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

CIS

I was lead to believe that bands were supposed to be calculated from what they would have been in 1991 , or does this not apply in this case because they were built in 2000? Does this mean that a house built in 2010 is banded at 2010 prices, or has my estate been banded incorrectly?

The price used is that it would be estimated to have been worth on 1 Apr 1991.

tracerfire

Thats what I thought CIS. Therefore all the houses I have checked are in the wrong band as they look to be based on 2000 prices!
I just saw this on the VOA website:

The current council tax bands in England came into effect on 1 April 1993. There are no current plans to carry out a council tax revaluation in England and Wales.

And this:

The VOA values a home on the basis of its value at 1 April 1991. Even new homes are valued on the basis of what they would have been worth in 1991.

lincroft1710

tracerfire - although in my area (I'm ex VOA) 2000 prices were higher than 1991, this is not the same for all areas. So on this basis the bands may be correct.

However it wouldn't hurt to query your band with the VOA as it may be incorrect.

Leona1295

Hello all,

My boyfriend and I are starting a tenancy on a rented flat this weekend. We will be renting with a student so we we will be liable for the whole council tax bill. The flat is a 2 bed and very well decorated.

We assumed it would be band B but it is band C and I think this is exessive (The house we rent now is a 4 bed semi-detached property 5 min drive down the road and that is band D!)

I have used the article on this site and I have checked the other flats in our block. They also come up as band C except for 1 which is band B (I am going to do some snooping when we move in to see why!). I then used the house price calculator to try and work out the value of our flat in 1991 and it is right in the middle of the band B range. I used the Nethouseprices link to search for a recent valuation and I found the sale price of a flat in our block from July 2009 so I think I have managed to get as accurate a calculation as I can from the house price calculator but I know this is still only an estimate.

Is this enough evidence for me to try and ask for a change in banding or will I need more than this? Can I challenge it or will I need to get my landlord to do it?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Leona

lincroft1710

Leona - if Band B flat same as yours it has either been reduced or in wrong band. If block built pre 1992 VOA may well have some 1991 sale prices. Also look at bands of other similar size/type flats in other blocks in the vicinity. As occupiers you are responsible for CT and therefore are the ones who should appeal the band.

littletiger82

Hi all,

I've just bought a new build 2 bed maisonette through Sentinels part-rent part buy scheme. The VOA have finally banded it at a C, which I personally think is excessive, particularly given my ex's 3 bed end of terrace house in the same town is a B!

There are maisonettes across the road from me with the same floor plan which are also a C, however they sold privately on the open market for £40k more than mine.

I was under the impression banding was based on value rather than floor area? I've done the back calculation for the 1991 value and it puts me right towards the bottom of band B.

Is it worth me challenging?

Thanks

lincroft1710

Although CT bands are based on value, one of the most important factors that influences value is the size of the dwelling. The house price calculators are inaccurate and comparisons with dissimilar properties aren't helpful. If the maisonettes opposite are exactly the same as yours does the £40K price difference reflect the fact you're on a part rent/part buy scheme. If so you need to base any hpc on what the selling price would be if there were no rental element.

It is up to you, try and find other similar size maisonettes in the area and check their bands. If you challenge band and it's correct nothing lost, if you don't challenge band and it is in fact incorrect.........

Southpaw18

Hi All,

Ive read the posts and I am a bit confused at my situation.

I pay 1440 a year (by DD, i presume there is no extra charge for DD) and according to the VOA I am in a band B house, surrounded by other B's and a few C's (2 /3/4 bedroom houses, mine is a two) and ive looked at my councils website and it says that Band B for 09/10 should be 1197 a year. Up my street gives me a similar figure to this.

I wasnt going to contest firstly, as im in a band B and surrounded by some C's and thought id be silly to try but it appears im paying near the same as a band D would, and have done for a while.

Is there any chance that one of these sites is out of date? Do i get charged for DD payments?

If DD is charged then surely this isnt right? I mean they offer you ways to pay if your struggling and any DD extra charges would be like insurance tax or something, so im very confused.

Anyone shed any light on this? ive been paying this for a long time and if im paying too much id love to try and get a refund.

Thanks alot.

lincroft1710

Southpaw - with most councils you only make ten monthly payments per year so if you're paying just under £120 each month then multiply this by 10 and this will give you £1197. There are usually no payments made in Feb or Mar.

There is no charge for DD, it is most councils' preferred method of payment.

elmer

Southpaw18 are you in Scotland as water and sewerage charges are paid on top of your Council tax in Scotland and they are usually a few hunded a year extra.

Elmer