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

passion-flower_2

Hello everyone. I have a slightly complex question which I'm hoping that someone will be able to help with. I'm new so please bear with me if I'm asking in the wrong place.

I am looking at my council tax band for my home which we bought in Aug 14. It is Band E at present. If I put the value into the Nationwide House Price Index calculator it suggests that it should be Band D. The calculator in the article however varies depending on whether I put in the value or the purchase price. The flat was valued at 175k, but we bought it for 165k. Which is the value that I should use? Valuation was in March last year but purchase was in August.

I have checked on the neighbours, but most of the flats are different to ours (they are single storey and we have a duplex) - the nearest equivalent I can find is band D.

TL;DR - should I use purchase price or valuation price to check for correct banding?

Rubysunshine

Hi all. Looking for some advice. Our neighbours and us live in semi detached bungalows, with no other houses in the street being similar. So the neighbour check fails as we are in the same band. However we have a two bedroom bungalow with no garden in a higher band, than all the other houses in the street and surrounding roads, which are 3/4 bedrooms, with large gardens, garages etc.

Looking at the 91 valuation, it was also over valued.

Should we appeal?

Many thanks for your comments

lincroft1710

Try and find some other 2 bed bungalows in the area and check their bands. If the houses are pre 1910, it is not unusual for these to be in a low band.

Grumpy_auld_yin

Does anyone in Scotland have an idea of how long is reasonable to the valuation board ? we have now been waiting 15 months for a valuation to be made on our "time barred " appeal . They admit a duty to re-assess but are dragging their heels in my opinion .
Thanks.
John

Erlang

Hi
We bought our current house in May 1991 for 53350, based on a surveyors report stating the value was 52000. Our street has about 31 houses built in 1930's of various types; 3 semi's, 4 bed detached, 5 bed detached. they are built, in pairs or fours of a style and type, so difficult to compare like with like in the whole street.

When Council Tax was introduced the whole street was banded as D.
We appealed at the time, giving both the survey report and the sale documents, and we were re-banded to C.

24 years later the VOA informed us and the council that we are now band D. I spoke to the council who say it's out of their hands and I need to appeal online, giving the evidence again, but that we might not succeed.

In my view, the April 1991 value still stands as we are still the owner and no sale has taken place.

Am I on the right track?

Thanks

lincroft1710

Erlang wrote: »

Am I on the right track?

Yes .

lawrence88

Hi, if anyone has further advice. I have encountered a hard nosed VOA officer who dismisses Brandon Lewis' directive saying it applies only to billing authorities, dismisses the fact other like homes are in a lower band and says she has made her decision and I have NO right of appeal to anyone. Where should I go from here? Thanks for any advise given.

lincroft1710

Brandon Lewis's directive cannot overrule Council Tax legislation, so the VOA are perfectly correct to ignore it.

You could complain, follow the instructions in this link

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/valuation-office-agency/about/complaints-procedure

lawrence88

Hi Lincroft1710, thanks for reply, so are you saying Martin's advice in regard to this is of no use anyone?

lincroft1710

CT legislation states appeals have to be made within 6 months, VOA have to follow legislation, so they cannot have regard to a MP's letter which has no backing in law.

Brandon Lewis did his credibility no favours by sending the letter to local councils who are in no way connected with the VOA.