Council Tax Rebanding SUCCESS stories

emilyx78

west oxfordshire, oxfordshire
band d before
band c now
awaiting confimation (got the phone call yesterday)
annual saving £200

Just had to post this and say thankyou martin! I have to be honest it was a bit of a battle but I stuck with it... got a phone call yesterday to say we have been rebanded, and should get our refund of about £600 by the end of april, just in time to help pay for our wedding in august, so really wanted to say thanks.

your an angel :A

emily x

siansilver

Canterbury City Council
Band C before
Band B after
£357 on its way, backdated from 2003
Annual saving £145

I had no problems at all in being re-banded. Having established from the VOE website that I was the only Band C in a street of Band B's, I wrote a letter and was told within a month that I had been rebanded to a B. No arguing, quibbling or fighting! Canterbury City Council then sent me next year's bill with the amount I was owed taken off the bill. I rang them and said this wasn't acceptable and I wanted a refund now - and they agreed to credit my bank account immediately.

All in all a reasonably trouble-free process and a HUGE Thank You to Martin and this site as the money has made a huge difference towards my financial recovery plan!

lindypop

Local Borough Council: South Kesteven District Council
Council Tax band before: C
Council Tax band after: B

Just had confirmation that my house has been rebanded. Appeal originally sent to Local Valuation Office in Lincoln who said it was unable to accept it as a valid proposal to challenge the valuation band and it was therefore an invalid proposal. Made an 'Appeal against notice of invalid proposal', stating the purchase price of this property in 1994 and details of a larger property just up the road which was a band C. Received another letter from Lincoln saying that they still believed my proposal was invalid but would send papers to the Clerk of the local Valuation Tribunal. Then received another letter from Lincoln saying my case was still invalid as it was over the 6 months appeal time from becoming the taxpayer and if I withdraw my appeal, my case would be looked at on a local office report and I would hear within two months. This I did. One month later and I received a letter saying that the band is to be reduced from C to B on 12th March. Today I received another letter reaffirming the lower banding and giving the reason as 'It has been necessary to correct an inaccuracy in the Valuation List, caused for example, by clerical or valuation error'. Thanks Martin

Sambob_3

Local Borough Council :West Berks Council
Council Tax Band Before: C
Council Tax Band After: B
Amount refunded: 530.00
Annual saving going forward: 120.00

Started the process back in November, Local Valuations Office in Reading were very helpful and agreed we were on the wrong band. Council eventually sent us a cheque after 3 months of chasing up, backdated to our moving in date in 2003.
Thanks a million Martin !!!

Keoking

Local Borough Council: Hyndburn
Council Tax Band Before: C
Council Tax Band After: B
Amount refunded: None yet but waiting (see below)
Annual saving going forward: £160/year

Started the ball rolling last year but was rejected for a downgrade. A bit more research and found out that the house next door was made a "B" from a "C" when it was sold. Re-submitted saying what I'd found and result!!!!!! Downgraded and back-dated to 1993. I reckon they owe me £1513 (+ interest???) over the last 14 years.

tonykempster

Local Council: York
Band before: F
Band after: E
Amount to be refunded: £2,112. 59
Saving for 2007/08: £260

Followed the instructions on moneysaving expert. One call to the valuation office after comparing our banding to our neighbours and the letter arrived this morning saying we had been reduced from band F to band E with effect from 1st April 1996.

Does anyone know if interest is added or can be added to this amount. If so, and assuming a compound 5% over the past 11 years, the amount to be repaid could increase to £2,760.

suse.e

I am simply amazed. Followed through as instructed, providing documentary evidence by way of photographs and things I had printed from the websites as recommended. Four weeks later, I have been downbanded and am looking forward to £1357.93 being transferred to my bank account. Thank you so much. My advice to anyone thinking of challenging is go for it! Half an hours work on the computer, thats all it takes. :T

birchy1

:j http://img.moneysavingexpert.com/smilies/sport-smiley-001.gif
:j

I have been informed that my banding has been reduced from F to E.

I have contacted the local authority, Sefton, (the worst most reviled council in Britain )who say they have not as yet received information from VOA. They have said that refunding can take up to 4 weeks.

I have done a guesstimate of what I am going to get back based on last years council tax which was a difference of £286.

Assuming a increase of 10% year on year I have calculated that I should receive £2074.

Are we entitled to the CONSIDERABLE amount of interest that this money would have earned over the years?

I also contacted UNITED UTILITIES to see whether I am entitled to a refund of 13 years of overpayment of water / sewage charges (which are based on rateable value) I was told that they do not use banding information they use the OLD method of calculating rates pre 1990 / POLL TAX. Does anyone know if this is correct , or are UU spinning me a yarn to avoid coughing up to me and all other peoploe who have been overcharged for 13 years????

Birchy ( SOUTHPORT LANCASHIRE)

23 / 03 / 07 I have today received details of the refund amount due: £2832.19
Many thanks to Martin Lewis.

lola123_2

After reading the article on the Council Tax Cashback, I checked my own. I was quite shocked to discover that my neighbour, whose house is exactly the same as mine, was a lower council tax band. I wrote a very short letter to my local VOA. I received a reply and completed the form they sent me. Today, I received a telephone call from my local VOA advising me that they agreed with my request to lower my banding to a B from a C and will be refunding any overpayments since I moved into my house. That was 2003 - YIPEE - A big thanks to Martin, and i have told as many people as possible to check their own banding. :money: :j

hk_chick

Local Borough Council: Southend On Sea
Council Tax Band Before: B
Council Tax Band After:A
Amount refunded: ???
Annual saving going forward: ???

I first put my claim in a month ago, it was refused so I appealed and it went to tribunal. I recieved a letter yesterday telling me the tribunal has been found in my favour (back dated to 1993)

I contacted the council to request they re-issue my bill for this year, as it was produced on the same day as the decision, at the same time I requested to be told the difference in price & how much my refund will be for. I was informed that it will be passed for re-caculation & I'll get a new bill issued in a few weeks.....am now on hold to insist they do this before I start paying the new years bill.

so, sucessful in the result, but not yet gained any money back or had adjustment made