Council Tax Rebanding SUCCESS stories

Sussexmum_2

Local Borough Council: Mid Sussex
Council Tax Band Before: G
Council Tax Band After: F
Amount refunded: £2029
Annual saving going forward: £ 300

Thank you so much. I had absolutely no idea that I could even check the bands until I saw this site. All the other houses in our road are band F (4 are identical to ours!). My first letter was met with a polite refusal but we phoned to ask for an explanation and were told to write in again. 6 weeks later we get confirmation of the change. Plus the previous owners are also due money back as well!

It took 2 letters and 2 phone calls and about 2 months to sort - well worth it!!

Thank you so much!!!

lincroft1710

Dandylion4 - until you complete the form, VOA probably won't look at your banding. They usually send out forms for a reason and there is nothing sinister about such a request.

dandylion4

Thank you. Will complete the form and let everyone know the outcome.

alona1

I made one phone call 6 weeks ago. Received a letter yesterday to say that they agreed I should be reduced from a Band C to a Band B. They have sent confirmation to the council so just waiting for my rebate, will update once I know how much this is...


Thanks Martin!

Local Borough Council: Rochdale
Council Tax Band Before: C
Council Tax Band After: B
Amount refunded: just over £400 (for 3 years)
Annual saving going forward: £150+

reinmansmith

We have just received £2300 back from our council after following Martin's great tips....... thanks Martin I owe you!

We moved into our farmhouse 8yrs ago when we bought the famouse and some land and the previous owner kept the barns to convert with other land. We queried the fact that the council tax band was kept the same although the property had been split and were told it was correct. It was only after reading Martin's article that I began checking and found that my neighbour's converted barn (which is larger than my farmhouse) was in the band lower than ours, band D instead of E. I was originally told that it was too late to query the banding but followed Martin's advice and insisted they had a legal duty as there was clearly an error and I am now much better off and will continue to be £300 a year better off in the future.

fizzlebottom

Council Tax Banding.

Using the links on Martin's web site I searched properties on my road and discovered a house 7 doors away with a lower tax band and dated 'effective 1st April 1993. Encouraged by the posting on here I made the telephone call to VOA and only had to answer very basic questions, Do you have a garage/outbuildings How many rooms upstairs/downstairs/how many bathrooms. Have been told they will look into my case and will get back to me! Two minute phone call, very helplful, I'll just keep my fingers crossed that I get a positive response.

mummyfrugal

Local Borough Council: Pendle Council
Council Tax Band Before: D
Council Tax Band After: C
Amount refunded: yet to find out!!! yay should be around 800 pounds
Annual saving going forward: 174.07

Thank you sooooooo much moneysavingexpert.com. I moved in with b/f and found out he been paying wrong band for approx 10 years (both neighbours pay the lower band and even the 4 bedroom houses paid band C).

Didnt think we'd get the band changed or it would be hassle. It was simple and easy and the person from the VOA was absolutely lovely on the phone. In less than a month from ringing we got a letter saying our council tax has been rebanded which is a great saving as we pay full council tax.

Dont be put off, just about half an our of following the instructions from this site has saved us 174 quid each year and possibly 800 quid refund....... its one of those moments that are almost too good to be true.....

Blackdog

Was band F now band E which will save me over £300 per year. Sent one letter, filled out the form I was sent and then I had a visit from the valuation office. The whole thing from start to finish took one month.

Thanks Martin and Moneysavingexpert, excellent result.:j

Dibbles1960

East Dorset District Council
Previous Band: F
New Band: E
Refund Amount: £2648 + £350 saving this year
Future Saving: £350 + per year (approx 20%)


I was disabled after being hit by a drugged driver, on the Wessex Way in Bournemouth, Dorset, in 1995 whilst riding my motorbike.:(

So when I received my Personal Injury payout in 2000 I bought a large spacious bungalow.:p

I did not notice the Banding F, when I bought it, nor did I know that I could appeal this banding, when after moving in, I got the notification and thought it rather expensive. I do have a 'Brain and Spinal Injuries' so life is hard enough anyway!!

Recently, I found out that my Solicitor, my hospital Dr's and the Defendant's solicitors, had done some kind of deal to cover up a 'Syrinx' on my spine that had been found, which was caused by the accident. (Due to fear of being sued for negligence I should imagine.):mad:

This meant that my husband would not have the required funds to look after me in the future, as after being told I was fine, that everything had been checked and I would not get anything wrong with me in the future from the accident, I had settled out of court. I was not 'in it for the money' and had just wanted to make sure I was compensated for future losses, income and care costs etc.:(

Suddenly, my worst fears are materialised and I am likely to become paraplegic or quadraplegic, in my future.:(

After the feelings of being 'mortified' passed, I was left feeling angry.:mad:

I have lost all faith in humanity, and now trust No One, after being positive and very trusting all my life.

I then realised that I had to cut costs, but where to start?

We don't have a lot of money and don't 'go out' or overspend.

Then I remembered your programme, about the Council Tax overcharging and how I felt that our bungalow was in the wrong band.

But I live on the Woolsbridge Road, in the St Leonards, St Ives, and Ashley Heath area of Ringwood, in Hants.
All the properties are vastly different, in size style and age, as well as value.

I put in a request for re-banding to Band E, but some of my information was wrong, I had been told that my home was built in 1991. This was turned down.

I then dug out the plans and found the bungalow was first sold for £121,000 in 1993 and was Brand New, and would have had a 'New Build Premium', which I believe is usually in the region of 15%. So should have been Band E.

I did the 'backtracking' on the valuation websites from the price I paid for it in 2000, and found that whichever way you looked at it, the value in 1991 would have been in Band E.

Then I went to all the Ringwood Estate Agents and asked for details of similar priced and sized bungalows, all of which were on larger plots, the original plots all being 1/3rd of an acre, so all worth more.
Every single one of them was in Band E, and there were dozens!!

Then I wrote a letter again asking to have my appeal looked at again.

I also included other major facts that the property opposite had become a Busy Doctor's surgery, with all the increase in traffic and parking issues that go along with such a business.

As well as this I included the fact that my road had become much busier from 2000 onwards due to the introduction of the 'Sat Nav'.

This was all included in a new application and a young man came round.

He took photos of the obviously larger plots and more impressive bungalows that were Band E that surround my property.

He noted how busy the road was now and took photos of the busy surgery and also my bungalow.

One week later I got a letter.

This states that my property has been rebanded from November 2000 to Band E. :T

After finding out that I am going to suffer so badly and being 'sold out' by my Solicitor to the tune of at least £500,000, it is surprising how winning one little battle can make you feel so happy!!:j
Thank You!
Debbie Ann Kendall

Blackdog

Well done Debbie, I am pleased that this has worked out well for you. Have you done the other moneysaving things like change utility company? I am going to do that next now that I have the bug for this money saving. Good luck.