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

Barneyrubble_2

Hi,
Just received a letter from my VOA telling me that after looking at the points I raised when asking for a review of our banding they feel that we are in the correct band B. When i first phoned the dept they did not ask me any questions why I felt we were in the wrong band. so What they mean I don;t know. I have gathered lots of research material which I will let them have but on the letter it stated I had no right to appeal. WHAT DO I DO NOW?
I have got official HM land registry docs (dated and stamped) showing a property exactly the same as ours but with a garage sold in 1992 for £30.000which in in band A and docs from the sale of the 3 bed house next door to us in 1993 for £36.500also in band A. The VOA are saying we are in the correct band houses valued over £40.001. I have found loads of properties in my surrounding streets that are the same as ours but in band A. Can I challenge their decision or do you think its a waste of time, Thanx for your time and any advice you can give .xx

Zebedeee

Barneyrubble,
It sounds like they have sent you a standard letter in the hope you will just go away. It looks like you have done some good research backing you up, so if I were you I would write them a letter setting out your reasons and perhaps with copies of the documents you have showing the house prices and ask them to reconsider. They are obliged to look at your evidence and they need to justify why your house isn't on a par with your neighbours. By law they have a duty to maintain their listings as fair and accurate, without inconsistencies.

Hope that helps!

Zebedeee

ruby82_2

when the council tax first started.i was on sickness benefit and missed the date that you had to apply for a low rate because you were on benefits.i did ask an mp.at that time it was alistair darling.this was about 17years ago.or when ever maggie brought it into being. because i didnt get my claim in fast enough.i had to pay of my income support for years and year the same amount as i would have had to pay if i was in employment.
i dont think that is fair.and told alistair darling this.to which her replied" i cant just walk into the house of paliament and change the law" true i said.but surely you can suggest how unfair this is.if i had not been so unwell i would have managed to fill the form in on time.however i am now exempt from paying it as im now on dla.do you think this was fair.? and do you think i could claim at least the extra they took of me.as if i was in employment. it would be good if someone could tell me the answer to this.thanks.this is my first post so i hope i have done it correctly.my friend is helping me.thanks.

grace21

brightonbuoy wrote: »

Hi Grace
Sorry for the delay in posting. I have started proceedings against the Council in the County Court as the Limitations Act is just not applicable to our situation. I will let you know in due course how I get on!!! Wish me luck!!

Hi brightonbuoy,
Well done, you've given me inspiration to have a go myself!!
All the best, let us know how you get on!!!
Good luck,
Grace

CraigS

Sorry for posting this in the main forum and this thread

I though those who frequent this thread may also be able to help me.

Hi all, long time reader first time poster.

I had been following the council tax reduction thread for some time, as I was aware I had been paying more than my neighbours.

Most posts in the council tax reduction success thread, seem to indicate that the only contact with the assesor was, only a letter or a phone call.
However tommorow I will recive a visit from the assesor :eek:

All of the houses in my area are the same type/size, a few residents pay band B while the majority pay band A, this being the reason I have challenged my banding.

Does anyone know what questions he will be asking me, or what questions I should be asking him?

Thanks in advance

P.S. thanks for a great site Martin :beer:

vivatifosi

Hi Craig,

I'm posting to give you something to go on, but hopefully one of the other 'regulars' who did get an assessor's visit will also answer. I just went straight to tribunal, they didn't visit me.

I don't know what questions he/she will ask you, but I would certainly be asking why the bands are different. I'd also be making a list of the similarities between the properties to point out. You won't have time to do any in depth research, but I would want to do a quick search on one of the house price comparison websites and see if the houses sell for similar prices. I'd want to show them evidence of that too.

Most of all, good luck for tomorrow!!!!!

