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

lincroft1710

The 1999 extension can certainly be reflected in the band, the 2007 can't be until the house is sold and it will be the next owner who pays any increase. Unless there was a sale of a similarly sized extended end of terrace in 1991, there is no certainty that your house was worth £25K in 1991.

craggy121

Thanks for that. I've had another look at house prices and they didn't go above £40,000 for the whole street until 2002 so I reckon it's still worth a go!!

Craggy

Marie_Williams

My house was built 1960 and all the houses are the same 2 and 3 beds. My neighbours were rebanded to A from B via a mailing from a no win no fee Solicitor. They charged 30%. Some months after first mailing I received another mailing saying neighbours had been re banded. So I tried directly myself. Was refused. I have e mailed asking why. It has been referred to the Officers Supervisor. I have a small extension, like many of the other properties, as the kitchens were below minimum building regs size. I was not asked when the extention was done and I honesty cannot remember. Although I could trail through old paperwork and make a good guess. I have lived in the house since it was built and bought under "Right to Buy" in 1982. It seems strange that properties have been rebanded when via a Solicitor but when you request a review yourself it is knocked back?

lincroft1710

Marie, is there any difference at all between your house and the neighbour who was rebanded, e.g. 3 versus 2 beds, end terraced or semi versus mid terraced, garage space versus no garage space. A further point, for several reasons your extension may be reflected in your band whereas neighbours' may not be.

Savings_Galore

Hello I wonder if anybody can advise?
I have followed the checks on this site and it really does look like my band could be too high. I live in a small 5 bed house in which we have only one bathroom. We are due to make the box room into an en suite. I would be grateful if anybody could advise if we are better to convert the bedroom to ensuite prior to putting forward our proposal for re-branding or does it not make a difference. I just think the 5 beds make the property sound big when it really isnt that big - it is the size of similar 4 bed properties around the area.
Any pointers gladly accepted.
Many thanks

Marie_Williams

No, most of the houses have had some small addition, grants were given to bring the kitchen's up to a standard size. The houses are mostly 2 beds and are usually end of terrace, so have more ground and can add on to the end. The 3 beds which are all mid terrace cannot. I have done a quick check the next 3 bed on my block has been re banded to A. As you go further down the road Nos 59 and 61 are 3 beds and they are now A. That goes on all along the road 69 and 71 the same. I am the 1st 3 bed mid terrace. My neighbour to the right has been rebanded A and she is end 2 bed with a garage accessible from the rear plus a loft extension. When I pointed this out to them they said they were unaware of the loft extention!

lincroft1710

Savings_Galore wrote: »

I would be grateful if anybody could advise if we are better to convert the bedroom to ensuite prior to putting forward our proposal for re-branding or does it not make a difference.

It makes no difference as any alteration you make to your home which increases its value cannot be reflected in the CT band until the house is sold.

lincroft1710

Marie, I am also at a loss to understand why your house hasn't been rebanded. The VOA does change its mind if a review of the evidence suggests that the original band was in fact correct, so you may be just unlucky. Hopefully someone has got their wires crossed and your band will be reduced. If not I'd be very interested to know the reasons they are giving.

Many home extensions/alterations are carried without planning permission or building regs or there is a glitch in the system and the VOA aren't notified, or are even given the wrong address.

Marie_Williams

Thanks for your helpful replies Lincroft.

As I have lived here since 1960, am I correct in thinking that any improvements cannot be taken into account re rebanding until the house is sold? Or is there a date after which improvements took place, when it is taken into account? Would the fact that kitchen was below minimum standard and was improved to bring it up to a minimum have any effect also.

The reason I cannot remember the exact date of my kitchen extension is because, it was done by a work colleague, and his cousin. They did it as a hobby. They matched the lowest quote of my original 3 quotes. I felt happier using them as I knew them. They did an excellent job. I have bits of paper somewhere with items purchased but not much datewise.

It went to the Supervisor on 14th June and I believe they are given 8 weeks to reply.

lincroft1710

Marie, improvements made after 1 April 1993 by the owner of the property cannot be reflected in the CT band until the property is sold. Improvements made before that date can be reflected. VOA tend to look at the size of a property rather than whether it has been built to minimum standards.