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

Motty_2

Does the voa website seem to be down today

Richard

halloweenqueen_2

Maybe becasue Martin was on BBC news this morning!

Stu666

halloweenqueen wrote:

Maybe becasue Martin was on BBC news this morning!

Yes and with the ITV program tomorrow night coming up it does look like the VOA website is in for a barrage of visitors. I wuld suggest they have reached bandwidth capacity and simply cannot cope, or they are anticipating the deluge.

Maisie

halloweenqueen wrote:

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.

Hi Halloweenqueen.
I wondered if you got your refund and rebanding. Will you be on the programme on Friday?

I know we were conversing on my original post from Aug 2005 (now closed) which started this council tax discussion and led to Martin's programme.

So many have seen my original thread and subsequent articles by Martin and have had healthy rebates and rebanding.

I see JulieR is on the success stories too. She posted on the original thread.

The TV programme on Friday should be interesting.

Keep appealing at https://www.voa.gov.uk .

Maisie . (original poster)

Hitesh_2

Hi,
I bought a house 2 yrs ago. My banding increased from Band E to Band F. I checked other houses on my road of similar size and construction and I found I was the only person in Band F.

I appealed the banding and went to Tribunal. The evidence the VOA submitted was very limited and there were arguments from these which could support my case. I attended my hearing and presented my case however I lost the appeal due to lack of evidence. I explained that I do not have access to 1991 sales data and that is all they are interested in.

Is there anything more I can do. I know I have the option of going to a higher court but that would cost me money and I am not sure if they would see things differently.

Can anyone advise me if there is anything I can do?

Thanks

Hitesh

Hitesh_2

Hi,
I bought a house 2 yrs ago. My banding increased from Band E to Band F. I checked other houses on my road of similar size and construction and I found I was the only person in Band F.

I appealed the banding and went to Tribunal. The evidence the VOA submitted was very limited and there were arguments from these which could support my case. I attended my hearing and presented my case however I lost the appeal due to lack of evidence. I explained that I do not have access to 1991 sales data and that is all they are interested in.

Is there anything more I can do. I know I have the option of going to a higher court but that would cost me money and I am not sure if they would see things differently.

Can anyone advise me if there is anything I can do?

Thanks

Hitesh

sans_2

Hi there,

I have checked on the saa? website and it band most people in the same street as E (a few Ds and only one F). I'm pretty sure I am paying band F charges.

Does this mean I should be able to claim as most people are banded E or does this mean most of my neighbours will be in teh same boat where they are likely to be charged band F too?

Hope someone can help.

Thanks

book_lover

Many thanks all.

Does anyone know a way of gaining access to house sale prices in the area, in 1991?

book_lover

sans, I will also be interested in replies to your post. I am terrified that my inquiries may lead to a friend who lives possibly half a mile away (but we are rural) being upgraded to F. She is on the same band as us but has a much larger home now due to a big extension.... maybe they haven't caught up with her yet, or maybe we should be on the band lower.... actually I will phone her.

Motty_2

book_lover wrote:

Many thanks all.

Does anyone know a way of gaining access to house sale prices in the area, in 1991?

You are going to have to go to the local library and ask to look at their archive of the local paper from 1991. The estate agent adverts will give you a guide as to what the houses like yours were selling for back then.

I do not think there is an easier way

Good luck

Richard