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

Zebedeee

SaverSarah wrote: »

And because our house wasn't actually built in 1991 I just don't know if there's much chance of a result...

Any advice appreciated.

See my post #1979

Hope that helps!

Zebedeee

ZOE

ZOE wrote: »

HELLO THERE,
My house is a band B, all other domestic properties in the steet are also band B.
My house is one in the middle of a row of four (terraced) the rest of the properties are all semi's. They are ex council properties built pre 1928.

I have checked council tax banding and local house prices. and thought that it wasn't worth doing.
Then my friend has said it should be classed as band A since it wasn't worth 40,000 in 1991. In 1996 I paid 38,950 does this mean I should always have been a band A??

I'VE PROPERLY LOOKED INTO IT NOW.
STUPIDLY I DIDN'T THINK THAT MY HOUSE PRICE COULD HAVE INCREASED GOING INTO THE PAST. (FROM 1996-1991) LOOKS LIKE WE'RE AT THE LOWER END OF BAND B. THE CALCULATOR GAVE £42,287 FOR 1991.

USING THE NATIONWIDE CALCULATOR GAVE SLIGHTLY CONFUSING RESULTS WE COULD AT A PUSH BE BAND A. BUT USING OLDEST DATA AVAILABLE WE ARE DEFFO BAND B ALONG WITH REST OF STREET. IT'S STRAIGHT FORWARD TO CHECK. BUT DON'T THINK I'LL PURSUE THIS.
THANKS MARTIN FOR ALL BRILLIANT MONEY SAVING ADVICE

DrGUID

I'm about to try this - I've moved into a new build 2 bed flat (Band C) but all the others in the same block are Band B!

Strangely, my landlord paid £220,000 for the flat I'm in, but all the others were around £175,000 (except for one which was only £144,000). What's going on here? Are the developer and my landlord's property management company operating some sort of scam, or did he just pay stupidly over the odds? It could be a problem as the inflated value makes it more difficult for me to get a revaluation (but I'll give it a go anyway).

littlepockets

Hi
Does anybody know how to go about finding a specific tribunal decision that I can quote in an appeal. I'm in an area that has been impacted by increased development of a local football ground. It would help if I can quote the case number that had this as a reason for appeal.
Thanks!


Okay - found the answer to my own question
Go to the Tribunal website and enter text search
http://info.valuation-tribunals.gov.uk

catherine79_2

Hi I'm a bit new to this - can you help?!

I've worked out we should be Band B but all our neighbours are Band C - is it still worth challenging?
Also, as we've not been there long we wouldn't get much of a rebate but could we challange our old property as well?

brightonbuoy

grace21 wrote: »

Hi-ya brightonbuoy,
Good to hear from you again.
Let me know the outcome.
Grace

Hi Grace,

The news is not too good. I had my first preliminary hearing in front of a judge today. Brighton Council fielded a team of 3 from a firm of barristers who tried very hard to have the case moved from the Small Claims to the Multi Track or Fast track which could involve me being liable to £12k+ of fees if I lose. they are trying to frighten me...and it's working!!!

Both the Judge and barristers said I needed legal advice to move forward. The Judge is pondering which Track to follow. If it changes Track, I will withdraw. if it stays on the small claims track I will probably continue without advice as I incur no further fees, but I would appreciate any cheap local legal contacts if there are any public minded lawyers perusing this site!!!

I think I have 21 days to decide, but the whole process was bewildering. I thought that the small claims court was for the layman?

I'll be in touch.

vivatifosi

Good luck brightonbuoy,

That's ridiculous. Surely the cost of those three for ten minutes will be more than the cost of the win if you succeed. Why can't it be heard in the Small Claims Court?
There's no way a bit of interest can be outside of its remit, surely. As you say they are trying to strong-arm you. And my understanding is that the Small Claims Court can't be seen as setting a precedent so what's the problem??

If you're forced to withdraw I would file a complaint to the VOA, and if you still don't have any luck go see your MP about taking them to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. I wasn't this bolshy before I started posting here, this Council Tax stuff plays with your mind!

vivatifosi

catherine79 wrote: »

Hi I'm a bit new to this - can you help?!

I've worked out we should be Band B but all our neighbours are Band C - is it still worth challenging?
Also, as we've not been there long we wouldn't get much of a rebate but could we challange our old property as well?

Catherine,

If all of your neighbours are band C it is much harder for you to win. Are there any other houses that are the same model, but not necessarily in the same street that are B? Is there anything different about your house that would make it worth less than those of your neighbours? Start with those ideas. You also need to look back in the local paper to see what was on the market early in 1991 and see if you can find houses the same or similar to yours. Whether or not its worth doing depends on how much time you have on your hands, as yours will be far from an easy case to make.

In terms of the previous property, only the new owners can appeal, but it may be worth having a word with them, as if they do achieve a rebanding and the "effective from" date is while you lived there, they you too should get a rebate.

vivatifosi

DrGUID wrote: »

I'm about to try this - I've moved into a new build 2 bed flat (Band C) but all the others in the same block are Band B!

Strangely, my landlord paid £220,000 for the flat I'm in, but all the others were around £175,000 (except for one which was only £144,000). What's going on here? Are the developer and my landlord's property management company operating some sort of scam, or did he just pay stupidly over the odds? It could be a problem as the inflated value makes it more difficult for me to get a revaluation (but I'll give it a go anyway).

Hi DrGUID,

Yours is not an easy question to answer. I don't think most of us here had even thought of the whole deposit question and showing a "false" value on the VOA website until that TV programme last week. However the flip side is that the developer could have sold all the other flats to their family and yours was the only one sold on the open market... Who knows! What do other new builds go for locally?

If you know that all of the flats are identical I'd actually contact the VOA and ask their opinion. You may or may not get anywhere, but they are certainly the best place to start as the numbers are so out of whack.

Zebedeee

Good grief, brightonbouy! They really are putting the frighteners on, aren't they? The legal system is ok for the rich and the lawyers (if they are not one and the same) but us ordinary folk have a hard time. I really hope you can win through on this, but don't get yourself into any trouble, monetary or otherwise. Vivatifosi is right - this Council Tax business really gets the millitant going in all of us.

All the very best,

Zebedeee