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

Zebedeee

DavidD wrote: »

Not sure if this is the right way to post a query, first timer.
Believe that my council tax band is too high original purchase to 1991 comparative valuation. If a request to re-band made, does the re-banding value still relate to 1991 or current market?
Help please.

Hi David. The re-banding value relates to what your house was worth in 1991. That means that if you have extended it since then the added value caused by an extension cannot be taken into account. However, if it were owned by someone else who extended the property and then sold it to you the band my have been put up by the VOA on sale of the property. You would be able to tell by looking on the VOA website.

The house price indices are rather inaccurate and won't be taken seriously by the VOA. What you need to do is research the prices that properties like yours in your area actually sold for in 1991. It's helpful to go to your local library and look at the property pages of the local newspaper that they likely keep on microfiche. That will give you a good idea of how yours compares.

Once you've done that, if you still think you might have a case, come back on here and we'll all be pleased to help.

Zebedeee

lincroft1710

Shak - your father would have been paying Non Domestic Rates rather than CT. It is probable that a previous occupier was running some sort of business in the building. Up to Apr 1990 rates were paid on all domestic and commercial property. After that date rates were only payable on non domestic (or commercial) property.

What is unusual is that there was a separate bill for the garage/store between 1985 and 1990. Usually if a house and business premises were on adjoining pieces of land and occupied by same person, there would be one bill for both.

Also usually every time there was a NDR revaluation, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005, a form should have been sent asking for details of building, what rent (if any) paid, what building used for. If he had received one of these forms your father could have contacted VOA and told them it was just used as private garage.

Again unfortunately although VOA are responsible for maintaining Rating List, they are not required to "police" and usually onus is on local council to inform them if there is a change to a property.

The council will no doubt state that they are obliged to charge non domestic rates on a property in NDR list and any refund could only be paid of overpayment since the effective date of deletion from list. And this could not be before start of the NDR list in force at time which would be 1 Apr 2000, and may only be from start of financial year in which VOA were notified.

If I am wrong in any of above hopefully CIS a fellow poster will correct me.

titosacchi

Can anyone help? I have read Martin's article and I found out that I don't pass the valuation check. On the other hand I might pass the neighbors check ( and in this case have a moderate case for rebanding) but I am unclear on this one. I live in a block of 24 flats and they are all largely very similar size (although some have been renovated better than others). Most of the flast are band E (including mine) except 3 flats which have been rebanded in 1993/1994 to band D. I know the flats in question and there is no real difference between these and the other ones in band E. Do I pass the neighbour check and have a moderate case, or not? Thanks.

ZINXYX

Hi,
Could someone please help me out here?
My sis moved into a flat with her friend last November.Her friend refused to pay any council tax and travelled abroad for good last week. She's been left with a massive bill of £440 plus £57 costs and summoned to appear on 1st April. She simply cannot afford to pay all of it in a go.
Could some one please offer some suggestions as to sort this out?
Thanks

lincroft1710

titosacchi - what exactly are the differences between your flat and the Band D flats.

CIS

Zinxyx - see the reply on your other thread.

titosacchi

lincroft1710 wrote: »

titosacchi - what exactly are the differences between your flat and the Band D flats.

Thanks for your reply. Only fittings and decoration. Obviously everyone has decorated the flat to their taste. Bu no difference in layout or size.

Thanks

lincroft1710

titosacchi - just phone VOA and ask why these flats are D and yours and rest of neighbours are still E. It could be that the occupiers of these flats made successful appeals but VOA neglected to amend bands on rest of block. This frequently happened in early days of Council Tax where the priority was to deal with outstanding appeals, rather than check bands of neighbouring properties.

mttylad

Does the number of bedroom matter in rebanding requests?

Next door (terrace) has the same type of house, except they have 3 bedrooms we have 4.

But 2 of each are attic bedrooms that are not to building standards so the house was not sold as a 4 bedroom house, it was 2 with attic rooms. (in 2007).

I am in band B yet most of the rest of the terrace have been rebanded into band A in about 1993/4

Also what does a "bedroom" have to be like?
Does it need to have a bed in?
Am I able to use the attic rooms as a computer/games room instead? making it a 3 bedroom house.

cestlavie

hi, just found out about this. wld be grateful for advice - my parents bought their house 10-12yrs ago. it was 1 of 4 new house builds in what was obviously someone's large garden. i have just discovered they are on highest band, but all the other houses in their close - of the same size are in lower. is it worth challenging?