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

guppy

dadoronron wrote: »

I recently challenged my Council Tax banding after going through the stages to check what it could be via the websites etc recommended by MSE. I worked out that I could be in Band C instead of the current D. Two other houses in my road are Band C and are identical to my house. The VOA have said that my current banding is correct. What can I do now?

Hello,

First thing is to find out from the VOA why the other houses were reduced and your's wasn't.

If their explanation doesn't satisfy and you feel your house is valued wrong you might need to put a bit of work in to try and prove it. Basically, you have to convince them they are wrong.

There is plenty of advice about how to do this on this thread, it basically comes down to finding evidence of what similar house to yours were selling for in 1991. This older post sums up a pretty good strategy that worked for one person:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=4555455#post4555455

Good luck

stemachan1

hi,new to this forum stuff so please bare with me, i`m going for the band change,checked everything and have a good case,contacted voa online and recieved a property details sheet,firstly we had loft converted to a bedroom but not done to official building standards and no plans drawn up but is used as a bedroom so do i have to class it as a proper bedroom or occassional bedroom,secondly in with the property details was a notice of invalid proposal which i will appeal against within the 4 weeks time period,now i`ve recieved a review from them basically saying i`ve failed before i`ve even sent my details and appeal back. is that it,what can i do,need advice before ringing them up. cheers

Zebedeee

stemachan1 wrote: »

hi,new to this forum stuff so please bare with me, i`m going for the band change,checked everything and have a good case,contacted voa online and recieved a property details sheet,firstly we had loft converted to a bedroom but not done to official building standards and no plans drawn up but is used as a bedroom so do i have to class it as a proper bedroom or occassional bedroom,secondly in with the property details was a notice of invalid proposal which i will appeal against within the 4 weeks time period,now i`ve recieved a review from them basically saying i`ve failed before i`ve even sent my details and appeal back. is that it,what can i do,need advice before ringing them up. cheers

First of all, welcome stemachan1! You'll find loads of good advice and helpful folk on this message board.

Any alterations/extensions you have done to your house since you have lived in it post 1991 will not affect the band. The band is based on the house as it was in 1991, unless it was extended and then sold.

Do you have evidence of simillar properties close to yours of a simillar value which are in the lower band? If so, this will help your case. Even tho' you may technically be out of time and hence your appeal be invalid, the VOA do have a duty to maintain their lists correct and accurate, so you can tell them again of your evidence and ask that they review your band. Of course, they are also at liberty to put your band up, or your neighbour's to match yours, so be sure of your facts!

Also, are you able to get your hands on any sales prices for your property or neighbouring properties from 1991? You can find info in the archives of local newspapers, often kept at the library, which is very helpful.

All being well, doing the above might cause your local VOA to reconsider your case. Some seem to be more obliging than others. You will probably have to keep pushing them and you may need to dig deeper to get what you want, but don't give up. There is lots of support for you here on this thread. If you need any more help just ask.

Hope that helps!

Zebedee

hampshaw

Having bought one of 3 new builds in our close in Nov 06 and being subject to a band assessment, i found that although our house is identical to our neighbours (we are joined to it!), we are Band E and they are Band D - odd seeing as the same valuation officer assessed both properties on the same day! Ours and our neighbours house are the only semis (or link detached) in the close and apart from one bungalow (in Band D), all the others are detached houses (all Band E). I was therefore convinced our property should be Band D (the 1991 price calculators also suggest this) and put in an appeal accordingly.

Having heard nothing in 5 months I chased my listing officer who was very helpful but the outcome of the call was that my neighbours were incorrectly listed (as a Bungalow!) and should be put up to Band E. Can they do that though? I know that if you have a make modifications such as an extension the band can't be increased until the property is sold on (which it isn't likely to be for ages) - what about if the valuation officer made a boob? Doesn't seem fair that my neighbours should get put up a band but neither is it fair that we're paying more than them?

I've now had a date for the tribunal and am not sure whether to pursue the case on this basis - will me arguing and providing proper evidence to suggest our house price in 1991 would have been under £88k be enough?

Advice greatly appreciated

Zebedeee

hampshaw wrote: »

Having bought one of 3 new builds in our close in Nov 06 and being subject to a band assessment, i found that although our house is identical to our neighbours (we are joined to it!), we are Band E and they are Band D - odd seeing as the same valuation officer assessed both properties on the same day! Ours and our neighbours house are the only semis (or link detached) in the close and apart from one bungalow (in Band D), all the others are detached houses (all Band E). I was therefore convinced our property should be Band D (the 1991 price calculators also suggest this) and put in an appeal accordingly.

