discovered this and have received vast refunds.

We had a lot last year, they seem to target areas and then move on.

clibay

I have read with interest all of the threads on this topic and had been in the process of completing the questioner and returning.However I have seen no thread indicating success by R & V.Have there been any?

Al1sOn

Vevey2004 wrote: »

Hi everyone, I have been a viewer on this site for many years, but specifically join the forum today in order to appraise you correctly in regard to Randall and Vickers offer to have your Council Tax refunded.

I Work in local Government, specifically in the Council Tax department
so I know what I am talking about, and have dealt with several customers in recent days who are really worried about this.

The letters circulating around the area for which I cover, are sewing the seeds of doubt that our customers may be in the wrong band for council tax and may therefore be due a refund coupled with the statement that many other local residents have discovered this and have received vast refunds.

The truth of the matter is the Valuation Office are pretty darn good, and if they say your in a band (whatever) property then 99% of the time that will be the case. They shouldn't be trying to convince everyone that the majority of council tax payers are misbanded because I can assure you this is not the case.

That being said, there are certain cases where people may be entitled to a disabled band reduction, or a rebanding due to changes to the property or whatever.

In any case the service Randall and Vickers are offering, can be done by yourself, free of charge through the valuation office at anytime. Randall and Vickers are not offering anything remotely specialist or out of the ordinary.

Although what they are doing is not illegal, I personally think it is immoral. They claim in their letter to be 'consumer champions' yet how can they be championing consumers by taking 25% of any refunds whilst knowing all the time, that anyone can appeal the banding of their council tax at any time for free!!!!!

You simply need to contact the valuation office via their website and they will be happy to look into this for you, for free, with nobody to take a quarter of your money when (or rather) if you win.

Please be aware though that if they investigate a rebanding and it shows the banding to be correct, then it is correct, please do not turn to 'specialist' organisations to take the matter further as any subsequent investigations will just glean the same results.

Hope this helps.

I checked my house on the internet - all the others were a lower band to mine. So basically I am paying a considerable amount higher than all the other houses in the street, including my neighbour's house, which is the mirror image of mine. Checked the differences etc, and there were none. However, after contacting the VOA I was sent some awful waffle filled letter that basically told me I had no grounds for appeal, etc, etc. So I am not convinced regarding the VOA's capabilities as this strikes me as incredibly unfair. Solicitors understand the legalities better than the 'man on the street' so maybe they can get round this unfair system. And, quite frankly, I am only interested in my money, too, in terms of paying a great deal higher than everyone in my street. We are in a recession, money is tight so, yes, I would like not to be paying vastly more than my neighbours for the same house!