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

greeninferno

I have searched the thread for other instances of people appealing in Fife but there doesn't seem to be many successes.

My house is the only one in the whole postcode in Band C rest are either B or A.

Going by the predicted 1991 value should be borderline B/A.

On the face of it should have a case however, Scottish Assessor's website claim appeals have to be made within 6 months of moving in and i have been here 7 years - only just found out this year about this whole system through this site.

Any advice on what to do next ?

lincroft1710

Greeninferno - providing your house is same as those in Band A/B just write to Assessor and ask for reduction to Band A quoting the fact other houses in lower bands. You may only get reduction to Band B and even that is not guaranteed, house price indices are notoriously inaccurate. If Assessor believes your band is in fact correct then I'm afraid that is the end of the matter.

greeninferno

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Greeninferno - providing your house is same as those in Band A/B just write to Assessor and ask for reduction to Band A quoting the fact other houses in lower bands. You may only get reduction to Band B and even that is not guaranteed, house price indices are notoriously inaccurate. If Assessor believes your band is in fact correct then I'm afraid that is the end of the matter.

Thanks for your reply.

It was more the fact that it states on their application for rebanding that you only have 6 months from moving in to make the claim & i have been in the house 7 years.

The application is basically stating my application will fail. Who do i then turn to for that decision to be looked at ?

lincroft1710

You do not make a formal application (called a proposal), just send a letter as indicated in my previous post. Assessor has duty to get CT bands correct so he should investigate your claim.

Had you been able to make a proposal you would have had a right of appeal to a Tribunal, as you cannot make a proposal you have no right of appeal to a Tribunal and the Assessor has the last word.

greeninferno

lincroft1710 wrote: »

You do not make a formal application (called a proposal), just send a letter as indicated in my previous post. Assessor has duty to get CT bands correct so he should investigate your claim.

Had you been able to make a proposal you would have had a right of appeal to a Tribunal, as you cannot make a proposal you have no right of appeal to a Tribunal and the Assessor has the last word.

Thank you for your help once again.

I will send a letter and see what happens.

TheHammer_3

Apologies if this as been asked before, is there a maximum limit on the number of years a council can refund sigle persons discount? my brother was advised to and claimed for the entire duration of his occupancy, '94 todate. The council wanted more proof, which was provided by the housing association in the form of the tennancy agreement and a letter of confirmation from the rent officer. This was claimed in June '09, despite numerous phone calls and emails they have not responded in writing and i have just found out that they have only refunded the last 2yrs.

djewson

Hi,
I have only just found out about this ability to possibly have your band assessed etc.
We are living in rented accomodation and have been here just over 6 months
The house is a 3 bedroom, 3 storey inner town house, we were shocked to find that upon moving in the house is actually in band D
We moved from a 2 bedroom appartment which was a B, expecting this to be probably a C.
I have checked the bands around us for our street and we are ALL band D even though there are 4 detatched houses, 2 semis and 7 terraced properties.
This can't be correct surely ?
We are paying the same as the big detached with the double garage on our road.
The estate we live on was only built in 2001, I have checked the other streets on our estate with similar houses on each road and lo and behold we are all in band D regardless of size, type of house and value too.
The current value of our house is around £170,000
the last detatched on our road sold for over £240,000
can anyone advise whether I should pursue this further ?
Thank you....... Dean

lincroft1710

Depending on where you are, D would bethe norm for a 3 bed, 3 storey I/T town house. As the properties are 8 yrs old, it is quite possible that the band has been queried previously. I'm ex VOA and it was very, very unusual not to have an appeal on at least one of these house types on every single new development since late 90s in our area.

Although you are over 6 month time limit, you can still query band. But if VOA say band is correct then that's the end of the matter.

raphanius

posted this on the success board by mistake so i'm moving it onto this more appropriate board.

a seriously disturbing development has arisen re our rebanding. whilst being lowered to band a from band b without quibble we have today reveived a wad of sheets from our council concerning council benefits we have claimed. i have yet to check this info is wholly accurate against my own records but in short it means we owe the council over £1000 - money which we do not have.

now before i panic and ring the council, should i still expect a cheque for the remaining monies owed to us (we are going back to 1993) or is this it...another debt to add to a sackload of them we already have.

has anyone else had a similar experience?

lincroft1710

Raphanius - ring the council, ask to speak to a senior revenue officer. and (politely) ask what is going on. In any case you would only personally get a refund on any money you yourself have overpaid.