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

Unclefoobar

lincroft1710 wrote: »

CT law allows the band of a dwelling to be increased or decreased at any time if the original band is considered to be incorrect.

So your neighbour's bungalow could have its band increased just as yours was.

Many thanks for that, now considering our next move.

monkipunk

I've just moved (Aug '12) and I'm renting out my house, the tenant has now appealed against the banding and has got it reduced from E down to D. Good on her!
Should I be able to get a refund for the period I was living there Mar '10-Aug '13. The council said you can only get it reduced from this point on, no refund. I know that bit is wrong!
Any help aprreciated

lincroft1710

monkipunk wrote: »

I've just moved (Aug '12) and I'm renting out my house, the tenant has now appealed against the banding and has got it reduced from E down to D. Good on her!
Should I be able to get a refund for the period I was living there Mar '10-Aug '13. The council said you can only get it reduced from this point on, no refund. I know that bit is wrong!
Any help aprreciated

If the effective date of the rebanding is Mar 10 or earlier then you are entitled to a refund of any overpaid CT. If the council refuse to give a refund, ask to speak to the Senior Revenue Officer (or similar). As a last resort your local councillor or MP would no doubt be interested in your case.

bigelpresidente

:j

lincroft1710 wrote: »

VOA will not "entertain" a late appeal.

What they will do is investigate the band if you give them reasons why you think it's wrong.

Thank you very much again lincroft1710. I followed your instructions. I just received a letter today from the VOA telling me that they re-banded my property to D which it was in May 2011 before they raised it to E.

Thanks again

lincroft1710

bigelpresidente wrote: »

:j

Thank you very much again lincroft1710. I followed your instructions. I just received a letter today from the VOA telling me that they re-banded my property to D which it was in May 2011 before they raised it to E.

Thanks again

Excellent news!

RocketPig

Hello everyone,
Is there a time limit in which you can apply to be rebranded?

I bought my house in June this year and seem to recall an article saying I had six months to ask for the house to be rebanded, can't seem to find said article now but thought surely it can't be right?

kind regards

vivatifosi

RocketPig wrote: »

Hello everyone,
Is there a time limit in which you can apply to be rebranded?

I bought my house in June this year and seem to recall an article saying I had six months to ask for the house to be rebanded, can't seem to find said article now but thought surely it can't be right?

kind regards

Yes, six months is true if you want to take it all the way to tribunal. Get your skates on if you still have time.

You can still contact the VOA after that, but if they say it is right it's then very hard to take further.

RocketPig

vivatifosi wrote: »

Yes, six months is true if you want to take it all the way to tribunal. Get your skates on if you still have time.

You can still contact the VOA after that, but if they say it is right it's then very hard to take further.

Hmm.

So if the six month deadline had passed I could still ask to be rebanded, but if it didn't go in my favour then I'd not be able to appeal?

If it's before the six month deadline then I can appeal any negative outcome?

Time to get the ball rolling!

Thanks.

Angie25151

Two of my neighbours tried to get a reduction, which was refused. As a result mine and two others in my close have had our council tax increased by £340 per year. I'm now in the process of appealing on the grounds that my intial banding was reduced because my late husband challenged it in 1995 and was accepted. Don't think I'll win though, because I can't see the council refunding the other 4 houses in our close.

This has happened in the last few months since my husband died and I'm now going to be forced to sell my house because of the extra I've been forced to pay.

lincroft1710

Angie25151 wrote: »

Two of my neighbours tried to get a reduction, which was refused. As a result mine and two others in my close have had our council tax increased by £340 per year. I'm now in the process of appealing on the grounds that my intial banding was reduced because my late husband challenged it in 1995 and was accepted. Don't think I'll win though, because I can't see the council refunding the other 4 houses in our close.

This has happened in the last few months since my husband died and I'm now going to be forced to sell my house because of the extra I've been forced to pay.

The council have nothing to do with the banding, this is done in Eng and Wales by the Valuation Office Agency (part of HMRC) or the Assessor (Scot).

It sounds as if the 1995 reduction wasn't researched properly and a further review has produced evidence that shows the original band was correct. This is not that uncommon.

Moving home will cost a lot, lot more than the extra £340 per annum. Obviously worth doing if you were intending to downsize or move to a cheaper area. Have you checked to see if you are entitled to any CT benefit or single person discount?