Council Tax Rebanding SUCCESS stories

Dibbles1960

Hi Blackdog
I am a bit too tired to do anymore at the moment. But I have also fought the Water Company recently, (Anger must be good for me!) as they had reduced my 'Non return to sewage Allowance' which was 20% down to 12%. I am on a water meter. I won that one too! And got it re-instated and then they actually increased it to 23% and apologised!
I shall have a look at your posts when I have had a kip!
Debbie

nicola1014

I queried my band G with Chiltern District Council as I found my neighbours were on lower bands than me.
CDC did a house visit and found that my square footage was less than their records.
My band was reduced to F and I received £1,004 in backdated overpayments.
The whole process was very easy and quick.

lincroft1710

Nicola - it would have been the Valuation Office Agency (part of HMRC) who would have visited and dealt with your query not the council.

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

Update on the above: Received a cheque this week for just over £1,000 !!! WoW!!! was amazed how quick the refund came. Thanks again!!!!

terrydoctile

Knowsley Council.
I Applied for a reappraisal and was rewarded with a re-banding from C to B.
I have been promised a cheque for £1026.00.
It should have been over £2100.00, but they took the whole of this years council tax bill, even though I was originally paying it monthly.
On checking their re-billing letter, I noticed that they had only refunded back to April 1996 - March 1997, while the original letter from the Valuation Officer re-banded from 1st of April 1993.
When I rang to query this I was told that I could only claim back to April 1996.
Does anyone out there know if I am getting the correct information. Or is this another money saving exercise at taxpayers expense.

CIS

The refund is due back as far as the date of re-valuation however did you live in the property prior to April 1996 ?, if not then any change before then affects the previous occupiers council tax accounts and not yours.

There can be issued regarding the amount to be paid if you were in receipt of any discounts/exemptions or council tax benefit during the re-valuation period.

terrydoctile

Thank you for responding.

I have lived in this house since the eighties, so well before 1993.
I am now suspicious of everyone in authority, I feel I can't trust any of them, which is why I posted this question. (I am now seventy four, so need the money)
Would you say that their calculation of a total of over-payments of 14 years (from 1996 to 2010) would add up to £ 2159.00? (before they deducted this years tax bill)

Incidentally I will take on board what you said in your last post and write a letter requesting the refund to be calculated from 1993.

If I could also impose on you once more.

I have lived alone in this house for 12 years, and I have heard that I should be paying less council tax. Is this true, and can I ask for a refund on this also.
Fortunately, my children and grandchildren live quite near so I am never lonely.

Regards
John

Lucky4_2

Do not give up. I live in a road, in Solihull Council area, which, at the beginning of this year had 108 houses banded 22 F and 86 E Banded. After encouraging folk to ask for reassessment the 108 Houses are now banded 5 F and 103 E Banded. And, anticipate that there could still be some more downward adjustments to come.

CIS

I have lived alone in this house for 12 years, and I have heard that I should be paying less council tax. Is this true, and can I ask for a refund on this also.
Fortunately, my children and grandchildren live quite near so I am never lonely.

A sole occupier is able to claim a 25% single person discount.

In theory the legislation provides no restriction on the time period for backdating however the local authority must be satisfied that any discount they are awarding is correct as they are met by the taxpayer. If you ask for 12 years backadating they will challenge you on the basis that each yer the booklets supplied with the demand notice give you information regarding discounts available and inviting you to claim.

Would you say that their calculation of a total of over-payments of 14 years (from 1996 to 2010) would add up to £ 2159.00? (before they deducted this years tax bill)

It depends on the band charge for each year . You would need to calcualte the difference between what band you were charged and what the lower band charge is. (assuming there's no discount, exemption or council tax benefit involved) .

Over 14 years that would give you an average of £154 p/a band reduction which certainly isn't outside of the realms of possibility'

terrydoctile

CIS wrote: »

Over 14 years that would give you an average of £154 p/a band reduction which certainly isn't outside of the realms of possibility'

Any advice on how to word a letter asking for the band difference refund to be backdated to 1993 instead of 1996?