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

lucia85

vivatifosi wrote: »

Lucia, they won't accept the house price reband data because it is too generic. Your best bet would be getting house adverts for your area from the archives of the local papers, or by speaking to neighbours who have lived locally for a long time and may be able to give you (or tell you from whom to get) the appropriate evidence. In terms of looking through the papers, asking prices and selling prices aren't the same, but it was very unusual in 1991 for a house to sell for more than the asking price. I used a lot of evidence from local papers in my case and it helped enormously. The more actual data from the time you can get with relevant comparables, the better, but it isn't always easy to get.

Thanks look like a trip to the libary may be in order then lol

steve_dave

Hi there,

I'm sure this question has probably been asked a million times in this thread but it's so huge I wouldn't know where to begin looking. My situation is this:

I moved into a new build in March 2010. It's shared ownership and I purchased my percentage for £42000. In my previous property I was in band A (shared ownership again) and thought it was a bit unfair the huge jump my council tax bill took, for me personally anyway.

I've done the calculator in the article and that was a positive result but I have two main problems:

1) I can't really do the 'neighbour test' asI live in a coach house which is a fairly unique property. There is a coach house exactly the same as mine across the road but that happens to be a band B, same as me. Although, as we're both new builds could this mean that the other property could be eligible for re-banding as well as me?

2) My property doesn't yet show on the Council Tax Valuation list website.

Just hoping to get some advice on where to go from here. Was just going to get on to my local council over the phone and see what they suggest.

CIS

2) My property doesn't yet show on the Council Tax Valuation list website.

Assuming your in England or Wales.

If it isn't on the Valuation Office website then its either only very recently been banded or its in under a different address. The fact that you know its a Band B suggests it has been banded so it should be on the VO website and its possibly on under the wrong address.

Just hoping to get some advice on where to go from here. Was just going to get on to my local council over the phone and see what they suggest.

Again, assuming your in England & Wales, the council have no say in the banding. All they can do is to refer you to the valuation office.

steve_dave

Apologies, should've specified England

CIS wrote: »

The fact that you know its a Band B suggests it has been banded so it should be on the VO website and its possibly on under the wrong address.

The only reason I know it's a band B really is because that's what it says on my Council Tax Invoice. Searched under postcode and street name but no luck on VOA site. Have found the other coach house though.

lincroft1710

If there are other flats or houses of a similar size and number of beds, what band are they in? Shared ownership and/or coach house does not automatically mean Band A. If your home is detached, then Band B doesn't seem unreasonable. Look for any similar properties on nearby existing estates and check their bands.

Squizz

Help please regarding banding review. Our property band was increased from a B to a C after a previous owner put a 2nd storey extension on the property above an existing room. As far as I understand it the Local Authority notify the VOA of any completed extensions that required permission and then the VOA hold these on record against the property as a band review pending. Our initial review has been declined as the VOA has taken in to account the conservatory portion of our property as inclusive within the square meterage. If this were the case then I'm certain that many other properties have never had a banding increase as the majority of conservatories do not require planning permission. Can they really hold to this as a reason behind their decision?

bobble2

I have been advised that my council tax banding has been changed and that I am due a refund however they are only backdating to April 2005 and I have lived in my property since 1995 can I appeal and get it backdated to 1995?

lincroft1710

Squizz wrote: »

Help please regarding banding review. Our property band was increased from a B to a C after a previous owner put a 2nd storey extension on the property above an existing room. As far as I understand it the Local Authority notify the VOA of any completed extensions that required permission and then the VOA hold these on record against the property as a band review pending. Our initial review has been declined as the VOA has taken in to account the conservatory portion of our property as inclusive within the square meterage. If this were the case then I'm certain that many other properties have never had a banding increase as the majority of conservatories do not require planning permission. Can they really hold to this as a reason behind their decision?

Yes, anything that would increase a dwelling's value can be reflected in the band.

lincroft1710

bobble2 wrote: »

I have been advised that my council tax banding has been changed and that I am due a refund however they are only backdating to April 2005 and I have lived in my property since 1995 can I appeal and get it backdated to 1995?

If you live in Wales that would be understandable as current CT bands can only be backdated to Apr 2005. Otherwise certain reductions (e.g. physical change in locality and material reduction) can only be backdated to the date the physical change occurred.

However if neither of these apply, you should check the effective date of the revised band and ask the council why they are not backdating the refund to that date.

vivatifosi

Squizz wrote: »

If this were the case then I'm certain that many other properties have never had a banding increase as the majority of conservatories do not require planning permission. Can they really hold to this as a reason behind their decision?

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Yes, anything that would increase a dwelling's value can be reflected in the band.

It's also worth mentioning that the VOA would not reband the property while the (extending) owner lived there. They check valuation and reband on change of ownership. People generally don't check the VOA website when they buy a house. If the house has been extended and the VOA is aware, then a little blue circle with an 'i' in it appears next to it, indicating the property is subject to a banding review. If a property was only at the bottom of a band, it may not go up in value, but it should be taken into consideration if this is a concern.