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

tarinilie

Boonbetty wrote: »

VOA is refusing to reband my house on the grounds that there is evidence that similar houses were selling for more than £68,001 (Band D) at or around April 1991. There are only eight end of terrace houses like mine on this estate and having perused the archives of one of the local papers I can't find any of them for sale in 1991. The mid terraces are all Band C and the only difference is an end wall plus a side entrance three foot wide.

I have now asked VOA to supply the evidence which they claim to have and they have written to say that I may have to pay for such evidence. Does anyone know if they can do this?

Also can they refer to end of terrace of properties not on this estate as evidence?

I think that's terrible that they are asking you to pay for evidence which they should let you see. I would write to the Group customer service manager.

The office should be transparent with the process of banding houses and provide you with such details.

Perhaps request the info under FOI??

Boonbetty

I did request the information from VOA under the Freedom of Information Act. If the Land Registry is free for the same information then I will definitely do that.

I am fairly certain there won't be any infomation anyway, not for houses the same as mine as there are only eight on this estate like mine. The rest are semis or mid terrace. I have already checked the local paper for 1991 and didn't find any EOT for sale. It should go on actual selling prices and not advertised prices anyway, people always ask a few thousand more than they expect to get, so I don't see how newspaper prices would be accurate if they were available.

The VOA could possibly come up with information on end of terrace houses of a similar age and size at the other end of the village, but as far as I know there are only two, so again it is unlikely. In any case those houses are in the main part of the village so near all the facilities, surely this would make them worth more? Does anyone know how near other houses have to be to be comparable?

I do totally agree that if the VOA claim to have evidence then they should make it available free of charge. They are just being obstructive as I already submitted evidence based on the Nationwide house price index which they totally rubbished. Having read a few posts I can see that this is normally the case.

Maisie

Boonbetty I don't think you need to worry too much about EOT.. I'm EOT and these houses sell for same as mid terrace.

Have the mid terraced ones got extra things that you don't have? All the midterraced ones here have a big bay window giving them more space and EOT just have a flat window.
The mid/t ones also have a path between (for access to the back of house)and the upstairs of the house is built over the path so they get the extra room upstairs the width of the path.
Their downstairs is same size as ours and extra for the bay window. They don't lose out downstairs for having the access path.

I did ask the VOA how they banded this house (not under the FOI act though). They said 'current legislation does not allow them to release the sales evidence used'.

HTH

maisie

Boonbetty

Maisie, the EOT and mid terrace are exactly the same size, the only difference is not being joined one side and a side gate/path three feet wide. I have pointed out that mid terrace are Band C for the same amount of living space only to be told that EOT's sell for more! Just what they are basing this on I have no idea. We have lived here since 1988 and I can say with absolute certainty that five of the eight EOT did not sell in 1991, can't exactly remember about the other three. The mid terraces must have been selling for less than £68,001 at the relevant date as they are all Band C.

They have not as yet told me that current legislation does not allow them to release the sales evidence used. My exact wording to them was that if they have evidence of an EOT house on this estate selling for more than £68,001 at or about April 1991 then I wish to see it under the FOI Act. So far I have had an acknowledgement and the possibility of charging me for the information!

Since earlier post I have looked at the Land Registry site and they are definitely only releasing figures from 2000. If the Nationwide house price index evidence is not acceptable and VOA can't or won't release their sales evidence I seem to have reached an impasse. So much for FOI! I think they should be told to release their evidence so that everyone knows it is above board but don't suppose that will happen.

DocWatson

Hi,

I have done all my research and produced a very good arguement why my property was wrongly banded and why it should be in band E and not F and I have got and reply from the VOA in the form of a "NOTICE OF INVALID PROPOSAL" giving the reason that "you have been occupying the property for more than six months".

This seems ridiculous and I moved to the property in 1994 but how should I answer this?

Big_Banny_3

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=4644783&postcount=917

Bacisally Appeal anyway as this leads you to have to speak to the LIstings Officer.

If your case is good enough then you should get sorted before it goes to tribuneral as they will still give an invalid appeal to your appeal.

DocWatson

Thank you. I must admit I am intimidated by replies from authorities who make up the rules and are the chief source of information about exactly what the rules are. Mere good sense and logic seem inadequate resources to stand up to them.

marcdale

Hi,

I've been through the steps provided to check council tax bandings etc. I have a few questions.

My house was built in 1990 and sold for the first time in 1991 for the value of £46,500. Which puts the house in band B. However the house valuation tool suggested puts my house value at £39,600 for that period. I purchased the house in 1995 for £37,500.

My question is, which value is most appropriate for council tax valuation?

I have a house close by which is similar in construction, but has one more bedroom and is listed as band b the same as mine. Is this normal?

Also, when I check my council for tax bands for my neighbours, I see that the house immediately next to mine (in fact it's the other half that makes mine a terrace house) is not even listed with a band. What's that all about? The house on the other side of is listed, and the house on the other side of my neighbor is listed, just not my neighbour.

My concern is that because of the view from the road, my house looks like one big house, when actually two houses back to back, just built to look like one house. Have they classified me as having one big house?

Zebedeee

marcdale wrote: »

Hi,

I've been through the steps provided to check council tax bandings etc. I have a few questions.

My house was built in 1990 and sold for the first time in 1991 for the value of £46,500. Which puts the house in band B. However the house valuation tool suggested puts my house value at £39,600 for that period. I purchased the house in 1995 for £37,500.

My question is, which value is most appropriate for council tax valuation?

I have a house close by which is similar in construction, but has one more bedroom and is listed as band b the same as mine. Is this normal?

Also, when I check my council for tax bands for my neighbours, I see that the house immediately next to mine (in fact it's the other half that makes mine a terrace house) is not even listed with a band. What's that all about? The house on the other side of is listed, and the house on the other side of my neighbor is listed, just not my neighbour.

My concern is that because of the view from the road, my house looks like one big house, when actually two houses back to back, just built to look like one house. Have they classified me as having one big house?

marcdale,
The actual selling price of a house is what is taken into consideration when the bandings are calculated. The house price indicators are only loose indicators and hold no water with the VOA, so the sale in 1991 is likely the reason for the banding. Quite a lot of fluctuations did take place before and after, in fact many properties lost value after 1991, which would explain your other figures.

As for the lack of a band for you neighbour, I'm afraid I have no idea. Perhaps you could ask the neighbour? Maybe sombody else can help with this one.

As for your house looking like a larger one, it may be a good idea to ask the VOA for the details they hold on your house (I believe they are obliged to tell you) and if needs be get them to come and see.

HTH!

Zebedee

marcdale

Hi,

Thanks very much for the reply.

Can you answer one last question for me before I go away and speak to them. Do you know how the value of council tax is actually made up? I understand there is a Band allocated. But is there any other criteria, like how many bedrooms, how many windows etc. that actually make a monetary value derived the from the original banding?

Thanks once again, great help.