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

alona1

Hiya,

I've just made my first call to get my house rebanded from a C to a B, like next door and after using the house price calculator, it shows that I should be a band lower. He's said this could take upto 2 months, but fingers crossed :j

Thanks for all the info :money:

lincroft1710

Keiran - if a Valuation Tribunal has decided that the band is correct, you have very little hope of a favourable review of your band. The VOA will just quote the VT decision. You don't get 2 bites of the cherry. Your only hope would be if there is an identical property nearby and a new occupier moves in and you can persuade him to appeal against his band. However should this ever happen the VOA would use the evidence of the VT decision on your home to support the band.

angeliquezakir

Well i am a success story. It too from February 25th 2010 until 16/04/10. I rang them today, and they told me that i was in the wrong band and that, they are instructing the council tax office on Monday.

I think we are due back about £900, so should come in handy i will post you more details and let you know if and when i get the rebate. Good luck to you all. Just wanted to let you know it does work:beer:

cecthesaddler

Just being doing some research and my last house 3 years ago was a Band D and the exact same houses around it are a band c. Called up the VOA and they said the current owners must appeal but we would get any benefit should it be reduced. Is this correct. Why carn't I appeal myself? Thought they had an obiligation to ensure all bandings were correct regardless of current owners?

lincroft1710

Cec - CT law says that as you are no longer the occupier nor owner you have no right of appeal. If present occupier has been there longer than 6 months he can ask for a band review but also has no right of appeal if VOA decide band is correct. It's up to you to contact the present occupiers and suggest they ask for a band review or appeal if thy have been there less than 6 months.

torettojon

Hi there,

First post.
Just wanted to know if I needed to ring or send a letter. My local council is Swale in Kent. Im not too good on this whole reclaiming business, but tested your theory and I it seems I am 4 bands too high.

Also, on the VOA website it claims my banding is "B" which would have cost me £66 p/month. BUT I was paying £119 p/month. So how can the website claim I am Band B yet Swale charge me Band D prices. Its ridiculous. Your website claims I am even a band A so 3 different valuations, but of course the tax grabbing government took the highest amount from me!!
This could be nice, already have a tax rebate for emergency tax I have been paying, plus I am owed at least £600 from my council tax! Holiday for me (or a months petrol at this rate).
Many thanks.

misseyme

Ok a bit late of the mark compared to other posts. But have now done my research and have noticed that all the properties down my road are on Band D however, after doing the value of our houses in 1991 via the Nationwide House Price Calculator it turns out that they are all the value of Band C and not Band D ie house values range from £57,575 to £62,017. Two of these properties have since had ground floor extensions including my own, so is it worth contacting my local council tax office for a revaluation?

Whats also interesting is that my property has a Brand Review Pending Indicator against it on the Valuation Office Agency Listing!!!!

Sorry but this is now getting confusing . . . . and am now wondering whether it is worth contacting my local office or not. Advice would be much appreciated.

lincroft1710

Torettojon - VOA website should have the correct band. Look at your CT bill it will also say which band you are in. Depending on when you moved in and when you were billed for CT, you may be paying over a shorter period than the usual 10 months.

If you have occupied the property for less than 6 months you have a right of appeal which can be made on line or on a form supplied by VOA. If longer than 6 months you can either write to or ring VOA. Bear in mind that the house price indices used to calculate 1991 prices are not accurate so Band B may be correct.

lincroft1710

Misseyme - Band review pending means that alterations have been done to your home and the band may need to be increased. If you have carried out these alterations and they are after 1 Apr 1993, then your band won't be increased. But if carried out prior to 1 April 93 or by a previous owner then your band could be increased, it will depend on what effect extension has on 1991 value.

As I have said in my previous post be aware that house price indices are inaccurate.

bigearhursty

Hi There, We live in a masionette with 2 bedrooms a nice sized kitchen and front room, one shower room and one cloakroom/storage cupboard, We have been trying to get my property rebanded for the past 4 1/2 years, We are currently a band C but when we have done the valuation check it would suggest we should be a band A, there is one simlar property in my street and it is a Band A, the replies we have had so far is that we are that banding because we are not ex-council, the square footage we have, we are not entitled to claim as we have past the 6 months window, and the property was valued at band C in 1991 by looking at similar properties in the area, What I can't understand is that family & friends have much larger houses/flats that us and there banding is less than ours, I have had this argument but they still won't budge, I am getting very frustrated and annoyed please help with any advice etc.......

Rachel