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

lincroft1710

Usually councils automatically either refund any overpaid CT, or credit the current year's account with the amount of overpayment.

Handsoff_2

Okay, the calculator goes back to 1991 as that is when they started the Band system. The property I live in is a new build estate of around 100 houses that was built in 1995, do I still qualify? If I was to look at surrounding properties in my Village, all the other properties are traditional houses.

Lemonbarrow

Hi I am a newbie here, I have been advised by a friend that I can claim a discount on my council tax as my brother is a university student and still living with me. I also have two nephews under the age of 18 living in the same household. I cant seem to find any previous forums discussing a refund or a claim for discount for having a university or full time student living in your house. Has anybody been successful in applying and also claiming from previous years?as my brother has been at uni for almost 4 years.

lincroft1710

Handsoff wrote: »

do I still qualify?

Do you still qualify for what?

If you have lived in your home for less than 6 months you can formally appeal the band. If more than 6 months you write and ask for a band review with a plausible reason why you think the band is incorrect. Without a reason a request is more or less automatically turned down.

lincroft1710

Lemonbarrow wrote: »

I cant seem to find any previous forums discussing a refund or a claim for discount for having a university or full time student living in your house.

There have been 2 threads this week on this or a similar subject on the "Cutting Tax" forum. Can't remember the outcome, though.

starsky78

Firstly, my thanks to MSE for the advice re. council tax rebanding. It was a great help and integral to me getting my small one-bedroom flat in Cardiff rebanded from a C to a B.

For those of you thinking about requesting for a rebanding, the process was fairly straightforward. I simply asked for a re-evaluation from the VOA and, since I am currently overseas and not able to give an inspector access to the property, and because it is currently on the market to be sold and dimensions, etc. are listed on my estate agent's website, the inspector simply reviewed the listing and adjusted the banding accordingly. VOA then informed Cardiff County Council who adjusted my then-current bill taking into account my new banding plus overpayments from previous years.

The only issues that I have now is whether I have been refunded the correct amount and the period over which the refund covers. I'm not convinced that Cardiff County Council have their figures correct so have asked them for historical rates dating back to 2002 when I purchased the property. Also, VOA have told me they can only back-date by 6 years, which appears to be contrary to the article on MSE.com. Has anybody had a full refund and/or does anyone know which piece of legislation VOA are relying on for their 6 year limit?

Thanks.

vivatifosi

Handsoff wrote: »

Okay, the calculator goes back to 1991 as that is when they started the Band system. The property I live in is a new build estate of around 100 houses that was built in 1995, do I still qualify? If I was to look at surrounding properties in my Village, all the other properties are traditional houses.

Handsoff, as Lincroft says, you qualify if you have lived in your house less than six months. More than six months you can still appeal though.

In terms of the 1995 thing, my house was built in 1994 and the rest of the estate was built 1995, so similar circumstances. There had already been two unsuccessful appeals here and so my initial request for a reband was turned down. However as I'd lived here under six months I went to tribunal and won. The winning opened a new six month window for residents to appeal which they did, were also turned down and took it to tribunal and also won. The whole of this estate and two other local estates have been rebanded as a result.

The key thing is to structure a meaningful reason for appeal. I found a new estate that was on the market in 1991 and compared all of the bands with that. Going back through the local papers on the microfilm in the local library is a good way of accessing such info.

lincroft1710

starsky78 wrote: »

The only issues that I have now is whether I have been refunded the correct amount and the period over which the refund covers. I'm not convinced that Cardiff County Council have their figures correct so have asked them for historical rates dating back to 2002 when I purchased the property. Also, VOA have told me they can only back-date by 6 years, which appears to be contrary to the article on MSE.com. Has anybody had a full refund and/or does anyone know which piece of legislation VOA are relying on for their 6 year limit?

Thanks.

What is the effective date for the Band B?

Peter333

I have a question: what if you appeal, and find out that your banding is too low?

Would you the owe the council potentially 1000s of pounds?

lincroft1710

Peter333 wrote: »

I have a question: what if you appeal, and find out that your banding is too low?

Would you the owe the council potentially 1000s of pounds?

No. Band increases are not retrospective.