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

lincroft1710

FirstTimer4Me wrote: »

Slightly confused with it all

We live in a private block of flats, 16 purpose built flats.

We are placed in band B

Entrance to the flats is via a private drive situated between 2 properties on a public road, the houses on the road with numbers 2,4,6,5,7,9 are banded between A, B, C, all the properties are of the same size.

However, local Tesco Express 500 ft away, is banded with "A" :eek:

Given the above, does it appear we have a case for investigation?

Hope I haven't confused anyone

The owners of the houses may have a case for rebanding if there are 3 different bands for the same house.

Shops aren't subject to CT, they pay business rates. However if this is a flat attached to Tesco, then it won't be comparable with yours. Also if it occupied in connection with the store, the method of valuation is different.

LaylaMC

After checking a few months back on my council tax band, I thought i was in the right band. However, after watching Martin's show the other night I thought I would take a second look. I used the calculator on here and using the price I paid for my house in 2007 worked out that my property would have been worth just over £40000 in 1991 which would put me in Band B (which is what I currently am on). However, I checked on all 3 of the house prices websites and on Zoopla I notice that my property was originally sold back in 1998 for just over £36000. That value would therfore put me in Band A. I also then noticed that all the properties in my area are listed as Band B even though my property is a 3 bedroom whilst some others are 4 bedrooms. I know this could mean that the 4 bedrooms could be on too low a band but I believe this combined with the selling price in 1998 means I could be on the wrong band. Fingers crossed.
How long did it take for others to hear back after their initial enquiry.
Thanks.

lincroft1710

arrowhead wrote: »

I challenge my council tax banding 10 years ago, producing historical evidence of like for like properties that were valued in 1991 and were comparable with mine that was built in 1999. I also produced evidence of houses for sale in 1991 that were in the band F category as mine is and demonstrated that these houses were now worth almost double the value of mine. I did extensive research and produced a wealth of evidence.

The representative from the council challenged this with one statement "The general tone of the area would suggest that your house is in the correct banding". The tribunal carefully considered both arguments and decided that the evidence (statement) presented by the council was the most compelling and found against my appeal.

The house model that I occupy, is replicated throughout the estate and these replicants are in Band E. The only houses in band F are larger properties and mine. This is a travesty and I have been unfairly penalised since 2001 when I moved in but there is nothing I can do but pay up!


Outrageous!!

If the facts were exactly as you have quoted, then it does seem as if the Valuation Tribunal reached a perverse decision. However as this was 12 years ago, there is little you can now do about it.

FirstTimer4Me

Thank you

lincroft1710 wrote: »

The owners of the houses may have a case for rebanding if there are 3 different bands for the same house

Given the 3 different bandings for the houses, entrance to our property is between 2 of the houses, would we have a case for rebanding?

lincroft1710

FirstTimer4Me wrote: »

Thank you



Given the 3 different bandings for the houses, entrance to our property is between 2 of the houses, would we have a case for rebanding?

No. The banding of the houses will have no connection with the banding of the flats.

The_Bookman

The_Bookman wrote: »

Before I punch something, could someone possibly direct me to, or send me the URL for the proposal form referred to here on the VOA website: "Complete a proposal form online via the Council Tax valuation list website.", because following the links given takes me on a completely circular journey, and knowing something of IT, it's hard not to come to the conclusion that this whole thing is designed to be deliberately obfuscatory.

Do I take it then, that no-one else can find this form either?

JCD_Capulet

Hi everyone, just popping in for some advice.

I received this letter today



Am I being fobbed off with this six month rule thing? They say they are satisfied with the banding however:

I am band B in a one bedroom flat which measures 40.5ft X 12.5ft on the upper level of a close. Other neighbours in the close have two bedrooms and are paying the same tax rate according to SAA.

On searching other properties on the street where I live there are semi detached and 4 in a block houses with three bedrooms paying band A tax.

I've found a similar 1 bed flat in the block next to me which sold last year for £34,000 - using the calculator on this page http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/council-tax-bands-change brings the property in at tax band A for 1991 (home in Scotland with a value of 0-£27,000).


Am I doing the right thing in pursuing a proposal? Are there any template letters around which could help me put something in writing in reply to the letter I received above?

Thanks x

lincroft1710

JCD_Capulet wrote: »

Am I doing the right thing in pursuing a proposal?

If you had been the taxpayer for more than 6 months when you submitted the proposal, it is pointless pursuing it as the Assessor will only concern himself with the validity of the proposal not with the banding.

What you need to do is try and find other nearby 1 Bed flats in Band A and write and ask the Assessor to reconsider your band in light of this evidence.

JCD_Capulet

lincroft1710 wrote: »

If you had been the taxpayer for more than 6 months when you submitted the proposal, it is pointless pursuing it as the Assessor will only concern himself with the validity of the proposal not with the banding.

What you need to do is try and find other nearby 1 Bed flats in Band A and write and ask the Assessor to reconsider your band in light of this evidence.

Thanks for replying.

I'm not so sure how to go about this because in this part of the street there are only four tenement closes stuck side by side in a row, everything else is on the street is semi detached and four in a block properties.

This block of flats was sold from the council to the local housing association some time ago. The ground level flats have their own front garden, two bedrooms, main door access and rear access via a door in the close. First floor up (where I am) used to be two flats on each landing - the HA knocked the flats through taking space off of each to create a third flat in the middle (mine) giving them three one bedroom flats on the first landing. The same was done with the top level up stairs.


At the far end of the street there is another block of four closes which still remain council property and a SAA search tells me that ground level flats are rated band A where as the upper floors are band B - however I can't find anywhere if the upper floor levels have been converted like mine or if they're still in band B.

I'm not too sure what to do now. Forgive me if I'm gibbering on, I do have attention/focus problems x

*edited to add*

I've just checked 192.com and it seems there are only two flats on the first and second floors of the closes at the far end of the street. I'll probably call the council on Monday and ask if they can tell me if the flats are 1 or 2 bed properties.... unless I can find out some other way.

lincroft1710

JCD_Capulet wrote: »

I'm not so sure how to go about this because in this part of the street there are only four tenement closes stuck side by side in a row, everything else is on the street is semi detached and four in a block properties.

At the far end of the street there is another block of four closes which still remain council property and a SAA search tells me that ground level flats are rated band A

Finding other flats in Band A is a good start, you can ask the Assessor why they're A and you're B. Try and widen your search area, adjoining streets or even known high rise blocks. It'll take time to check all the bands, but find a few more in Band A, and it builds your case.