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

lincroft1710

EM187 wrote: »

Could this be true? Yes, the VOA inspection of your home when built should have picked this up.

Can I ask for proof? They can tell you the measurements they hold and you can check them yourself

..............

EM187

Thanks for your reply, I will ask them for measurements. My house was originally built in 1972 and had been altered a couple of times (with planning permission) before I bought it in 2001. I didn't think the VOA would have looked at plans for houses that were built before 1991.

lincroft1710

VOA came into being in 1950 and started the huge task of measuring all existing houses/bungalows/flats in England and Wales the following year in preparation for the 1956 Rating Revaluation. They continued measuring new properties and extensions until 1990 when domestic rates were abolished.

With the advent of CT in 1993, the VOA were out measuring again and continue to do so.

Yogibear

the council tax is a lot cheaper in England as up here in Scotland is it not,we lived in a one bed end terraced in West Lothian band A paid £85 +water/sewage monthly rates,we now live in a one bedroomed flat in Edinburgh band B £104+ water/sewage rates monthly I did appeal this but was told I had to do it within 6 months:mad: I read in one of the Broadsheets that the Council tax in some £7.5million houses in London were comparable to what we pay:eek:

Abatement

I challenged my council tax banding (F) on the grounds that all the houses nearby of a similar size and value are banded D.

My challenge has been rejected on the basis that my house is a different period (modern) from the other houses (older), so all the data I provided has been completely disregarded. Instead they have compared with 1991 sale prices for modern properties, but in a completely different (and substantially more expensive) area a couple of miles away.

Surely this can't be right?!

lja14

Hi guys, i just checked my council tax band on direct gov and its showing as deleted, any idea what this means ??

KerryB222

Having tried the council tax banding calculator, it would appear that my banding should be on a lower band and this is so for the past 10 years!! I therefore submitted a letter to query my council tax banding and received the following reply:

[FONT=&quot]"I should explain that you could only lodge a valid proposal to alter the band of a property within six months of becoming the Council Taxpayer in August 2003. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I will however have the banding of your property checked and you will receive a detailed response in due course."[/FONT]

How far back can you claim for overpayment of council tax? I am in Scotland.

Thanks

lincroft1710

Abatement wrote: »

Surely this can't be right?!

It is reasonable to compare houses of a similar size, type and age. Ideally the comparables should be as near as possible, but with infill and new developments this isn't always possible. However comparisons should be made with houses in similarly 1991 priced areas.

lincroft1710

lja14 wrote: »

Hi guys, i just checked my council tax band on direct gov and its showing as deleted, any idea what this means ??

It means your home no longer has a CT band. So it may have been demolished, house or street renamed, renumbered, or a postcode error. See if you can find a neighbouring property on direct.gov or contact either your council or the VOA.

booboo967

hi all
i'm new here so hope this is in the correct place.
i started looking into my council tax band when i realised my neighbour has a bigger house but lower band.
i'm in band D with 1 recep 2 beds 1 bath
she in band C with 2 recep 3 beds 1 bath
i followed all the rules from this site about it being reviewed, and sent them a long thought out concise letter about 2 years ago.
i never heard anything, so i again this year asked them again to look into it, using the same letter as before.
i received a reply saying they were sure i was in the correct band. i again wrote to them, this time giving more information as to why i think i am correct and now 2 months later i have received a very long letter with lots of examples why they think my banding is correct(which is what i asked for ie: proof of how they were sure their figures were correct)
at the end of the letter it states
' i do not intend to review your handling again. current legislation does not allow a further appeal from you unless circumstances have changed causing a material reduction in value such as a change to the physical state of your immediate locality'
is this as final as it sounds?
i have again gone through the figures that have been sent to me as their examples and they are all in band D but they are all 3 bed and/or 2 recep.
i have used as a guide this morning, the roads the council have used as 'evidence' and if i check the banding on the 2bed 1 recep in the same roads it is all coming up with band C
any advice would be gratefully accepted. i do not want to give up as i believe i am correct, but can i really go elsewhere if they have point blankly said they will not review it again
thanks in advance
julia