Having heard nothing in 5 months I chased my listing officer who was very helpful but the outcome of the call was that my neighbours were incorrectly listed (as a Bungalow!) and should be put up to Band E. Can they do that though? I know that if you have a make modifications such as an extension the band can't be increased until the property is sold on (which it isn't likely to be for ages) - what about if the valuation officer made a boob? Doesn't seem fair that my neighbours should get put up a band but neither is it fair that we're paying more than them?

I've now had a date for the tribunal and am not sure whether to pursue the case on this basis - will me arguing and providing proper evidence to suggest our house price in 1991 would have been under £88k be enough?

Advice greatly appreciated

Hi hampshaw

I'm afraid they can put bands up as well as down. Nonetheless, I wouldn't give up easily. You may well be right in your assumptions. You will need more than suppositions that your property would have been worth <£88k in 1991. Unfortunately, as yours is so much newer, and 1991 is a long time ago, it gets tricky. House price indices alone will not be enough (although the VOA are happy enough to use them when it suits them!) Can you find simillar type properties in your locality that were around in 1991 and maybe find out their selling prices for that time? You might find your local library helpful.

Also, can you compare your house with other local properties, even if they are new, but of a simillar style? If they are in the lower band it will help you. You might find estates nearby which could be seen to be simillar to yours and you could compare the bandings there.

It can be hard work, but often there is a lot of evidence out there!

HTH!

Zebedee

Legion_2

Hi,

I recently stumbled upon reclaiming my council tax. I live in a 1 bedroom flat which is banded D in a particularly good area. In my block there are 6 apartments, 3x2 bedroom flats 3x1 bedroom flats. All are banded D.

Recent sales are for the 2 bedooms £110 - 120000. Where the last identical property to mine sold for under £95000 in 2004.

Using the house price calculator I see my property price in 1991 was approx 30000

Im not sure if I should go ahead with the appeal as there appears to be a blanket banding of D for these blocks of flats, but im not sure I should be paying the same council tax as the 2 bed appartments and duplexs in my area which are also all band D.

Does it seem wise to abandon this?

guppy

Legion wrote: »

Hi,

Using the house price calculator I see my property price in 1991 was approx 30000

Im not sure if I should go ahead with the appeal as there appears to be a blanket banding of D for these blocks of flats, but im not sure I should be paying the same council tax as the 2 bed appartments and duplexs in my area which are also all band D.

Does it seem wise to abandon this?

The banding should be based purely on the market value of your flat at 1991. There shouldn't be any such thing as a blanket banding.

Based on the prices you've put in the calculator your flat should be in B and A or B if you're in England.

I'd get on the phone to your local VOA straight away and find out what's going on. If the band is two or three bands out they should be able to spot it straight away.

stuart1_2

Hi there and sorry if I am writing in the wrong place here. There is so much information to read through on this thread that it would take forever. Have gone throught the process of reclaiming council tax but today was told by the local assessor in Scotland that I would not be getting one and would have to goto tribunal. However I am not happy with the reasons he gave me. Think I have been fobbed off to be honest. If anyone can give advice please let me know. Stewart.

guppy

Hi Stuart,

Obviously the band should relate to the value of your house at 1991. If you disagree with the reasons given to you, disputing these is the way ahead.

You basically need to make a case proving or at least strongly suggesting your property could not be worth the relevant amount at 1991. This is difficult but not impossible.

You can try going back to the Assessors and disputing their reasons in the first instance, if they refuse to change their mind you may have to go to the tribunal.

One free way of getting 1991 prices is from newspaper archives at the library. There is loads more detailed info on this thread, if you're convinved you're right, don't give up...

Good luck!

Face

Hi,

Just wondering if someone had some advice that they can give.

In March I started investigating my council tax banding. My whole street is a band C, except for one house (virtually identical to mine) which was a band B.

I contacted my VOA and was told that the band B house had appealled against their band C rating as being too high and were reduced to a band B.

It has taken me since March 23rd to finally get an answer from my VOA and they have stated that my banding is correct and that I will get a letter in the next couple of days detailing their exact reasons. I hope it's not just because of the 6 month rule!

I feel that if my neighbour's banding was reduced based on being too high, then mine also should be.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks for your time.