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

bye_bye_band_G

Barnyard, any tribunal you could go to would only be to determine if you have a valid appeal, not to determine if your banding is correct.
And as you are clearly over the 6 months and nothing else ie physical, has changed, you don't have a valid appeal.

But it is true, all is not lost, your way forward is to ask the VOA for a re-assessment of your banding. They will do this as they have a duty to keep the list accurate. The only thing is, you can't appeal against their decision. But it's better than nothing, and its how I achieved my reduction.

But tread carefully, if your house sold for 80,000 in 1993 (and the VOA will be aware of this), it could conceivably have been worth over 88,000 in 1991, as there was a falling market at that time. 88,000 places it in band E, so be careful they don't put you up instead of down.

winnie8art

According to the Exeter Valuation Office, they will not consider any claims if you've lived in the property since 1991 and didn't appeal by 30th November 1993 - according to them this is the law!

bye_bye_band_G

winnie8art wrote:

According to the Exeter Valuation Office, they will not consider any claims if you've lived in the property since 1991 and didn't appeal by 30th November 1993 - according to them this is the law!

By 'claims' they may mean 'appeals', and that's correct. But when my appeal was (correctly) deemed invalid, the letter from the VOA included the following-
'However I note your dissatisfaction with the banding of your property and I will review it to make sure that it is fair and consistent. If you have any evidence that you would like me to consider as part of this review please send it to me as soon as possible. I would advise you that there is no right of appeal against my decision.'

This is not an appeal, its a re-assessment or a review. Ask for one. It can, and does work.

danman2k

hi all, im new here. i would like some help. im trying to reband my house from b to a. the listing officer says im am in the right band as similar properties were sold at band b prices at the time(1991), i assume this must be the willing vendor rule. however i found in the library from old advertisements similar properties advertised at band a prices, i assume this is the open market rule. can ne1 give some advice please as the listings officer wont budge because of other failed tribunals in the area.

stephanieandrobert

gb39 wrote:

The original article is wrong in saying that there is no legal basis for the "6 months rule". New occupiers can appeal against the banding only within 6 months of moving into occupation of a property. These appeals are to the VOA and a Valuation Tribunal, and the Council is not involved. The Council is involved in discounts/voids/renovations etc.

However, the way round the 6 month rule is not to appeal - that would just be dismissed as invalid. The technique, if you think the banding is wrong, is to contact the Listing Officer (VOA) and explain why you think the list is wrong annd then remind him/her of their statutory duty to maintain the "quality of the list". If you can convince them it is wrong, then they have a statutory duty to put it right.

hi i got a letter stating the 6 month rule so i have replied back with a valid reason the the house 2 doors away is the same and we are a band d and they are a band c - any information would be helpful, we will in wallasey merseyside

stephanieandrobert

hi i got a letter back stating the 6 month rule but the house 2 doors away is band c and we are in band d just awaiting a reply from listing officer, any help would be appreciated, do you know how i can contact people on the forum from wallasey merseyside

hk_chick

fred_flower wrote:

When I try the link I just get a blank page. Please can you check and confirm the link.

Thanks

yes, I tested the link before I posted it. Have just tried it from your quote - still no problems

it's from MSN money if thats any help? it just came up on their main page when I logged out of hotmail yesterday...

barbarella

With all the Council Tax talk in the air, does anyone else feel that the whole basis for the tax bands is a nonsense!! Why should your cost for Local services be determined by the value of your house?
Surely it should be governed by the number of working adults who live in the house?
I know this has the ring of the dreaded Poll Tax about it, but if that had been brought in correctly in the first place and set at a reasonable level, it really was the most logical system.
Just because you have a large house doesn’t mean that you get more street lighting, rubbish collections etc than someone with a smaller house.

Also why do single people only get a 25% reduction? It should be 50% to be fair.

jules7_2

Hi,

I am a wheelchair user and we had some modifications made to our property when we moved in in 2001 - we knocked 2 bedrooms into one to give more space for the wheelchair, had an adapted ensuite bathroom built and numerous other changes. I have always claimed a disabled reduction on my council tax, but still think that the property should be a band lower anyway. Does anyone know if I was to apply for a re-banding on the disabled modifications issue and if that was successful , can I still claim a disabled reduction to my council tax as well? Because if not there would not seem to be much point.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

CIS

You will get both, the disabled band relief is a modififcation to the banded rating of the house.

If the banded rating is reduced, the disabled band relief will reduce your council Tax down to the next band.