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

soozig

I've got my local Scottish assessor coming to my home tomorrow as after a quick call to him about my council tax banding he got back to me saying he was not entirely convinced that my banding is correct, but would have to have a look at my property before making a decision!!! Wow not even a form to fill in

I'm banded as C at the moment though my property sold at valued price of £32K in 1992 - £3k less than the £35K needed for a C band.

Any ideas of why he needs to see my home?

soozig

book_lover wrote:

Having followed all the steps on the article page, I discovered that to fall into band E (which we are in) our house should have been worth £88k - £120k in 1991. However, I am aware that in 1996 or so it was bought for £74k and as it had been sitting empty since 1991, was unlikely to have been worth any more then. It was in a terrible state of repair. It has been made livable but nothing much more than that - kitchen very basic (home made!) and bathroom not changed - from the 50s!

This suggests we should be in Band D. However, the article also prompts comparison with similar neighbours. Unfortunately this is hard as we're in a farmhouse and neighbours are an unconverted (as yet) steading, some new builds at bottom of track (Band F) and various farmhouses and cottages dotted about, which vary from band C (for a tiny one) to band G (for quite a grand one). Similar to ours are farmhouses which are either E or D..... but we don't live on a street with identical neighbours so this seems ambiguous.


I tried to call the number provided through link on the article and got the wrong person (Valuator rather than Assessor). He said he had worked with them for a few weeks and is fairly sure that they will say that as we are well outwith the 6 months, it's a no-go (he thinks this was their common line when he worked for them).

So, I plan to phone them in the morning BUT the Scottish Assessors webpage (http://www.saa.gov.uk/valuationappeals.html then click on "More" at the bottom) says the following:

Error
Section 3(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975 provides that an appeal may be made at any time on the grounds "that there is such an error in the entry as is referred to in Section 2(1)(f)" of the Act.

Section 2(1)(f) provides;
". . . the assessor for any valuation area shall, as respects that area, at any time while the valuation roll is in force, alter the roll to correct any error of measurement, survey or classification or any clerical or arithmetical error in any entry therein;"

So presumably if there is resistence, I could quote this to them? My husband thinks this means anytime OUTWITH the 6 months (rather than within it, which is meaningless).

Do you think we have a case?

Many thanks in advance

(we're in Scotland btw)

I am in a similar position - my flat is the only one like it in my street/area as it has an attic conversion so is on two floors. I was umming and aahing about calling them for ages, at the end of the day what is there too loose?
I'd say give your local assessor a call - you can get the phone number from your local council tax office.

Altarf

book_lover wrote:

thanks Altarf that helps. However the price calculator working backwards comes up with the same figure - well, 72k for 1991. Where do I go from here? Do I bother?

Do you bother - Well unless you think that it is going to go up a band, what have you got to lose? Heads you win, tails things stay the same.

I was outside the 6 months by about 6 years, but in England (again I don't know about Scotland) you can appeal " If there have been physical changes in your area which could affect the value of your property."
http://www.voa.gov.uk/council_tax/can_i_appeal.htm
Working on the 'they can only say no' principal I included that I was appealing because of a some development in the area.

In your case I would appeal based on the sale price in 1996 based on the lack of modernisation not repair (but I would check that this was true before using it in my case) and that there are similar properties in the nearby area that are band D (giving specific examples). If you can get any evidence of 1991 sale prices of properties in the area, do so, as it is hard for the VOA to argue facts. In your appeal ignore the band Es, but be aware of them and have reasons why they are different to yours (even just that their band is also wrong) if the VOA try to use them in their argument.

They will probably reject your appeal straight away and send you a letter asking you to sign and return that you agree with them. If they do, do not fill it in (I had several of these during my case). Contact them and tell them that you are happy for it to go to tribunal. Despite what you might think, the discussion with the VOA continues until the tribunal date (and you can postpone that if you want) as the VOA want to resolve things before it gets to tribunal.

Apart from your time, what do you have to lose?

snoopstah

Any opinions on this one? My (rented) house was built in 2002, and at that time was bought (new) for £149,950 - converting that to 1991 values puts the equivalent price at £80289, which is slap bang in the middle of band 'D' - and indeed, I am in band D now.

However, next door's house, which is identical in every way to mine (and sold for the same price new) sold in June 2006 for £170,000 - which in 1991 values is only worth £57086, well into band C.

Mine and my neighbours house are pretty much the smallest in the estate - we're the only two houses listed as being band D, all the other houses are higher. Is it likely that I would get downgraded to band C on this evidence, or is a single house sale not enough to go on?

Altarf

The historic price calculators are a guide, and a pretty crude one at that, as they do not take into acount local factors. If your sole argument that your (and your neighbours) band is wrong is a historic price calculator that only gives the 'right' answer for one of you, well I wouldn't hold my breath.

A historic price calculator is a starting point, but if you want a convincing argument I would get some real facts. What price did houses actually sell for in your area in 1991.

Motty_2

heinz57 wrote:

Hi All,


However, according to the Nationwide calculator house prices would have been around 100k in 1991, comfortably within Band E.

Based on this could I assume that all these houses were retrospectively over valued in 1997, and does anyone think there is a case to try and get my house re-classified?

Thanks for everyones help in advance?

The Halifax and Nationwide house price calculators are a guide only. Our house came up as 103000 on Halifax, 89000 on Nationwide. I searched the local paper archives in the library and the actual value would have been about 115000

Hope this helps

Richard

divadee

Just thought I would let people know there is a news piece on ITV analogue teletext page 317 (it might move so check the main news index page 301) about Martins new campaign for council tax bands and refunds.

Had the address of the website as well, which was great!!!!

Just been looking on the analogue bbc1 news pages, and there is also a piece on there on page 116 (but check the news index on page 102 incase they move it)

again they list the web address, so we get bigger figures than usual today!!!


also a piece online http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6296849.stm

dalumsden1

Damn. I was just going to see if I could get my parents lots of money off their council tax and cashback but they are Band A. Now I'm afraid someone in the street may not research properly and get our band increased. Goodness me.

halloweenqueen_2

I have already received about £1500 tax back as I was banded higher than my neighbours. Really pleased about that. Out of interest I used the calculators and that gave my house value in 1991 at £7000 more than i paid for it in 1997.

tallpaul

DOH!

I have just moved out of my house of 6 years and Im sure I was paying a higher band, if only I had seen this thread a couple of months ago, the potential rebate I would have had from there would have at least paid towards my move.

Oh well, my new house is a band D but most of my street are band c. Ive sent off my claim, crossing my fingers.