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

lincroft1710

Chip140 wrote: »

Based on this information is it worth having my house reassessed by the VOA?

The VOA tend not to value "corner" houses any more than an identical house with houses either side, so are the identical house types as yours all in Band F.

Are the houses you've quoted, identical to yours or just 4 bed houses on a corner. The different 1991 estimates for the same house based on 2 sales just shows how inaccurate these house price calculators are.

However, to answer your question, you have nothing to lose by asking the VOA to review your band.

Chip140

[QUOTE=lincroft1710;61455273

Are the houses you've quoted, identical to yours or just 4 bed houses on a corner. The different 1991 estimates for the same house based on 2 sales just shows how inaccurate these house price calculators are.

However, to answer your question, you have nothing to lose by asking the VOA to review your band.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the reply.

The houses either side of me are both different to mine and to each other. The 5 identical houses (to mine) are all in band F and are those that I quoted prices for. As no house on the estate is in band G, it would seem unlikely that on review my banding will go up, so maybe nothing to lose.

Just out of interest.....With house price calculators being inaccurate, do you know how the VOA calculates the banding of new properties i.e. how would my house have been assessed to be band F in 2000 when it was first built and sold?

lincroft1710

Chip140 wrote: »

Just out of interest.....With house price calculators being inaccurate, do you know how the VOA calculates the banding of new properties i.e. how would my house have been assessed to be band F in 2000 when it was first built and sold?

They would look at 1991 sale prices of houses of a similar type and size as your house and also established bands of similar houses.

dchurch24

Hi all,

I've done the neighbours check - all my neighbours are in Band D, and I'm the only one in Band E.
I've done the valuation check, but there has only been one house sold in this road in the last 20 years! I used the calculator and it falls into Band D.
My house is not identical, it's slightly bigger, but with a much smaller garden (I virtually have no front garden, whereas theirs is huge!) and in a far worse state of repair.
I've had a lot of trouble with the council tax since moving here (just this morning I got a letter telling me that I'm nearly 1000 quid in arrears despite not ever having missed a payment??). I went through all the bills and I noticed that they have my address right, but the bill states another, much 'posher' parish about 5 miles away.

Should I still apply to be re-assessed?

lincroft1710

dchurch24 wrote: »

Should I still apply to be re-assessed?

Banding and billing are carried out by completely separate authorities, so the arrears problem needs to be sorted out with the council.

As I advised a previous poster, you have nothing to lose by asking for a band review.

sm82

Currently in a band D flat for the last 6 years. Only found out a year or so ago that I could apply for reassessment (nothing was mentioned when I purchased the flat). Decided to try, so applied to be reassessed a couple of months ago on the grounds of
1. Flats that I'm living in weren't even built in 1991 (planning permission was only signed off in Nov 91, completed around 93), so how could they have done an accurate assessment?
2. Two flats in my block of the same size sold for Band C prices in 1996/1997 according to the land registry records.
3. Neighbour of mine in a slightly smaller flat (same block), currently on a band C has a copy of a purchase document for her flat from 93 which gives a band B price (52K)

However just heard back from the VOA, and they disagree. Not changing the band down (or up thankfully!), but also have no right of appeal as I have been in the property more than 6 months and don't qualify for any of the other circumstances.. . Well thats that then...

lincroft1710

sm82 wrote: »

Well thats that then...

Probably, because your reasons were pretty weak!

1) Plenty of dwellings built after 1991 have been correctly assessed and it was all I could do (I'm ex VOA) to stop myself from laughing when CTpayers proclaimed "my house wasn't built in 1991">

2) In most areas 1996/7 prices were still below those of 1991.

3) Again, 1993 prices were well below those of 1991.

Do some research into bands of flats of a similar size and type in the neighbourhood. If you find any in Band C go back to the VOA.

sm82

Thanks for the advice. Some information however like 1991 sale prices aren't available to us . i know you can look through old newspaper records but they can be a pain to get hold of( I read somewhere that the Voa have access to this info?). I will look further into it, however once they have stated that they aren't going to change the band, you can't ask for a second review can you ?

lincroft1710

sm82 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. Some information however like 1991 sale prices aren't available to us . i know you can look through old newspaper records but they can be a pain to get hold of( I read somewhere that the Voa have access to this info?). I will look further into it, however once they have stated that they aren't going to change the band, you can't ask for a second review can you ?

VOA do have 1991 sale prices.

If you can provide evidence such as similar flats in Band C as I suggested in my previous post or similar flats for sale in 1991 at Band C prices or even bottom Band D (asking prices are likely to be higher than sale prices) then you could ask for a second review.

ahar_2

Had a letter today from a solicitor says that they had successfully challenged the band for a neighbour and seeking our permission to try and challenge our banding for 30% of the refund.

Anyone used one of these firms ? It looks a bit dodgy to me, everyone on our road with a house (there are a few flats) is the same band and we've been in the place 7months so I guess we're outside the time limit.