Taffyscot

Hi, I have just tried to read and digest this council band thing. My neighbour upstairs pays £105 a month council tax. She is learning disabled quite severely, and has to have someone help her with all her forms etc. She was left her flat by her mother and father so that she would have a place to live when they passed away. Her brother is the trustee for her when she needs repairs etc. Because of her disablities (which have never been recognised but that's another story for another post) she can only get employment in an old people's home for 20 hours a week at minimum wage. So she earns £440 pound a month. Someone told her in the bank that she shouldn't be paying that much council tax as they can see what she earns and all her expenses. So she went to CAB and they filled in a form to get a rebate on the council tax and they denied it. She asked me to read her the form and tell her of their decision. I could not believe this hard working single woman has to pay over a quarter of her wages to council tax. She has to pay factor fees for the administration of the flats at £20.00 a month and then electricity, telephone, gas, food. I started looking into the council tax for her. She lives in a 1 bedroom, top floor flat that has not been updated at all since her parents died 20 years ago. There are bare pipes in the kitchen wall and formica wood on the walls in the kitchen. Her bathroom has joking tiles (that is really wallpaper) peeling off in huge patches all over the wall. Her toilet looks like someone has thrown a bomb in there, there is a huge bubble on the side of the toilet so it is all mishappen. You all get the state of her place by now I hope. It is clean and tidy but in desperate need of renovation that she cannot afford. Her place is going to be worth a heck of a lot less than any of the other 8 flats in the building. The trouble is her flat looks out over the Clyde. It is assessed as grade C. I am trying to work out as best I can what her grading should be. Going by the steps that Martin gave in his council tax claims the average price on a flat in this street in 1991 is well below the grading for a class C. All of the flats in this block are a class C and I think again this is due to the fact that they look out over the water. Can anyone give me any advice as to how to word a letter to the Scottish assessors to have this banding re-evaluated. I have read most of the success stories and most of them have different banding than their neighbours with similar houses so it is quite easy to see how they are easily assessed. I do not want to do anything that could make my neighbour have to pay anymore and be reassessed higher. I desperately want to help her but if they give her that different banding then it will mean that all the flats in this building will be reassessed. I do not think they will want to give it to her for that reason. HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP anyone. Taffy

CraigS

vivatifosi wrote: »

Hi Craig,

I'm posting to give you something to go on, but hopefully one of the other 'regulars' who did get an assessor's visit will also answer. I just went straight to tribunal, they didn't visit me.

I don't know what questions he/she will ask you, but I would certainly be asking why the bands are different. I'd also be making a list of the similarities between the properties to point out. You won't have time to do any in depth research, but I would want to do a quick search on one of the house price comparison websites and see if the houses sell for similar prices. I'd want to show them evidence of that too.

Most of all, good luck for tomorrow!!!!!

Thansk for the help.

I went out and took note of the houses similar to mine, then checked their bandings.

82 houses

Band A = 60
Band B = 22

All the houses are within 2-3 minutes walk.

So with some luck I will get a reduced band.

Heres Hoping, fingers crossed.

Thanks for all the input :T

Zebedeee

CraigS wrote: »

However tommorow I will recive a visit from the assesor :eek:

All of the houses in my area are the same type/size, a few residents pay band B while the majority pay band A, this being the reason I have challenged my banding.

Does anyone know what questions he will be asking me, or what questions I should be asking him?

Hi CraigS

I had an assessor come out to visit me (eventually).

I think there are several reasons why they come out. Firstly, to check to see if your property is what they think it is ie. type, size, positioning/situation. They might find that yours isn't what they thought and 'bingo' you are rebanded. They might also take a sneaky peak at your neighbours, just from the road, by way of comparison.

Secondly, they will probably want to hear what reasons you have for thinking you are in the wrong band, so you can outline your evidence, eg. comparisons with neighbours, etc.

Thirdly, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they want to see who they are up against and whether you look like you might be the type to give up easily. Call me cynical if you like!

Hope that helps!

Zebedeee

CraigS

Thanks Zebedee

Set my mind at ease a little, got my big list of houses at the ready as evidence, lol