Council Tax - Future house valuations

Primrose

I've just read an article in The Spectactor dated 22 August referring to the Valuation Office Agency's database which lists properties which in future will have to pay higher council tax because of preferable amenities such as double glazing, a conservatory, living in a quiet road, garage capable of having 2 cars, having a pleasant view etc. Can anybody tell me how I can access this database to find out whether our house is likely to be affected and what are all the criteria for higher taxation. I suspect a huge number of people are going to be affected by this yet know nothing about it or how to prevent this unfair taxation happening. I don't know when it comes into force and want to have more information.

pete80

Primrose wrote: »

I've just read an article in The Spectactor dated 22 August referring to the Valuation Office Agency's database which lists properties which in future will have to pay higher council tax because of preferable amenities such as double glazing, a conservatory, living in a quiet road, garage capable of having 2 cars, having a pleasant view etc. Can anybody tell me how I can access this database to find out whether our house is likely to be affected and what are all the criteria for higher taxation. I suspect a huge number of people are going to be affected by this yet know nothing about it or how to prevent this unfair taxation happening. I don't know when it comes into force and want to have more information.

I read about this 3 years ago but it was then said to be shelved for the current term of parliament. Perhaps Brown is waiting to deliver his knockout punch next year if the old ****er gets in for another term.

When it was first brought up it was mentioned that the CT bills could double for those with all the best amenities like you listed.

lincroft1710

As CT is based on property values, clearly those properties with better amenities/features will sell for more money and this is reflected in CT band. Note is, it has been happening since start of CT in Apr 93.

Prior to CT and the Community Charge (Poll Tax) the system of local taxation took the form of domestic rating (abolished early 1990). A house with 2 car garage, conservatory etc. would have had a higher rating assessment than the same house without these features. Even a garden shed could add a few pounds to your rates bill.

There's nothing new under the sun and I am surprised at The Spectator for such scaremongering, ill informed journalism. It shows they can't even grasp the basis of the current system.

There is no access to "this database" as it doesn't exist! The VOA has details of all dwellings in England and Wales and started collecting this info in early 1950s and it has consistently been updated.

Wales has already had a CT revaluation in 2005, England's was due in 2007 but was cancelled 4 years ago. If and when England does have a CT revaluation, the more expensive a property, the higher the CT band, just as happens now.

Primrose if you are living in a house on a quiet road, with a pleasant view, and having benefit of double glazing, 2 car garage and conservatory - don't worry - these are all probably reflected in your current CT band.

Primrose

Although we have double glazing, we don't have a 2 car garage or a conservatory. And although we live in a quiet road, as a negative, we're also directly under a flight path which makes our house noisier than if we were situated on a main road in the middle of a city. I wonder how many points we'll get deducted for that?? Not a hope I would think.

RayWolfe

Primrose, if you read the excellent assessment by lincroft, you will see that your benefits and disbenefits are already in your rating.

lincroft1710

Primrose - the house prices in your road would reflect the flight path overhead and thus be reflected in your tax band. There is no such thing as "points" either added or deducted.

pete80

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Primrose - the house prices in your road would reflect the flight path overhead and thus be reflected in your tax band. There is no such thing as "points" either added or deducted.

lincroft and Ray, you are right in what you say over present day valuations to a certain extent, but what had been mooted was to do with a new revaluation taking place of all homes.

Did you ever read the original articles around 2006 when they first appeared about a National revaluation of all houses, not just the drive-by assessments done in early 90's.

I remember the article well because of all the opposition voiced over the rights of whether a "valuation officer" would be able to have the right to enter your property including rear garden and inside your house if they felt they needed to do so.

I am quite sure that an search on google could find you the original articles. Whether or not it ever happens depends on who gets voted in at next general election but taxpayers will get screwed anyway whether by local or national taxation to fund the huge deficits of Gordon's purse. :mad:

lincroft1710

I worked at VOA for 35 yrs and dealt with CT appeals for 12 yrs. I am totally right in what I said about current valuations.

VOA have had rights of entry for many, many years and have been inspecting houses over the past 55yrs, as this is usual method of gathering info about dwellings. However VOA does not force entry if refused by taxpayer. With Google maps, Ordnance Survey digital mapping etc, rear gardens can easily be "viewed" from desk.

The proposed revaluation for England was cancelled in 2005, most articles were uninformed, some I read were complete fiction.

If Gordon's purse is empty then it would be inadvisable for its heir to undertake a CT revaluation for England - they're expensive to carry out, and the resultant appeals also cost a lot of money to administer and settle. Central govt would only "gain" from a revaluation if local govt collected enough from CT so they don't need such large grants from central govt.

RayWolfe

I expect Pete read about this in one of our very responsible newspapers. ;-)

pete80

RayWolfe wrote: »

I expect Pete read about this in one of our very responsible newspapers. ;-)

Yes, I must admit that although I place journalists in the same class as estate agents and many solicitors I did read about it in quite a few of our "responsible" comics (they all are) and was aware that the idea had been shelved a few years ago. But there has been talk recently about it coming back if El Gordo stays in power, in more than just the one Spectator article that the OP mentioned.

Personally, it doesn't concern me at present having gone non-res last year but I still think that council taxpayers get a raw deal for what they pay for. Just one of the reasons that I left after getting made redundant for the 4th time.

If they don't screw extra council tax out of taxpayers, it will be done some other way, I think we all know that unless we still have the blinkers on.

lincroft1710

pete - if you want a tax that is completely unfair try VAT. So you need a plumber or electrician to do vital work in your home and you have to pay the government 15% (will soon revert to 17.5%) of their bill for the privilege.