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

lincroft1710

Wildsurf wrote: »

Is it worth appealing?

If there 4 beds of a similar size and type nearby in Band B, then definitely yes.

djrobmac

This is all so confusing

Current band changed when I moved into the property from B to C.

I bought my house in 2006 for 189,000 which when you check back on the nationwide index would put the house value at £64,338 (Band C) in 1991

Looking on Zoopla the house was last sold before my sale in 2001 for £60,000 which when you check back on the nationwide index would put the house value at £40,860 (Band in 1991. Band B at that time was £40,001-£52,000 so its only in the bottom of the nationwide valuation of Band B.

Between 2001 (the last sale before mine) and 2006 (when I moved in) a single story extension was built to match most of the properties on the street.

A vast majority of similar houses on the street with the same size extension are Band B, yet I and a few others are band C (out of 43 bungalows on my street 10 are band C and 33 are band Having just looked down the street all the others that are in band C have loft conversions which I have not or in one exception it is Detached (mine is semi)

All my immediate neighbours are Band B.

Any advice?

lincroft1710

djrobmac wrote: »

This is all so confusing

Current band changed when I moved into the property from B to C.

All my immediate neighbours are Band B.

Any advice?

The trebling of the price between 2001 and 2006 would suggest that extensions and perhaps other work were carried out during this period, which is backed up by the band increase following your purchase.

Those properties which have had extensions but remain in Band B have probably not been sold since the extensions were carried out, so the band cannot be increased.

Even though house price indices are inaccurate, your purchase price in 2006 would suggest Band C is correct.

wallofbeans

I live in the borough of Wandsworth in London and emailed my local office a month or so ago and they said they would look into it.

I just got a letter saying my band has gone from F to E. That was very easy!

Do I have to do anything to get a rebate or will it just show up? I'm annoyed about potentially only getting 7 years worth as we've been here 1998 and are due quite a refund if we could get it all back!

lincroft1710

wallofbeans wrote: »

Do I have to do anything to get a rebate or will it just show up?

Your council will do this automatically.

wallofbeans

Just got a letter with breakdown of refund. It's just over £2,000 but this is not a cheque, just a letter saying we have that amount in credit. Does this mean I won't be getting a cheque? I will have to complain if that is the case...

lincroft1710

wallofbeans wrote: »

Just got a letter with breakdown of refund. It's just over £2,000 but this is not a cheque, just a letter saying we have that amount in credit. Does this mean I won't be getting a cheque? I will have to complain if that is the case...

You can ask them to give you an actual refund rather than credit your account.

jennirose86

Hi Everyone,

I recieved a letter from the Valuation Office saying they have changed our band from a C to a B. "effective from 01-APR-1993" so since we've been in the property since 2010 i thought we'd get some kind of rebate. I called the Council today to be told i will not be getting a rebate and they will just adjust the payments from now onwards. Surely this is wrong, if I have been overpaying since I moved in?

lincroft1710

jennirose86 wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

I recieved a letter from the Valuation Office saying they have changed our band from a C to a B. "effective from 01-APR-1993" so since we've been in the property since 2010 i thought we'd get some kind of rebate. I called the Council today to be told i will not be getting a rebate and they will just adjust the payments from now onwards. Surely this is wrong, if I have been overpaying since I moved in?

Usually where the refund is less than a year's CT payment, councils will credit the account rather than refund. All perfectly legal. You can ask for a refund, if you would prefer it.

loobie

Hi. We are in Band B,along with all but 3 of the properties on our estate. We are a 3 bed mid-terrace, and yet others are up to 4 bed semis and detached properties.


I used the Nationwide price checker. We bought our house in 1998 for £40,000 (itwas bought in May 1998, Q2 and we are in the North) It was valued by the price checker at £37,924 in 1991 Q1. So, by rights, we shouldbe in Band A (Properties up to and including £40,000).

Is this right?

Thank you in advance