Council Tax rebanding in a block of flats?

thriftymanc

I think I'm paying too much council tax. Going by the value, 1991 rates say I should be smack bang in the middle of the band E and am currently in band F.

I've checked the other flats in my building and they vary from band B to G. The majority are C, D and E. There is only flat that is G.

If the highest was F I'd probably go for it because the worst that could happen is I'd stay the same. But due to that one flat, sod's law says that my flat will get reassessed as G if I do it!

How do you know if it's worth the risk when you're in a block of flats?

(Also my flat didn't exist in 1991, does that affect anything?)

lincroft1710

From the limited info it's difficult to offer advice. A 6 band span on flats in 1 block is unusual, are the flats so completely different? Unless your flat is very similar to the Band G flat, it is extremely doubtful it would be increased.

Look at bands of other flats similar to yours in nearby blocks.

As your flat didn't exist in 91 the only thing it will affect is 1991 sales evidence as there clearly won't be any for your block.

Fire_Fox

You don't need to know the size or facilities of other flats in your block as council tax is NOT based on size, you need to compare their market value with the value of your flat. So if your flat is one of the two most expensive (say the penthouse) then you should expect your banding to be the highest or second highest.

I am the only flat in my block that is a band A: despite being the largest of three designs I was successful in getting the flat rebanded. Other flats in the street or adjacent streets are almost exclusively band B and higher but I knew that those blocks are significantly more desirable - read valuable - than my block and why.

I first used the Nationwide house price calculator and my purchase price to work backwards to 1991. Then looked at the recent land registry sold prices plus bandings of flats in my block and adjacent blocks (you can use the other block in your street, as long as you have a rough idea of what the differences are).
http://www.nationwide.co.uk/hpi/
http://www.voa.gov.uk/
https://www.houseprices.co.uk

If you want an E banding, you are basically looking to prove that band D flats sell for somewhat less than your flat, and band F flats sell for somewhat more than your flat, if there are any band E flats you want to show they sell for roughly the same as yours. You won't get banded upwards if you prepare a strong and logical case for a band E.

If you get the information together about bandings and sold prices for the block, I could try to help you lay it out a bit like my letter (PM me the link to this thread). If you really want to know which flats are larger/ smaller there should be a plan in your long lease or associated documents.

Council tax is based on value of property because bringing in a poll tax has lead to peasant revolt twice in history!! :rotfl: Seriously it is because you are deemed to be able to afford to contribute more to local services if you have a more expensive property. You are also more likely to use more services as larger properties often have more occupants. If you live alone in a large property you are entitled to a 25% discount.

lincroft1710

The size of a property is one of the main factors in trying to arrive at its value and therefore ascertain the band. In the VOA when we had a property to band we would look at 1991 sales evidence of nearby properties of a comparable size and type. At Valuation Tribunal hearings we would always present evidence of properties of a similar size as the appeal property.

I spent 35 years in the VOA and measured thousands of properties, even when I was dealing with CT appeals, I was still having to check measure some of them