Council Tax Cost Cutting: reduce your band and grab any discounts Discussion Area

HUGH1

Maisie wrote: »

Hi HUGH. I think from your post what voa are saying is that as you have lived in house more than 6 months you have no right of appeal. However voa have to make a fair and accurate assessment of your banding and you need to get as much evidence as possible to make them take notice of the different bandings in your road.
Look back at some of the posts there's a lot of good information further back as to what you need for evidence.. As Zebedee says the archived library records of house prices for 1991 is a good start.
Voa don't take much notice of the Nationwide calculator so don't just use that.
I'm in band D too and house worth about £65/66K in 1991 with other larger houses in same banding. One of these other large houses in band D sold for £290K in year 2000. How can that be right? However voa say it is.
It's not easy to get voa to change banding and some of the posters on the 'success' thread who've had an easy time have been lucky.
Good luck and hope it goes well.

Maisie

Thanks Maisie for your comments. I really hope I find some sound evidence at the Library and then I'll take it from there. Good Luck to you too, if I find anything more I'll let you know.

Hugh1

guppy

whitecll wrote: »

...

The reason the VOA gave for rejecting our appeal was that other houses may not have been sold since they were extended - however our extension is so small, and fairly decrepid at 40 years old, I can't see how it would have added so much to the house value when it was sold to us, or when it was sold 5 years before that. They also quoted 2 house sales in the area, but the houses near us turn over about once every 40 years, so these houses are not the same as ours, nor are they in the same street.

I also just checked the Nationwide calculator, and it gives £155k as the value in 2003 - band F is £162k to £223k. We are in Wales, so our bandings were all redone on 1 Apr 2003.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Can I really not challenge this any further?!

Hello,

If no houses have sold in your road then its value at 2003 can only really be a matter of opinion. The local VOA have a duty to consider any evidence you send them.

Trying to find comparable sales around 2003 will be much easier than trying to find 1991 sales.

Look for 2003 sales prices online at somewhere like www.nethouseprices.com Try and find sales of houses similar to yours that support your argument. You can look on Rightmove etc. too to get an idea of how much different sorts of houses go for in your area. 2002 and 2004 prices might still be useful too, you can use the Nationwide calculator to get a rough 2003 value.

I can't see a small, decrepit extension would make much difference either, but you'll have to convince your local VOA that.

Good luck.

diesal

hi hugh your case regarding the council tax banding is very much like mine have you made an progress i am to chicken to threaten court action
diesal

stphnstevey

Just come back from my Valuation Tribunal. There three members of the public (although the chairman could easily have passed for the mayor!), the valuation officer and me.

They listened to all my evidence and the valuation officers then will give a written decision in 21 days - this means that they don't have to deal with anyone irrate as they don't tell you the answer till you have left the building!

Had interesting chat to valuation officer in break - said he has been alot more busy recently thanks to this Martin Lewis character (who ever he is )

Daisy_Bell

HUGH1 wrote: »

Thanks for the Info

In my small street the majority of us have been there since the houses were first built except for about 3 houses which I need to check at the library. However, there is a five bedroom house purchased 3 years ago for £237,000 and has been put in a Band D the same as me, surely this can't be right. I will be going to the library, if I find the evidence how can I then appeal when the letter says I have no right to one?

Regards

They should have sent you an 'Appeal Against Notice Of Invalid Proposal' Form for you attend a Tribunal to say why you are out of time. Don't send in the 'Notice of withdrawal Form' that comes with it, because that just tells them you are not willing to go ahead with your request for re-banding. Even though they tell you you have no chance of winning at this first Tribunal, go ahead and attend it; to make sure the VOA then do at least review your banding. You have no further right of appeal though, unless you can give them actual proof of another, similar property property in your street, selling at under the price for your banding in 1991! And that ain't easy!

MinMoz

Wish me luck!!

Have my appeal hearing tomorrow morning. Have done a bit of work on it and my case is stronger than I thought.

My 2 bedroom terrace is the band (C) above my neighbour who has an extra bedroom and a downstairs WC (B). Thought this would be enough but it also turns out -

- of the 21 2 beds on my street only 4 are in band C (including mine)
- there are 41 3 bedroom houses the band below my 2 bed
- per the assessors website a number of 3 and 2 bed houses have had their tax band "reviewed" and assessed as Band B since they were first looked at in 93. Why is mine not getting rebanded!

It may well pay off to live in a cloned street of houses, though reality makes me realise that I am dealing with the council and the likelihood is that I will fail due to some incromprehensible piece of nonsense.

Will let you all know how I get on!

Maisie

MinMoz wrote: »

Wish me luck!!

Have my appeal hearing tomorrow morning. Have done a bit of work on it and my case is stronger than I thought.

My 2 bedroom terrace is the band (C) above my neighbour who has an extra bedroom and a downstairs WC (B). Thought this would be enough but it also turns out -

- of the 21 2 beds on my street only 4 are in band C (including mine)
- there are 41 3 bedroom houses the band below my 2 bed
- per the assessors website a number of 3 and 2 bed houses have had their tax band "reviewed" and assessed as Band B since they were first looked at in 93. Why is mine not getting rebanded!

It may well pay off to live in a cloned street of houses, though reality makes me realise that I am dealing with the council and the likelihood is that I will fail due to some incromprehensible piece of nonsense.

Will let you all know how I get on!

MinMoz. Good luck.

keep us posted.

Maisie

Rooster_Booster_2

Several weeks ago I queried the amout of refund and asked for a breakdown.
Finally got a reply today.

No Compound interest !!!

Also quoting the ""staute of Limitations" so can only got back to 1 April 2000.

Any redress with this ??? worth a small claims ???

Thanks Rooster

Zebedeee

MinMoz wrote: »

Wish me luck!!

Have my appeal hearing tomorrow morning. Have done a bit of work on it and my case is stronger than I thought.

My 2 bedroom terrace is the band (C) above my neighbour who has an extra bedroom and a downstairs WC (B). Thought this would be enough but it also turns out -

- of the 21 2 beds on my street only 4 are in band C (including mine)
- there are 41 3 bedroom houses the band below my 2 bed
- per the assessors website a number of 3 and 2 bed houses have had their tax band "reviewed" and assessed as Band B since they were first looked at in 93. Why is mine not getting rebanded!

It may well pay off to live in a cloned street of houses, though reality makes me realise that I am dealing with the council and the likelihood is that I will fail due to some incromprehensible piece of nonsense.

Will let you all know how I get on!

Me too! I'm up to my neck right now in printer paper, photos and photocopies putting it all together.

I wish I felt as confident as you, although my case is really strong, as I suspect they all have it sewn up amongst themselves (have you seen how few people actually win?)

However, most people never bother to turn up for the tribunal, so we must be on our way to a good result just by turning up.

All the best for tomorrow!

Zebedee

PlasticRhino

Hi all, quick question: can you still reclaim council tax from a property you no longer live in?

I suspect we were overpaying on a previous property that we lived in for over 6 years so if we can reclaim we should be able to reclaim a fair amount.