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

Bob_Roberts

A number of us have made critical comment on the “Council Tax Successes” thread regarding this idea of checking tax bands. Martin has deleted those comments and has indicated on the “successes” thread that such comments were not appropriate for that thread. As one of those who has had comment deleted, I should perhaps amplify the reason for my concerns using – as Martin suggests – this thread.

First and foremost, I fully support people genuinely seeking fair treatment but we all ought to think about the consequences of our actions and the potential for self interest to damage the public good. That is why I have concern for issues such as checking Council tax banding being promoted so heavily by Martin through the media. The reality is that the some will gain, and obtain recovery of monies paid over a number of years. However, the majority will have to fund those payments through increases in our Council Tax Bills i.e. Local Councillors/the Government will not have to suffer individually for their failure to manage these systems properly.

Given the impact increasing Council Tax bills has already had on people on lower income – especially pensioners where their personal inflation costs vastly exceed any rises they see in income, such greed is disappointing. Furthermore, I suspect that many who obtain refunds, will have purchased their homes knowing what the Council tax band was and therefore they are really getting an undeserved windfall. Is it right that they – who purchased fully expecting to pay what they did – now draw money from the poorer in our society. Furthermore, I suspect that by the very nature of the process, most “successful” challenges will be from people who do not live in standard terraced/semi detached homes. The successes strand already shows two thirds of successe4s have been from people living in Band E up.

I am concerned that self-interest is becoming so widespread in our society and people like Martin do nothing but feed that greed. I would much rather see him focus on real injustice. Remember, your gain will be somebody else’s loss – and can that individual really afford to subsidise your greed. Sadly none of this will do anything to dissuade the majority of you but I hope it pricks your conscience.

Bob R

k2gixer1

hello all..i have already challenged my banding in my current house and won.i did this approx 3mths ago and was dropped down a band and refunded approx £300.i also applied for a reband at my previous address (while i lived there) but this was rejected.on an estate of 24 houses there were only three 3 beds and the rest were 4 beds.the 4 beds were band E and the 3 beds were band D.however the 4 bed owners applied to be rebanded to band D and were successful.should it follow then that the 3 beds be rebanded to band C? as mentioned earlier we did try (only by telephone to the local council) and were rejected...unfortunatley we did not know of the appeals proceedure at the time so simply accepted it.we moved house around 10 mths ago and given the recent publicity surrounding this subject,i am considering re-applying.this raises another question...can you claim a refund if you no longer live at the address in question? we are talking of over payments of roughly £2k here:eek: ...so its well worth considering...thanks in advance for your views....deb`s.:beer:

k2gixer1

in response to bob roberts comments..i do think he makes a valid point to a degree...but as we see time and again...pasafism does NOT work!! let us remember that we already bear the burden (in the form of ever higher council tax bills) for those non-payers in our society.its so wrong to expect already vastly over taxed, law abiding citizens to subsidise others..and the sooner the local authoritys and indeed the government realise this the better....:T

MSE_Martin

Dear Bob

Thank you for reposting in this thread.

I refer you both to the council tax article and my earlier post which explains where the likely funds from substantial rebates come from. It is unlikely to put others council tax up - bizarrely (as explained earlier) it could actually have the opposite impact due to central government subsidies of areas with more lower bands.

Yet again let me stress this is about people who have OVERPAID council tax, it's not a loophole - its about checking you haven't been a victim of injustice. As for 'many bought those houses' knowing the band.... actually as you'll read many have windfalls back from 1993 when council tax started - and were unfairly banded back then without realising it, and before the power of the internet enabled an easy check. Plus even those who moved in later - much like with the bank charges argument - the fact people were aware of the charge - without being aware it was an overcharge - doesn't mean it should be accepted - why should people lie down and be walked all over.

I find the allegation that I should 'concentrate on real injustice' rather laughable to be honest.

This site has

1. Focused on how to cut council tax overpayments for all those who've been paying too much - this includes many of the elderly you wish to protect
2. Had over half a million template letters to reclaim unfair bank charges downloaded in the last 2 months!
3. Had countless people successfully reclaim endowment misselling compensation

All are victims of injustice and all have done it through this site without being charged a penny at any point.

Plus of course this site shows how to beat the system of debt, get the best deals, and take the marketing might of UK corporate britain on.

So with regards to your comment, "I am concerned that self-interest is becoming so widespread in our society and people like Martin do nothing but feed that greed. I would much rather see him focus on real injustice." I hope it doesn't sound arrogant to say that I think i'm doing my bit on tackling injustice in society.

Kind regards

Martin

simonjanda

Hi.
First sorry for sending this as a 'reply' but I have spent 30 mins trying to work out how to send a 'new thread' and cannot work it out.
My query is this:-
I have followed all the steps for Council Tax rebate.
We are in band C. All the house's that are the same are as mine are also in band C.
There isnt any recently sold to compare against. They are all the same age having been built at the same time.
So far not good.
We have always believed that we were in the wrong band because when we bought the house, the estate was brand new and the builders told us that the house was band B. The cost of the property, new in 1995 was £49,950 which should have been band B.
We did ask the council but were talked down to really and they assured us that the banding was correct.
So following the steps on the web site we have drawn a blank until I saw the 1991 banding/valuation chart which stated that in 1991 @ £49K I should be in band B not C. I appreciate that my house was built in 1995 but that would mean that if it was built in 1991 then the original cost would have been lower also.
I noted a warning on the site to way up the 'risk' of asking for for a re-assessment. I believe that all the houses that are the same as mine were wrongly banded to begin with, hence no comparison to make, and wondered if it is advisable to proceed with asking for a revaluation?
Any suggestion or comments please.
Thank s
Simon

prudryden

If, in the last couple of years, a two lane road in the front of your house, has suddenly been declared a red route, would this justify challenging the banding?

[Deleted User]

With so many people seemingly in line for windfalls - and good luck to them - there must be that many again who may find they have not been paying enough!

The whole system is a shambles.

prudryden

Deleted_User wrote:

With so many people seemingly in line for windfalls - and good luck to them - there must be that many again who may find they have not been paying enough!

The whole system is a shambles.

True. It seems that the only reasonable and fairer way of obtaining needed funds for local government to operate would be a small income tax on one's earnings. Therefore, the more you earn, the more you pay. The less well off would pay a proportionately less amount. They could still have a property tax, albeit much smaller amounts.

Altarf

simonjanda wrote:

We have always believed that we were in the wrong band because when we bought the house, the estate was brand new and the builders told us that the house was band B. The cost of the property, new in 1995 was £49,950 which should have been band B.
We did ask the council but were talked down to really and they assured us that the banding was correct.
So following the steps on the web site we have drawn a blank until I saw the 1991 banding/valuation chart which stated that in 1991 @ £49K I should be in band B not C. I appreciate that my house was built in 1995 but that would mean that if it was built in 1991 then the original cost would have been lower also.

Your assumption that the house would have been cheaper in 1991 is incorrect. House prices fell between 1991 and 1995 and your house would have been worth well over £52,000 had it existed in 1991, so putting it in band C. Use one of the house price calculators to check.

Altarf

SteveUK wrote:

if you have been in the property for less than 6 months you still have a right to appeal, if over 6 months you can still request someone to review your banding which im sure they would be happy to do.

I suspect that there might be a sudden tightening up of the 6 month rule.