Council Tax Band

Lozziehotlips_2

After reading Martin's money saving tips regarding wrong Council Tax Bands, I checked the VOA website to see which band my house has been registered as. I noted that my property is registered in Band D but that my council have been charging me for Band E. Is there any possibility that the VOA have it wrong and the council have it right? If the counciul does not have it right what should I do to start getting my money back as I have obviously ovepaid for years now. :mad:

scottishblondie

The VOA sets the band, so the council would be wrong AFAIK. Double check with the VOA first, maybe write to them and get written proof that your property is band D, and then write to your council tax office with a copy of that proof and request repayment of the overpayments.

lincroft1710

Some years ago when I was working at VOA, because of the software used in certain circumstances the computer would show an "historic" band as the current band rather than the true current band. I seem to think this occurred if, for a period in the past there was a retrospective band reduction for a short time, but the details of this were not input at the date this happened.

I'm sorry if the above doesn't seem logical, but I didn't understand it that well at the time and my memory of this isn't that great.

Otherwise this is most unusual as the info is supplied to the council by VOA is literally a copy of the VOA info. AFIAA, there is no way the council and VOA would have same property in 2 different bands.

CIS

I have seen the odd case where the official band and the band charged have been different (a glitch which was rectified) but the bands on our system and those the VOA are checked on a fairly regular basis to ensure that they match that held by the VOA and every property adjustment is reconciled against the notification from the VOA to ensure it matches.

I would assume most councils do the same as they need the correct number of properties in each band when setting each years council tax charges.

CIS

As an afterthought...

Does your council tax bill show any disabled band reduction on the property ? (it could have been left on from a previous occupier).

A Disabled Band Reduction has the effect of reducing the council tax charge by one band as far as the council tax calculation is concerned (the VOA would still show the un-adjusted band).

scottishblondie

CIS wrote: »

As an afterthought...

Does your council tax bill show any disabled band reduction on the property ? (it could have been left on from a previous occupier).

A Disabled Band Reduction has the effect of reducing the council tax charge by one band as far as the council tax calculation is concerned (the VOA would still show the un-adjusted band).

Wouldn't that mean that the inconsistency would be the other way round tho? Ie that the council would be charging for D when the property is listed as band E, rather than the charge being E and the band D?

CIS

Wouldn't that mean that the inconsistency would be the other way round tho? Ie that the council would be charging for D when the property is listed as band E, rather than the charge being E and the band D?

It would - I misread which way round the bands were being charged.

Lozziehotlips_2

Thank you all for your replies. Your input has been very useful.