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

guppy

staro30 wrote:

I have emailed the relevant date and I am in two minds whether to complete the form as we have recently added a conservatory and shed.

Any advice on what I should do next?

The value of anything you have added yourself since 1993 wouldn't be taken in to account unless someone else purchased your house.

Anyway, sheds and conservatorys add minimal value, especially at 1991 prices.

Maisie

barnyard wrote:

I have read most of the posts on this topic (eyes are spinning as a result) and I have not come across anyone who has actually attended a tribunal hearing. Has anyone gone to one? I would be interested to hear any experiences.

Cheers
Barnyard.

I do remember reading on this thread of a lady who went to a tribunal and was mighty glad that she did. Said they had photos of her house and had included half the house next door. Also part of the neighbour's garden was included in her garden measurements making it look bigger. Pages around 9-12 I believe. I think she won her appeal.
She said if she hadn't been there she wouldn't have known of the mistakes and would have accepted their verdict.

I'll see if I can find the post number.

Maisie

guppy

barnyard wrote:

I have not come across anyone who has actually attended a tribunal hearing. Has anyone gone to one? I would be interested to hear any experiences.

Have a look at the case reports here:

http://info.valuation-tribunals.gov.uk/Decision_query.asp?Mode=1

Bear in mind if you're out of time to appeal the Tribunal will not even consider the value. Only whether the VO are correct in deciding your appeal is invalid.

CIS

This year I am leaving the UK for Australia and leaving my student son in my house, because it will cheaper for him. I have been informed that he will still have to pay council tax as if I am living with him because I am not paying council tax elswhere in the UK. His legal document from the University states he is exempt from council tax. Anyone know where I can go from here please?
Mazz

You will only be classed as resident if the property is your 'sole or main residence', if your 'sole or main residence' is abroad and you only return on holidays then you are not liable for any council tax on the property.

Do you have an intention to return to live or will your main residence remain in Australia ?

guppy

mike_the_bike wrote:

Bought house in may 1993 Band E and lived in it continuously paying council tax

The 1993 price will be lower than 1991 as the market was falling. Its still very good evidence though as to what the value might have been at 1991. Check the Nationwide calculator.

The work you have done since 1993 would not be taken in to account while you own the house so don't worry about that.

Maisie

barnyard wrote:

I have read most of the posts on this topic (eyes are spinning as a result) and I have not come across anyone who has actually attended a tribunal hearing. Has anyone gone to one? I would be interested to hear any experiences.

Cheers
Barnyard.

I'm still looking for the post where the lady went to tribunal but came across Hitesh's post #297 Page 8. He went to tribunal and lost as he didn't have enough evidence.
So be well prepared.

David Harrison post #212 on 5 January is the person who won his case got a rebate and INTEREST.

marie_hc

question I know silly. Have you have to be still residing in your house that you were overcharged in????

nhp

Can anyone help me please?
I moved into my house 2 months ago. The house has been improved since 1991, so I think the banding is lower than it should be. I've just had a letter from a local VO saying that they want to re-evaluate my banding. Do they have a right to do this? Do I have a right to say I don't want them to?
Any advice appreciated thanks!

eljace

For your info: My partner and I are very much in the same boat as yourselves, and don't get any help. When the council notified us of the next years rent rise I found out from a next door neighbour that she was only paying £5 a month more than us. This neighbour has a drive, her bathroom and kitchen was upgraded after the last tennant who moved out, a matter of a few months prior to the new rent year. I wrote to the council and pointed out that the rent difference didn't justify the difference in the condition between the two.

I had found out from another neighbour that the house that we had moved into had never been upgraded since the late seventies. So you can imagine what style the kitchen units were..

The council sent the Clerk of works to take a look at the kitchen and with one look we were granted a new kitchen and a grant in which to decorate.

I have found that we may not get what all the others are getting. I for one will always try other ways for us to save money as I asked the joiner who put the kitchen in as to roughly how much it would have cost me to do it and he said that it would have been in the region of £2000. So to us we made a saving.......Hope that this long story inspires you...... and keep up the fight for those of us that don't get benifits. :beer:

Penguinloz

nhp wrote:

Can anyone help me please?
I moved into my house 2 months ago. The house has been improved since 1991, so I think the banding is lower than it should be. I've just had a letter from a local VO saying that they want to re-evaluate my banding. Do they have a right to do this? Do I have a right to say I don't want them to?
Any advice appreciated thanks!

Yes they do, as the property was improved by the previous owners and current legislation states that they can review a banding after improvements to a property when the people who did the work move out. You can say you don't want them to but they have a statutory duty to keep a fair and accurate list- it doesn't necessarily mean its going to go up, depends what the improvements were. give them a ring and they will tell you more