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

Mum_of_5_2

Hi

I've just been reading this and I moved into my house in 1990, I remember when they banded us as a D we thought we should be a C because in 1990, just 10 months previously we have paid £60,000 for our house. We are in a difficult position though as our street is a real mixed bag, so there are only 8 properties like mine, all banded a D. However as I do know exactly what i paid 10 months previous to the date i'm wondering about now arguing it out.

So... Does anyone know how I would get a valuation of how much my house would have increased in the 10 month period, maybe it would have gone over the 68,000? Also we have now extended so if they reasses would they do it on today's version of the house or do they have to look at the 1991 prices??

Any advice anyone

thanks

Zebedeee

Hi Mum of 5.

It does sound like you should be band C, based on what you have said. Unless something remarkable was happening with property prices around you at that time I would have thought the £60,000 price tag works very much in your favour. Can you find out if the other properties simillar to yours sold round about that time too, and at what prices? Try your local library for property newspaper archives dating back to 1990-1991 for back up. You can also look into neighbouring streets and simillar areas to yours for additional properties.

You can try the Nationwide house price calculator to give yourself a rough idea of house price increases at the time.

The valutation of your house has to be based on the size of your property back in 1991, so any subsequent extension cannot be taken into consideration.

Try the above and hopefully you will find yourself with lots more solid evidence to take your case forward.

Hope that helps!

Mum_of_5_2

Thanks for that. My problem is i can't compare, we were the only one bought around that time and there are only these 8 houses the same, we were told they were large enough to be detached but are actually semi's, they are original in what they are. I will check the nationwide calculator though and see if i can determine the price increase, i think 1990-1991 was one of the peak rises, but still i'll look. Thanks for all the info will let you all know how it goes.

M

Zebedeee

The houses in your comparison do not need to be the same as yours, just simillar ie. both 3 bed semis, simillar square footage, etc. Other than that, they needn't be the same style or age.

HTH!

Zebedeee

Mum_of_5_2

Okay i checked the nationwide site and it says the house devalued to 55,000 over the course of that year. i was thinking that i could look up other houses in my street which are the same and show a devaluation on them, then it would show that my street itself devalued.

The problem is there aren't other similar 3 bed semi's that's the problem. while yes there are other 3 bed semi's they won't have the same square footage, that's what we were told by estate agents.

Anyway thanks for your help, i think I have a good case so i'll keep the site updated.

admsroy

:mad:

MSE_Archna wrote: »

This thread is here to discuss the content of the article on Council Tax Cashback: reduce your band and save £1000s.

However if you have already followed the system, please use report them in the Council tax rebanding successes discussion.

Note from Martin: Thank you to all the contributers to the initial thread, which provided the genisis for the article. Much appreciated.

I first appealed against my Banding in January 2007 and since then at least 30 letters have been sent and received. I appealed several times , went to Tribunal--rejected, then my MP sent it to the Ombudsman--rejected, but I gave proof of maladministration of the LO and it is now back with the Ombudsman. Even though I gave Visual(Aerial) evidence and proof of my bungalow's low market value, I am having this hassle because the LO refuses to give me a personal visit which had been offered to my neighbour who was granted a reduction. I have continued to pay my Council Tax, but unless I get a personal visit, I will be paying a lower banding rate from April as a protest. I am 74 yrs old, but as I was involved with Rating valuation in the 1950's, I know that my Banding is wrong. I will not give up the fight.
Roy:mad:

CSL_2

admsroy wrote: »

:mad: I first appealed against my Banding in January 2007 and since then at least 30 letters have been sent and received. I appealed several times , went to Tribunal--rejected, then my MP sent it to the Ombudsman--rejected, but I gave proof of maladministration of the LO and it is now back with the Ombudsman. Even though I gave Visual(Aerial) evidence and proof of my bungalow's low market value, I am having this hassle because the LO refuses to give me a personal visit which had been offered to my neighbour who was granted a reduction. I have continued to pay my Council Tax, but unless I get a personal visit, I will be paying a lower banding rate from April as a protest. I am 74 yrs old, but as I was involved with Rating valuation in the 1950's, I know that my Banding is wrong. I will not give up the fight.
Roy:mad:

Dear admsroy,

Keep soldiering on. It will come right soon.

I expect that I will also have a long battle ahead.

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


CSL
6th February 2008

Doom_and_Gloom

I'm sure my BF is paying too much for council tax. I've checked the other flats in the place most being B's and C's with the 1 beds n studios being A's and the one he is in is a D and only one other is aswell. I am sure the flat next door is the EXACT same as the one he is in which is a band C so no idea what went on there. Do you think he is supposed to be in the band below like next door or am I going mad?

Marionk_2

We moved into our brand new house in Dec 93, have worked out the price for 1991 and think that we are being over charged but everybody on our estate is paying Band C, can you confirm this is correct even though our house wasn't built until 93. Also how can I re-check that my figures are correct before I contact the council. Any suggestions?

marcus79_2

right...soz i think im being as thick as 2 short planks.....
my house was worth in 1991 70k now it worth 155k.
when i phoned up the ppl that deal with my tax band they said it was all in correct order, so am i being stupid here or have i missed something.