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

lincroft1710

I don't know how Chesterfield compares pricewise but down here our 1 bed starter homes are in B. You say that your town is cheaper, so that is probably why your home is Band A.

If she's already challenged the band and was told it was correct, unless she can find some evidence to support her case, she will just be told "already looked at, band correct". As her home is end terrace, it will be worth a little bit more than a similar size inner terrace. Next door having a garage is of little relevance, it will still be a B like hers. The fact that a house price calculator (which are inaccurate and are only a rough guide) shows £41K for a neighbour doesn't help her case.

The only thing she can do is look round the area to try to find a 2 bed starter home in Band A.

dglp

I am puzzling over what to do after having had a success letter from my local assessor.

I initiated a query in November 2010, and got a positive decision on 16 December. The letter said I should wait at least 3 weeks before contacting the Council about it. (Though there's no indication of who to contact.) I waited til the new year to see what would follow - but nothing has. I am now wondering what my next step should be.

The short details are that I live in Birmingham, on a road that's mostly B-rated, but has some A-rated flats. My flat was rated B, is now rated A. The Valuation Officer said my banding is effective from 1993. I have lived here since 2001, which means my entire time here should be covered by some sort of rebate.

Is there a way to calculate the amount I should expect to get?

More importantly, who do I have to contact to see that the decision is followed through?

(Meanwhile, my 2011-12 tax bill has arrived... )

lincroft1710

dglp - something is definitely amiss here.

If VOA reduce a band, the council is automatically informed once the band has been reduced. Check your band on VOA website, if it still shows Band B contact VOA, if it shows Band A, contact council.

From memory the difference between an A and B payment is one seventh, so if I'm correct you should get approx one seventh back of all the CT you've paid since 2001. However 2 points, firstly any benefits you may have received (but not the 25% single person discount) may lessen this amount and some councils prefer to offset the overpayment against current CT bill, so you may have to request the money is paid to you rather than credited to your account.

dglp

Lincroft: thanks.

I've checked my banding with Direct Gov's search site
www (dot) voa (dot) gov (dot) uk (stroke) cti (stroke) InitS (dot) asp?lcn=0

It shows me as Band A, with effect from 01/04/1993.

Which Council Dept do I chase?

Should someone have contacted me by letter regardless?

gardenfairy

Hi, I'm very new to all this so forgive me if I'm getting it wrong!!! I'd really like some good sound advise on this subject, so here is some background. I live in a small village where the houses are all quite different so it's difficult to know if we have a case to claim. The house was a pub, sold, converted, to a home with 4 beds two side buildings, no garage and revalued in 2000 to Band G (in Richmondshire).Three other properties fall into this band 2 very large farmhouses and a manor house, with 5 beds or more, I should add all the houses in G are grade 2 listed. There are 2 other det 4 beds, with garages, in village and they are a similar size to us in band F. I've done the checks via VOA and it puts us in F. We bought house for 180k in 2002, at the same time and price as a new build 4 bed semi next door (band E).

What do you all think? Should I challenge or leave it be??? HELP:beer:

lincroft1710

dglp - finance or local taxation, depending on what city council call it, the departmental name should be on the CT bill. Yes, you should have had a letter from them.

lincroft1710

gardenfairy wrote: »

What do you all think? Should I challenge or leave it be???

Challenge it.

dglp

OK. That'll be Birmingham City Council, Revenues & Benefits. I'll write to them asking why there hasn't been a letter, and what they plan to do in response to the change in my property valuation banding. I'll also cc it to one of my councillors.

lincroft1710 wrote: »

dglp - finance or local taxation, depending on what city council call it, the departmental name should be on the CT bill. Yes, you should have had a letter from them.

lrmulli

Hello

Do you think it is worth me applying to get my banding Re-Assessed?

I live in a Semi in Warrington And I am currently Band C.

My neighbours either side of me are Band B and there seems to be a general mix of B and C in my street.

My House - Original house + rear extension + external garage

Neighbour 1 - Original House - No Extension - No Garage

Neighbour 2 (adjoining) - Original House + Conservatory + External Garage (so similar to me).

My House has sold 3 times since 1991 -

2005 - 110k (Valuation Calc says band
2005 - 155k (Valuation Calc says band C)
2008 (this one is me) - 133k (Valuation Calc says band C)

So do you think it is worth trying to get it re-evaluated?

Regards

Lrmulli

lincroft1710

lrmulli wrote: »

Hello


My House has sold 3 times since 1991 -

2005 - 110k (Valuation Calc says band
2005 - 155k (Valuation Calc says band C)
2008 (this one is me) - 133k (Valuation Calc says band C)

So do you think it is worth trying to get it re-evaluated?

On the evidence you have presented Band C seems correct and I think the VOA would just say the band was OK. A proper brick built extension will be worth more than a conservatory. You could look into adjoining streets to see if any similar houses are in a B, but do bear in mind the bands of those houses could be too low.