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

theamazinggem

hey all, bit new to this so please bear with me...

just spoke to my valuation office, told them that i think we are in the wrong banding and asked what i would need to do to be reassessed.

the guy said that all my road are in band e, so no.

i told him that we'd been valued at a good £20k less than the rest of our street, due mainly to us being a corner property.

basically after much too-ing and fro-ing he said that i need to provide evidence that in 1991 our property was worth under £88k. (with a hint that it would help to prove it's worth less than no70, our other semi neighbour)

now in doing the back projection thing on those in our road (sold in the last year), they come to around £88.500 in 1991 - ie right on the cusp. if our property is now worth £275k that goes back to £82500.

clearly that isn't enough is it? so any guidance on what i can do to turn that calculation into "evidence"?

Dick_here

Zebedeee wrote: »

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.

Yes thanks. In fact, prior to reading this I banged them off an email asking whether I'd be hearing from them prior to the appeal hearing. I've already had a reply stating that I'll be contacted within the next 14 days ! We'll see...

vivatifosi

Hi !!!!!!,

Agree with Zebedeee, ring em up..

I had a similar situation to yours. Got a letter through from the VTS before I was aware that the VOA had given up the research side. It actually caught the VOA off guard a bit. I think sometimes there's a disconnect in there. It worked in my favour to have a tribunal quickly as the VOA was on the back foot and I had all my info ready, but its all down to personal circumstances I guess.

Whatever happens, if you do end up going to trib, make sure that you've got a fully researched case and not just the numbers from the house price data crunchers. There's plenty of advice if you read back through this thread.

Good luck!

Dick_here

vivatifosi wrote: »

Hi !!!!!!,
I had a similar situation to yours. Got a letter through from the VTS before I was aware that the VOA had given up the research side. It actually caught the VOA off guard a bit. I think sometimes there's a disconnect in there. It worked in my favour to have a tribunal quickly as the VOA was on the back foot and I had all my info ready, but its all down to personal circumstances I guess.

Thanks for that. From glancing at other success stories, I was expecting a phone call and/or visit, nothing more. What is likely to happen when I hear from the VOA within 14 days, just that or something more formal/involved ?

JonBoy68_2

Hello - I've just been visiting around this website and wow what a fantastic site to help ensure your never paying over the odds!

I've looked at the Council Tax banding and I'm banded one higher than my joining neighbour ie they pay a band C and I pay a band D.

We are semi-detached to this property with identical layouts and boundaries. Unfortunatly I don't know how much the neighbour paid for their property so i can't work out the value in 1991.

I have checked my valuation as of 1991 and the current band is correct.

Do you think it is worth me appealing to the council for a reassessment?

Your comments would be greatfully recieved.

Thanks

CSL_2

Dear Jon-Boy 68,

Dead right, you have nothing to loose. Its worth going for.

Have you been in this property for more than six months?

http://journals.aol.co.uk/clivesteuk


CSL
London SW4
Friday 11th January 2008

JonBoy68_2

Thanks CSL.

We moved into the property June/July last year so may just be able to make the 6 month period.

I think I will be applying for reassessment.

CSL_2

Dear Jonboy68,

Rather than bore you and other readers with my own D to C quest just go now to -

http://Polltax.co.uk and register with this site.

You will find it extremely helpful.


Clive
CSL
London SW4
Friday 11th January 2008

Zebedeee

JonBoy68 wrote: »

Hello - I've just been visiting around this website and wow what a fantastic site to help ensure your never paying over the odds!

I've looked at the Council Tax banding and I'm banded one higher than my joining neighbour ie they pay a band C and I pay a band D.

We are semi-detached to this property with identical layouts and boundaries. Unfortunatly I don't know how much the neighbour paid for their property so i can't work out the value in 1991.

I have checked my valuation as of 1991 and the current band is correct.

Do you think it is worth me appealing to the council for a reassessment?

Your comments would be greatfully recieved.

Thanks

JonBoy68, although it is tempting to rush straight in and ask for a reassessment, it would be a good idea to get a few facts on your side first. Bear in mind that it is quite possible that the VOA could put your neighbours up to band D instead of moving yours down to C, a result which may not make you popular. Can you compare your house with other simillar houses in the area? You will need more than the one comparison as your evidence. If you cannot find any identical properties in your street look at others in the neighbourhood and simillar areas.

You can also go to the library and look through property pages of the local newspaper from 1991 to find evidence of sales prices. The better armed you are with supporting evidence the better the chance that the VOA will not simply put you off, or worse still, increase the neighbours band. You will soon be able to see if you have a case or not. If you can convice yourself that you have a good case, go for it!

Hope that helps!

Zebedeee

CSL_2

Dear Jonboy68,

Zebedee is quite right. I am yet to get the VOA to change my Banding and therefore in limbo on this venture.

Zebedee`s comments make very good sense and you should follow his guidance as he is far more familar with the VOA minefield pitfalls, than I am.

Good luck!!!!

http://journals.aol.co.uk/clivesteuk

www.VOA instructions



CSL
Friday 11th January 2008