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

CSL_2

Dear Takoo,

Frame Title: Practice Notes for LOs, reveals the following:-

England only: Council Tax Manual - Practice Note 3: The size, Layout and Character of the Dwelling and the physical state of the Locality - Dates at which they are to be considered


1. Introduction

When carrying out a valuation for the purposes of an alteration to a valuation list the basis of valuation to be adopted is contained in Regulations 6 and 7 of the The Council Tax (Situations and Valuation of Dwellings) (Amendment) Regulations 1994.


The basis of valuation......................sold by a willing vendor on 1st April 1991.


However....................depending on why the list is being altered.


In essence the question when valuing is always, "Given the size, layout, character of the dwelling and the physical state of its locality at a given date on or after 1/4/1993 how much it would have sold for on 1/4/1991?"


It is the purpose of this practice note to detail the date at which each variable requires to be considered.


Full text to be found under:-

http://www.voa.gov.uk/instructions/chapters/council_tax_man_pn/


What a nightmare....... Franz Kafka would haved loved this...


CSL
Friday 14th December 2007

vivatifosi

To Mike 433,

Crikey I've just got back off holiday and I'm already turning back into bolshy mode having gone through your posts.

I've read your posts. They can't possibly tell you your house has got so many more bedrooms than reality and then tell you in the same breath/sentence whatever that they aren't going to review it or take matters further. As I say, I've put my "take on the authorities" head and this is what I'd do:

Write back to them, remind them they have a duty to maintain an accurate list. If they will not look again at your claim you intend to refer the matter to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Furthermore, if they refuse to give you some information under the FOI Act (they can't give you all the details but they are hiding behind the wording a bit) then tell them you will refer them to the Information Commissioner.

Just to clarify, the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman looks at maladministration in Central Govt departments (such as failure to update records even when accurate data is available), whilst the Information Commissioner rules on what access is allowed to personal information under the Freedom of Information Act

If you type "Parliamentary Ombudsman" and VOA or "Information Commissioner" and VOA into google, you get the relevant sections of the websites of both.

Hope this is useful,

vivatifosi

CSL_2

Grateful to hear from anyone who has a ONE BEDROOM (Terraced, Semi-detached or End of Terrace house) who is still continuing to fight their Greater London Council in trying to get their Council Tax reduced from Band D to Band C.

http://journals.aol.co.uk/clivesteuk/convincing-the-voa-listing-offic/

CSL
Friday 21st December 2007

Babycakes

I have had a letter from the VOA which lists (what they believe) to be similar properties, no of rooms, bedrooms and size. Any idea how they measure the size as I have made some measurements and come no where near their measurements.

guppy

For a house, the total external area, i.e. the total floorspace including the external walls. For a flat, the internal area, less hallways and bathrooms.

Hope that helps.

Dick_here

From glancing through Martin's advice and the success stories, I thought that after applying I'd simply get a phone call or a visit to discuss. Instead, I've got a formal letter from the VTO. I've heard nothing from the local LO after the initial receipt of my application. Is this common or should I be worried. What - if anything - should I do now ?

Zebedeee

What did the letter say, !!!!!!? I'm sure one of us will be able to help.

Zebedeee

Dick_here

That my appeal has been listed etc, there'll be a hearing within 6 months if it hasn't been resolved between the LO and us by then. As I said, I've heard nothing from them though.

caris

Hi

We got a refund of £875 + £30. taken of this years council tax bill, leaving us nothing else to pay on this years bill after we won a reduction in our CT banding. We wrote to the VOA asking for interest to be paid on our overpayment, and they have just recently sent us a cheque for £50, they said that this was for interest on the overpayment and also included an amount for error on there part, does this seem to be a rather small amount paid to us?, if it is what sort of payment should we expect and what should our next step be?

Thanks in advance for all replies and any info
caris

Zebedeee

!!!!!!_here wrote: »

That my appeal has been listed etc, there'll be a hearing within 6 months if it hasn't been resolved between the LO and us by then. As I said, I've heard nothing from them though.

Hmm, as you say, a bit strange not to have heard from the local VOA. Perhaps they are busy giving your case full consideration with a view to a change of band? Ha ha. Seriously tho, I think I would be inclined to ring them up and say that you realise that they must have had your letter as you have heard from the VTS, but you haven't yet had a reply from them. I think it is fair enough to ask where things stand with them. They can't just ignore you and send your appeal straight to the VTS without doing anything themselves.

Hope that helps!

Zebedeee