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

Zebedeee

SUGARSPICE wrote: »

Thank you Zebedee

1.So do I go to the Library for this & see what the prices were back in 1991? Yes, that is what I did. The newspaper archives will probably be in microfiche format. The librarians should be able to help you find what you want.How else would I find this out if they didnt have the information? That is a good question. The VOA often hold the pricing information (but not always) and should give it to you if you ask. I found they would only give me information on a maximum of 10 properties, so be careful what you ask for!

2.Do you mean that if they werent built after 1991 then it cant be done? Not quite sure what you mean here. When were your flats built?

3.Do you think the letter is to try to put me off?Almost certainly yes. They would much rather put you off than have to re-adjust your band. They are bound to tell you that you are in the right band, you can't win a tribunal, etc., etc. Don't be put off. There are plenty of us on here who have been through all of this and won.

4.When & if I find out that we should be in Band B do I write a letter explaining my evidence? Yes. Set your evidence out in detail. You never know, you may get a listing officer who sees the sense in your case and helpfully changes your band. You may have to take it further. A word of warning tho' - if the evidence really does show you are in the right band don't fight for the sake of it. Be glad you are in the right band and get on with the rest of your life.

Much Appreciated,Thank you.

I hope that helps!

Zebedeee

JanetS_3

Vivatifiosi,

Many thanks for your reply, frustration is an understatement, this had been going on for 7 months or more but I gave up in the end, especially when my MP said "he could do no more". I may even have binned the paperwork, although I will look for it tonight. As it happens, someone HAS just moved in and I grabbed her this morning to say, that she must challenge the council tax banding and that I would speak with her tonight.

How would I go about putting in a "Freedom of Information" request with the VOA? All they would tell me at the time they refused, was that they had "evidence" to state that these houses were above the threshold but wouldnt disclose it to me - something to do with the "data protection act".

Yes I did have some fun giving them the run around and I think they know that these houses should be in the lower banding, but it means that they would have to pay out thousands as there are 10 houses and most of the occupants have been in those houses for 6 or more years.... need I say more.... but yes I will resurrect this with the new neighbour.

Look forward to hearing how i request the freedom of information.

Thanks very much will let you know how i get on!

Janet

JanetS_3

Vivatifiosi,

Many thanks for your reply, frustration is an understatement, this had been going on for 7 months or more but I gave up in the end, especially when my MP said "he could do no more". I may even have binned the paperwork, although I will look for it tonight. As it happens, someone HAS just moved in and I grabbed her this morning to say, that she must challenge the council tax banding and that I would speak with her tonight.

How would I go about putting in a "Freedom of Information" request with the VOA? All they would tell me at the time they refused, was that they had "evidence" to state that these houses were above the threshold but wouldnt disclose it to me - something to do with the "data protection act".

Yes I did have some fun giving them the run around and I think they know that these houses should be in the lower banding, but it means that they would have to pay out thousands as there are 10 houses and most of the occupants have been in those houses for 6 or more years.... need I say more.... but yes I will resurrect this with the new neighbour.

Look forward to hearing how i request the freedom of information.

Thanks very much will let you know how i get on!

Janet

vivatifosi

Hi Janet,

Good news re the neighbour!

Regarding the FOI request, I'd write to them, reiterate your evidence and ask them for details as to why your house is differently banded under the Freedom of Information Act. They may say to you that they are unable to release prices for individual houses prior to 2000 as this is a breach of the rules. If they do this, then:

1. Mention that you are aware of the Information Commissioner's ruling that they are able to write to the current/previous occupant of the house that yours is benchmarked against and ask for their permission to give you the price.
2. If the previous residents won't reveal the info/can't be traced, tell them you would like access to the more general background information without actual addresses on the details (in other words establish the size, age and locality of the benchmarked property and price if not the actual addresses).

Good luck!

JanetS_3

Vivatifosi

many thanks for the information, I will do this and let you know how I get on!

Cheers

Janet

HelenaP

I've just followed the process a month or so after my neighbour did the same. We have identical houses, built at the same time. My neighbour got downgraded a band, but they came back and said ours was correct. What on earth is going on? I'd understand if theirs hadn't been reviewed recently and hence might be wrong but it was reviewed only a month or so ago!! How is it possible? What can I do? It's not fair!!

vivatifosi

Hi HelenaP,

A similar thing happened where I live. Even though my neighbours houses are the same, some got downgraded but most didn't.

When were the houses built? If the houses were built after CT was introduced then it is likely that your initial sale price for your house was slightly higher than that of your neighbour. If it is newer, get together with your neighbours who have lived there a while and pull together all the information you can get on the original sales prices of the houses and any incentives built. One argument that we've used successfully where I live is that although the houses in some cases cost £2k more, that's because a £2k furniture package was included. The VOA would not have received this info at the time of the initial sale so would just see one house as more expensive. If your neighbours don't have this, then there is generally a lot of sales info in the local papers from the time.

If your house was built prior to 1991 then it may be based on sales prices at or around the time and your neighbour's house selling for slightly less.

As per my advice to Janet, rather than taking the VOA at its word, I'd go back to them and ask them - using the Freedom of Information Act - to substantiate the difference between the properties. If you haven't done so already, make sure you send them plenty of photos showing how similar your house is etc.

Good luck!

HelenaP

Thanks for replying. Nearly all of the houses in my street which were the higher band have ALL been downgraded in the last 6 months so it isn't just my immediate neighbour - which makes it more confusing! I'm hoping to try and find evidence of the original price of the house as comparing the prices in the last 2-3 years they fluctuate so much at the moment so while the VOA may have picked one of the higher price sales to go on, I could equally pick a lower one! Any idea where you can find the original price of the house?

Thready

Hi

I wonder if one of you clever souls can advise me.

I've just been checking my council tax banding and am pretty sure I have been in the wrong band.

I bought my house in Feb 1989 for 46k and house prices actually dropped, making ,my house worth 41k in 1991 so that would make my property a band B, but I have been charged as band C.

BUT and here's the tough part, I moved in December and am no longer in the same local authority area, could I still claim even though I am no longer the householder?

HelenaP

No I don't believe you can claim now you have moved. However, I understand from a friend of mine that if the now occupants make a claim and get the band dropped you should get a rebate. So talk nicely to whoever moved in!