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

lincroft1710

shapeshifter - see my (and others') very recent posts on this thread.

Lieutenant_Thrift

I've been living in my cost little four room house for nearly six months. It's Band C. It was the cheapest place to rent in the area when we looked last autumn, excluding studio flats.

Previously, I've lived in a three bedroom flat near a vibrant city centre that was also Band C and my parents' four bedroom house in a pleasant area is band D. They were careful to make sure they were in the right band in 1993.

For the reasons above, I can't believe I'm living in a Band C property. It'll be six months next week since we moved in and I'm thinking of writing to appeal on these grounds. The VOA website has never been available any time I've tried it. Will it be OK to appeal without checking it?

Thanks,

LT

lincroft1710

The VOA website has never been available any time I've tried it.

It's certainly available as I write this as I've just logged in to it

http://www.voa.gov.uk/

Don't forget that bottom of Band C value is around 60% of top of Band D. There are plenty of 2 bed houses in Band C.

Unless you use online or official paper appeal form, your letter must contain the words "I wish to appeal against my Council Tax band", give the date you first became occupier (which is either date tenancy began or date first physically occupied, whichever is earlier). Also you must indicate that you want a lower band, give correct postal address, state why you want a reduction (your examples are all that relevant as they are different dwelling types and not in the same area) and make sure it's obvious who letter is from.

If it contains all the above info your letter would be accepted as a formal appeal. The official form is much easier.

Lieutenant_Thrift

Yes, the VOA site is up for the first time that I've checked. I suppose you mean my examples are *not* all that relevant. I'll go with the "cheapest rent in the area that's not so tiny as to be ridiculous"

It's a one bedroom house and having checked, the other one bedroom houses in the vicinity are also Band C although it says they have been since 1993 and presumably no one has challenged it before.

I'm going to fill out the form online and just need good reasons. I just find it hard to believe it's Band C when it's one bedroom, inexpensive and very modest compared to the other properties nearby. A similar property in the street was listed as being sold for the lowest price in the area in 2006. Should I include this too?

Thanks,
LT

lincroft1710

Lt Thrift - yes I forgot "not". As the VOA will have (and use) actual 1991 sale prices, the rental argument isn't much help either, nor is the 2006 sale. But as you have nothing else to support your claim you will have to use these.

The CT bands of the other houses may have been challenged but unsuccessfully.

Again I have seen 1 bed houses in Band C.

shelovestobuystuff

Does anyone know why the local valuation board wants to inspect my home for the purpose of council tax banding?Yesterday I arrived home to find a card letting me know I had missed a visit from the assessor.
I am in Scotland.
We have lived in this house for 10 years so its not even being revalued due to being resold recently.

Cathkins

Have just been rebanded from F to E (Thanks Martin) in February effective from 1st April 1993 Greenwich council records only go back to 2000/01 years so all ok from then to present, phoned and they said write in and the missing 7 years will be manually calculated, did that and have been told today that we must prove we paid council tax from 93 to 2000 with bank statements or receipts, or they will not pay out. HELP! am really very upset it's my money and I keep all statments for 5years and then shred/destroy.I phoned VOA office got halfway through sentence and she just said you're in Greenwich then, there is nothing they can do but are incredulous and have had other calls the same. I would be really grateful for any comments or advice. Thanks:mad:

lincroft1710

shelovestobuystuff - just ask the assessor, I would be 99% certain it will be for 1 of 2 reasons, either to increase the band or to reduce the band.

lincroft1710

Cathkins - even if you offer proof you owned the property from 1993 to 2000, it won't prove you paid CT. Had you let property out during this period then CT would/should have been paid by tenant and council will argue they don't know that this didn't happen.

I can see the council's point of view, you may not have been occupier pre 2001, but they should never ever have destroyed their records.

I would suggest you write to your MP although whether he will be able to achieve anything is another question. You could consider suing council for money, or get together with others similarly affected and bring test case, but you would need to consider that this will be time consuming and could be expensive especially if you lose.

BTW you should keep your statements for at least 7 years,

Cathkins

Hello lincroft1710 and thankyou for the reply and heads up on keeping the bank statements for 7 years. Now I have calmed down a bit I can see a bit more where they are coming from(even though countrywide they are unique) apart from the instance that you quite rightly point out also apparently people have been claiming rebates on rebanding when they were in receipt of benefits to pay the tax.I have been in touch with my bank and they have been fantastic (Halifax) and are sending me copies of my bank statemants for the missing years so fingers crossed eventually I should get my money back, I will put up a post hopefully on the successes forum!! Thankyou again.