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

jonmimir

Hi all
Don't know if someone's already posted this (sorry if it's old news) but I just successfully paid my latest council tax bill with my Egg card, getting 1% cash back. (They wouldn't take my Amex, grrr!) As my Council tax bill is nearly £2 grand a year, clawing £20 back is at least a small comfort :-)
Cheers!
Jon

lincroft1710

Zebedee - No it is NOT an error, the houses which sell for £68,000 or under point to C, those over £68,000 point to D. There are millions of houses in the country where there is no direct 91 evidence, and I was referring to evidence of similar houses which were nearest in size, type and location, not identical houses. You could find 3 sales which said Band C and 4 which said D, thus on majority it is a D, but another valuer's opinion may be that as there is no evidence of sale of identical house, give "benefit of doubt" and thus it would be a C.

Valuations for CT are opinions based on facts about houses to be valued and relative 1991 sales evidence.

pampam

Hi
I have just sorted out my brothers council tax band.
He lives in the Calderdale council area.
His band has been reduced from C to B.
Got a letter changing the band for 07-08 & 08-09.
No mention of previous years.
He moved into the property in October 2003.
Should I ask for a refund from 2003?
Thanks
pam

lincroft1710

pampam - usually council either adjust outstanding payments to cover overpayment or send refund cheque, depends on amount to be repaid. They should know he's been paying since 2003 but it wouldn't hurt just to check with them what is going on. HOWEVER if the band reduction is due to a "material reduction" then this would only be backdated to when the material reduction occurred.

pampam

Thanks for your reply.
I will give them a ring in the morning.
Cheers
pam

Mickeygriffin

darich wrote: »

Does anyone know how to get around the 6month ruling that they use to decline a reassessment/rebanding?
I've written to the Assessor (I'm in Scotland) and he's declined it, we went to appeal and they declined it on the strength of his case that my claim was invalid because it was more than 6months after i moved into the property.

How do i get them to reband me if that's the stance they've taken?
I've provided evidence of 7 other identical houses within 250m and they're all band D (I'm E)

Any thoughts anyone?

I'm in the same predicament with lanarkshire. At appeals stage but they say appeal only heard on 6 months ruling and I've been in house 3 years. I know that other councils have not mentioned the 6 month ruling when asked for rebanding, so although it is in the council rules in Scotland not all adhere to that (Glasgow has rebanded people I know)

Unfortunately like yourself I'm struggling to find a way round this if they are insisting on the ruling.

Have you got anywhere since your posting?

lincroft1710

Mickey - as you've been in house longer than 6 months you cannot make a valid appeal. EXCEPT when there has been a material reduction, which is a physical change in the locality (e.g. motorway at bottom of garden, 24 hr petrol station next door, but NOT your neighbour parking his touring caravan on his front lawn) which occurred after 1 Apr 93, or if your house built at later date, after this date, which would reduce value of house. In this case you can appeal at any time.

If the above does not apply you can only ask assessor to review band and give reasons why you think you are incorrectly banded.

Please update us with any progress.

System

Hello

I have just bought a new flat and the banding is a staggering E. There are some properties which have recently sold of a similar quality (but older) for more money - but are Band D - have a leg to stand on?

Zebedeee

Hi HertsSaver. I'd say you've certainly got reason to put some work into building a case. You'll need to weigh up where the balance lies. Would these older flats be worth roughly the same as yours? If yours is brand new it is likely that you would have paid a premium for the 'extras' you get with a new property - eg. new fitted kitchen, carpets, etc. These can boost the selling price but don't intrinsically increase the value.

As you have just bought this flat now is the time to act, as once you have owned it for more than six months it gets much more difficult to make the VOA reassess your band.

Have a good read through this forum - there is tonnes of great advice. See what you can find out and don't hesitate to come back on here for more advice if you need it. One or other of us will be able to help with, I'm sure.

lincroft1710

HertsSaver - I am assuming you live in Hertfordshire, in VOA we did have problems with new "apartment" blocks in Herts. In early 2000s, many new blocks being built with apartments being priced way, way above similar size flats of 60s/70s/80s which were also for sale. We did reduce some apartment block bands, not all, as they didn't all justify reduction. However, as yours is new and it would have depended in which part of Herts situated, I would not have been responsible for its band.

Have a look at what similar size flats sold for around time of your purchase, especially those built within last 10 yrs and compare the CT bands. With more info I might be able to suggest why the older, more expensive flats are in a lower band. In any case if you are within 6 month time limit do put in an appeal.