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

CIS

On looking through the deeds, which we only came into possession of very recently, we noticed that the previous owners of the property themselves bought it in July/August 1991, at a price within the Council Tax Band that is lower than the Band the property was valued at in that year (although not by much)

The sale price of a house may not accurately reflect the market value of the property at the time - it may have been reduced for a quick sale or because it was not in a good state of repair.

lincroft1710

GreatGoose wrote: »

Hi Lincroft1710, yes I understand that but I am making the point that the valuation office are supposed to revisit the rateable value when sizeable extensions are built as they potentially put houses into another band bracket.

The VOA cannot increase the Council Tax band of a dwelling when an extension (whatever the size) is built until after its next sale. This is one of the key points of CT legislation, which was thus drafted, so that homeowners were not discouraged from improving/extending their homes.

What is needed and is long overdue is a Council Tax revaluation, so that a CT band reflect the current state of the dwelling. However successive parliaments are reluctant to do this.

lincroft1710

GreatGoose wrote: »

It seems sensible to me that the rating value should reflect the occupancy especially when occupancy goes above 6 adults and 6 kids who are collectively using more facilities but paying the same amount as a couple or a family with two or three children and a property half the size.

Actually there was a form of local taxation which took account of the number of occupants of a dwelling. It was called the Community Charge or unofficially the Poll Tax and had no reference to the actual dwelling. For some reason it was extremely unpopular, and after only 3 years was replaced by Council Tax.

mikemaple

Hi,

Just thought I'd report a failure that does surprise me. We live in Ashford in Kent brought a house in 1997 for £89,000 and are in band E. £88 +. We appealed and have been told house prices in 1991 where higher - which really does surprise me.

Any one else been told similar ?

Mike.

noh

mikemaple wrote: »

Hi,

Just thought I'd report a failure that does surprise me. We live in Ashford in Kent brought a house in 1997 for £89,000 and are in band E. £88 +. We appealed and have been told house prices in 1991 where higher - which really does surprise me.

Any one else been told similar ?

Mike.

If you look at the Halifax house price index you will see that it is much the same for Q1 1991 and Q1 1997 in the SE. There will of course be local variations.
http://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/media1/economic_insight/halifax_house_price_index_page.asp

lincroft1710

mikemaple wrote: »

Hi,

Just thought I'd report a failure that does surprise me. We live in Ashford in Kent brought a house in 1997 for £89,000 and are in band E. £88 +. We appealed and have been told house prices in 1991 where higher - which really does surprise me.

Any one else been told similar ?

Mike.

By late 1997 house prices in some areas had reached 1991 levels.

bexibex22

Hello,

I've just moved into a rental. It's basically a live-in bit of someone's garage / out-building which is on the owner's property (next to the main house) and I doubt could be sold separately and valued as it's on the plot of the main house / part of the structure of their garage.

How does council valuation work here? It seems to be a 'B' but I don't see how any value figure can be obtained as the owners can't sell it anyway without sub-dividing their plot and giving away their garage.

Thanks!

cathodetube

Bexibex,
Has the council sent you a council tax bill? Or are landlords just saying you need to pay something towards it in your rent?

lincroft1710

bexibex22 wrote: »

Hello,

I've just moved into a rental. It's basically a live-in bit of someone's garage / out-building which is on the owner's property (next to the main house) and I doubt could be sold separately and valued as it's on the plot of the main house / part of the structure of their garage.

How does council valuation work here? It seems to be a 'B' but I don't see how any value figure can be obtained as the owners can't sell it anyway without sub-dividing their plot and giving away their garage.

Thanks!

If you have your own kitchen, WC, facilities for washing, room to live/eat/sleep and access that is not through main rooms of the owner's house, then that is enough for your rental to have its own CT band.

Inability to sell separately would only reflect on the value. Unless it is in a very expensive area or is very large, Band A would be the norm.

cathodetube

I have seen annexes just be incorporated into the main house, with a correspondent increase in the amount of the main house's council tax. Does it have its own address?