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

lincroft1710

JennyP wrote: »

I hate anything that smacks of unfairness!

When drafting the CT legislation, I understand Parliament didn't want a system where CT payers could keep appealing if they were turned down by a tribunal because of the cost (which would have to be paid for out of revenue from VAT, Income Tax etc). They considered that 6 months was ample time for someone to decide if they were in the right band or not.

Everyone has the opportunity to appeal against their CT band, it's just that there is rather a narrow time frame. Parliament and its members have had 19 years to amend the system, however they do not choose to do so.

Unless there is something special about the 4 houses, I am at a loss to suggest why they haven't been rebanded.

JennyP

There is nothing special about the 4 houses. It's really strange.
There are 5 houses in our block of terraces and there are several other blocks of terraces, all the same as ours.
All the other blocks have been rebanded. One house in our block has been too - I would say it is the nicest of all the houses in the block to be honest (it isn't ours!) It has a converted loft with an en-suite which as far as I know, the others don't have (though we're in the process - we have a building site of a loft!) and it has a big conservatory at the back. The other houses all have some form of extension at the back EXCEPT ours which hasn't been extended at all.
Weird isn't it?

emilywillow

I sent my letter 4 weeks ago, and this morning received my notification of rebanding from B to A (chuffed), and £940.50 credit which will be paid into my accound within 3 days!!! I did spend a while doing all my research of other similar properties in my street and made sure that my letter to the VOA was absolutely water tight. I am so thrilled that they didnt even try to waste time with trying to fob me off. I was originally put off in even trying to get rebanded and reimbursed as the man at my local VOA was so rude and patronising .... but I would definately recommend it to anyone who thinks their council tax is incorrect!! DAMN THE MAN, SAVE THE EMPIRE!!

Dazman76

Does anyone one know of any so;icitors / legal reps that can help you get your council tax band reduced? I sent a letter to the VOA and they just replied with a standard response

lincroft1710

dazman76 - solicitors are not well versed in CT law and in any case are the wrong profession for CT band reductions. Although Chartered Surveyors are the people who would represent you in seeking a band reduction, most have little experience as they tend to deal with non domestic rating rather than CT. Their fees aren't cheap, there's no guarantee they can get you a reduction, and you're responsible for paying their fees whether or not you get a reduction. They do not usually ask for fees upfront. However most people do their own CT band reduction requests.

Do not use any firm who claim they can get you a reduction and ask for fees upfront.

Abz89

Hello,
I've just been researching my banding of my CT and I think it was wrong for my previous address. I just moved last month and have been checking that I'm not been scammed but discovered that my old flat was being charged B when it was a 3 Storey house split into 3 flats, I had the basement flat which counted as a seperate address . When I check the banding webiste, the other flats said 'DELETED' .
What does this mean and does anyone know if I could reclaim for my old house?
Many Thanks

lincroft1710

Abz89 wrote: »

Hello,
I've just been researching my banding of my CT and I think it was wrong for my previous address. I just moved last month and have been checking that I'm not been scammed

CT is not a scam, a financial drain, but not a scam.

but discovered that my old flat was being charged B when it was a 3 Storey house split into 3 flats, I had the basement flat which counted as a seperate address .

Depending on the size and location of the flat, Band B may be correct for a basement flat.

When I check the banding webiste, the other flats said 'DELETED' .
What does this mean and does anyone know if I could reclaim for my old house?
Many Thanks

A deletion can happen for several reasons. The other flats may have been renumbered, had a postcode or other address alteration and so will be found elsewhere, they could have been demolished or are in such a state they no longer constitute dwellings for CT purposes, or could be merged or split so that there are no either fewer or more flats than there were previously.

As you are no longer the occupier of this flat, you cannot ask for a CT band review, you will have to contact the current occupier and ask them to appeal against the band.

Malky80

Hi,

I have lived in my current home, which was built in 2003 for the last 4 years. In our street the 4 bedroom houses are Band F and the 3 bedroom houses are Band E. We bought the house for £177,000 in 2008 and using the various online calculators, they work out that our house would have been worth roughly £58,000 in 1991, right on the threshold of Band D and E. Our house would have to have been worth more than £80,000 in 1991 to be in Band F. That means the online calculators are completely inaccurate or that we are indeed in the wrong CT Band. I think the whole street may be wrongly banded.

After appealing this, I have received a letter from the Assessor for my area of Scotland. They state that the surveyor for the area will be contacting me about my communication.

Can anyone give me advice or see any problems with my appeal?

FunLovinCriminal

Hi all
I am a newbee, and completely confused by this. I have read, and re-read Martin's page, and dont get it. What I have found out is, I am banded Band E, (In scotland, via the link on Martin's page). When I check on the value of my house in 1991, it falls in the category for Band A. All the houses in my street vary from Band D to Band F, unsure how to check if they are the same size etc to my house. I am obviously hopeful that I can reclaim some money back, but I am very aware that my band could increase my Council Tax, and I am fairly skint, and wouldnt be able to afford much more outgoings.
Help!!
FLC

JennyP

lincroft1710 wrote: »

As you are no longer the occupier of this flat, you cannot ask for a CT band review, you will have to contact the current occupier and ask them to appeal against the band.

So the previous occupier cannot ask for the reband?

We have been contacted several times by the previous owner of our house going on about rebanding. We are intending to do it but my housemate - who owns the house - is really, really busy. He's waiting till he has some time to look into it as we want to do it properly rather than rushing it and doing it wrong and then finding that we screw it up and miss out!

The previous owner has been SO unbelievably pushy. We've had letters and then she phoned several times in a 24 hour period leaving messages. Eventually he told her how busy he was and said it just isn't top priority at the moment - trying to keep a business afloat in these tough times takes all his energy.

Can she definitely not ask? We're just wondering because she has definitely been phoning the council asking for it. My housemate says that even if they agreed to look into the reband at her request they would need access to the property and obviously, since she no longer owns the property, she cannot give that consent.