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

afm_2

I'm sorry for bothering again but I have been doing some checks on similar properties around the area and I have a few questions.

First, I would like to know if the facts that a garage is not attached to a property (instead, it is right in front of it) and that you can not take the car near the entrance of the property because of its position (garage in front of it etc) are taken into account for council tax purposes. I ask this because I have checked similar properties around and found out that in 2004, as new builds, many of the other properties have sold for considerably more than this one. For instance, this one was sold for 152k in Feb and next door was sold for 169.950 in March. There's almost a 13k difference. Would this be something that I could use to challenge the band?
To add to this, the exact same property on the next street was sold for 189,950 in November 2004. Was there such a huge difference in the market back then? That property has now a similar extension to ours and was sold for 195k in November 2009 whilst this one was sold for 197,500 in July 2008 (when the prices were at their highest). Both already had their extensions built on the second sale.
What I am trying to say here is that it looks like this property has never achieved as higher prices as similar ones in the area and these figures seem to shown that (in November 2009 properties where already much cheaper right?). I believe that this is due to its position. Would it be something that the VOA would listen to and do I have a case here?
If you wise people could give me some advice it would be very much appreciated. Thank you!

lincroft1710

afm - only if a garage was unable to be used as such, would there likely to be a price reduction, but we're talking minimal percentage terms, which translated into 1991 values, would be perhaps a few hundred.

You can present the price comparisons you've highlighted above to the VOA. However whether this will convince them that you're in the wrong band is difficult to say, and if the houses fall in the mid to high part of the band, makes it more doubtful.

afm_2

lincroft1710 wrote: »

afm - only if a garage was unable to be used as such, would there likely to be a price reduction, but we're talking minimal percentage terms, which translated into 1991 values, would be perhaps a few hundred.

You can present the price comparisons you've highlighted above to the VOA. However whether this will convince them that you're in the wrong band is difficult to say, and if the houses fall in the mid to high part of the band, makes it more doubtful.

Thanks lincroft! The garage cannot be used as such at the moment because it has been converted to an office or something like that. Does that increase/decrease the value?
I think this house is at the very lowest of the band because the only thing that makes it go up is the extension. For that reason I am trying to make an appeal as I am not convinced that the extension has added that much value to the property.

lincroft1710

The garage conversion will either keep value the same or may slightly increase it, it will depend on the quality/usefulness of the conversion and how the local market views such conversions. If the house is in an area where livable space is king and no-one wants garages, then a conversion will obviously add more.

But given a garage has an area of around 16 sq m and if (for example) you have a house of 100 sq m, then VOA will be comparing it with 1991 sales of houses of 116 sq m

miriamb_2

Hi,

I've submitted a request for my ctax band to be reviewed. We're the only Band C property in our road, and in a converted house in which the other 4 flats are all Band A.

I think the band is for the whole house, pre-conversion. This is based on the address that's on file for our flat and the local authority reference number (ours is sequentially much lower than the other 4!). The property was converted in 1993. The flats also originally had garages conveyed with them, but all five garages are no longer attached to the properties.

I've received a letter this morning saying that the VOA wish to come round and inspect the property - is this a good sign? What should I expect and how long does this normally take?

Also, does increased crime rate/proximity to rehab centres constitute a "material change"? In 1991, my post code would have been quite "nice" but it's changed a huge amount in 20 years...

Thanks in advance

lincroft1710

miriamb - the VOA may need to resurvey your flat, therefore will take measurements or will just check the accommodation matches their existing records. Anything from 5 mins to 1 hr or so.

Increased crime rate is not a material change. If the rehab centres were erected/came into use after 1 Apr 1993, then that would be a material change, but they would have to be fairly close to the flat.

miriamb_2

Thanks, Lincroft, that's really helpful

david.elleray979

Anybody tried to get interest on reband payments?:T

Qwiksilver

Good morning all,

I would welcome some advice from my fellow forumites on the following.

1 bed sheltered accomodation flat in Helnsburgh Scotland. Liabilty for council tax now falls to my wife as a consequence of the passing of her mother (property is currently up for sale).
Curently assessed as Band C by Argyll and Bute council.
I have done the research and all the pointers (using Nationwide calculator) indicate that it could be band A.
I have used various figures going back as far as 2002 including current value , value at purchase (top of the market late 2007) and they all indicate significantly lower values in 1991 putting it in band A.
I have appealled (Thanks for the guidance Martin) and they have replied stating that they have evidence that properties in the block sold in 1991 would have been assessed at Band C.
They have requested that I provide evidence that their assesment was incorrect based on 1991 values.
My question is this : Am I at a dead end or is there something else I can use to strengthen my case?

Qwiksilver

Have just done a little more research. Following data comes form argyll and Bute website.

Bsically 21 flats in the block. All 1 bedroom sheltered. 3 different bands. A , B and C.
2 of the examples they have quoted me in their reply have in fact been reassessed since 1991 to band B and 2 flats in the block are band A.
Should I make them aware of these anomolies?