My council tax band investigation

naijapower

Thanks for your repsonse. BUt i honestly dont see how this should have a huge impact to make it band D and mine band E. We are barely 50 metres apart. Built at the same time (new build). The entire area is residential in normal sense. The only difference is that while mine is facing a private house, the other one is facing an open office car park and has more advantage cos buyers find if more attractive due to plentiful parking for visitors. My end is choco block like most new builds due to small roads etc, while the one facing the office car has the luxury of wider roads, no parking arguements and plenty of parking after 5pm each day and through out the wkd; in addition to open view which encourages cool breeze

lincroft1710

Where are the offices in relation to the Band D house? Also are you both detached or both terraced, or is one det and one terr? Are you both 2 storey or 3 storey or again are they different? Do you know what price difference is between the 2 houses?

As this is an office car park there would usually be no "right" for general public to park there, so this cannot be regarded as a possible amenity.

naijapower

Office car park is exactly opposite the Band D house - i.e. on the opposite side of the road. My house and the band D house are both 3 storey. Mine is 4 bed, while band D house is a 5 bed. We are both end terrace.
With regards to the office car park, i understand what you mean with regards to rights, but i can assure you that the car park has been used as a plus to sell houses facing the car park cos as you go inside the estate it becomes congested unlike the freedom you get when nearer the car park end.

As for price, band D house was sold in July 2006 for 260K, mine (which they have classed as band E) was sold in Dec 2006 for 300k. This was the peak of new build houses booming and price rising etc. However, i didnt think the current prices had any relevance. Was told you use 1991 valuation; i.e. what these house would have been sold for in 1991 irrespective of whether it is new, old or ancient. I am told you start by determine the value of a typical 4 or 5 bed end terrace in 1991.
Am i right?

lincroft1710

Although it is 91 price used for CT, it is helpful for me to know price differential between the 2 houses, whatever the year they were sold.

The question I asked was about the situation of the actual office, not the car park. CT band cannot reflect "possibility" of parking in this car park.

When I worked in VOA, after the price recovery in late 90s we used track how prices increased in comparison with 91. In the area I worked a price of £300K would indicate a Band E. Prices around here peaked around late 2007.

Have you checked bands of other houses like yours and the Band D's.

naijapower

Okay, so it seems you feel this car park is not relevant to the banding which is what i agree with from the onset.
So, from the info i have provided so far, what factor(s) do u think made them place me in band E and the other in band D.
Also, i didnt think the sale price had any relevance cos i was made to believe it is all about 1991 valuation for an identical type of house.

I have not been able to speak to others to check their band.

Guess, i would have to make a complaint and see the outcome.

One useful thing (i hope) - i have just realised that land registry list my house as semi detached. Not correct, cos it is end terrace.
Could this part of the problem? If so, how do i progess this?

I appreciate your useful input

lincroft1710

On the contrary, the reason I keep asking questions about the office and the car park is because it may have affected the band. It may be the reason the Band D house is a D as being next to/opposite non residential premises is one of the most common requests for band reduction and depending on nuisance factor and 91 value of a similar unaffected house is often successful.

You don't have to speak to others about their band, you can visit VOA website and follow links to CT bands where you can check bands of all your neighbours.

VOA do their own inspections and make use of developers' site plans, they only obtain sale prices from LR. Price differential between ET and S/D of same house is often minimal.

It is worth asking VOA why the Band D house is a Band D.

naijapower

Thanks once again. Will update on how i got on

naijapower

Back again. Got some more questions for you if you dont mind -
Been told a physical drive by assessment/valuation is done.
* Does this assessment take into consideration the physical hosue size and the plot size or just the house size.
* How accurate is this asssessment?
* Also, with regards to the valuation, if i calculate the expected 1991 value of my house using todays value as the starting point, it is significantly lower than if i used the price i paid for it in 2006 as the starting point. I have used nationwide house price site for calculation. Where do i stand on this one.
With specific regards to the Band D house near me, was told by VOA that they feel it is smaller than mine though i dont feel so

lincroft1710

Although "drive by" inspections were done for original 93 list, valuers had VOA's property details to work out 91 values. DBVs are a media scare. Post 93 at least one of each house type on an estate is measured and then as each house is finished it is checked to see which type it is.

As your house sold in 2006, this is only date you can use to work out a 91 price using either Nwide or Halifax HPIs. Doesn't matter which one you use, both are inaccurate, usually 10 -15%.

naijapower

Thanks again. But you missed out one of my questions.
What is the scope of this drive by valuation?
Are they looking out only for the house size or the house and entire plot size.

Forgot to mention, the VOA staff i spoke to seems to think a three storey is bound to be in a higher band than a 2 storey. I gave her a typical scenario on my estate where another 5 bed house in my area which is a 2 storey but occupies a wider spread of land than mine but my 3 storey property is 'slim and tall' if you get what i mean. (it seems builders wanted to save land space and chose to go higher up).I honestly believe both properties in terms of volume should be the same. But i am made to believe that 3 storeys are sort of singled out.