Council Tax Rebanding SUCCESS stories

Ranklin

Local Borough Council: Rotherham MBC
Council Tax Band Before: B
Council Tax Band After: A
Amount refunded: £550
Annual saving going forward: £200

Our house was rebuilt in 2003 (we moved in in July 2007) and prior to that had been in Band A. I phoned the VOA and they took a few details then wrote to me to advise me that they were happy with the banding. :mad:

I was astounded considering that virtually all the other houses on our (large) housing estate were in band A with exception of all but one of the newly built houses in our little area. In fact, most of the other houses, built about 5 years before ours, were larger with bigger gardens.:shocked:

I then wrote a very long detailed letter advising why I thought we should be in Band A, along with photos from Google Earth demonstrating house sizes. The VOA sent out an assessor and we received a letter advising of the rebanding. They are also looking at all the other houses in our area, so I think my neighbours owe me a pint. :beer:
Incidentally, the council then tried to include the refund in my current annual bill but I let them know in no uncertain terms that I wanted the refund and they agreed to send. Just waiting for the cheque now and very pleased with myself.:T

So don't be put off if they say they're happy with the banding, make the effort. It's worth it.:money:

lincroft1710

littlesaint wrote: »

I'm wondering whether it is worth me doing this. On our street most of the properties are terraced houses and are banded D or above. But five properties have been converted into two flats, including ours. Six of these flats are in band B and four (including ours) is band C. The other band C flats are end of terrace and are significantly bigger than ours. Of the six in band B, four flats are the same size as our - they are both conversions like are ours and have a similar sized extension judging from Google Maps. That makes them at least a one bedroom flat like ours, if not bigger. None of them are our immediate neighbours (they are all unconverted houses) - does this matter? They are only about ten doors down. Would this be enough information to put a convincing case to Wandsworth Council or would I have to gather more information about number of rooms of other properties / valuations etc. Thanks in advance.

It is the Valuation Office Agency you should approach, not your council.

As there seems to be similar properties with different bands, this is a good enough reason to ask for a band review. Of course it could be that Band C is correct and those in B are either smaller or in the wrong band, but unless you ask you won't find out.

lhames

Cornwall Council
Prevoius Band B
New Band A


Most of our neighbours were paying a lower rate of council tax. After my initial enquiry I was told that our higher band was due to our house size. After pointing out that our house was identical in size to all the others in our row we were regraded as an A.

As we have been here 7 years we got a rebate of £960.

Great result - thanks!!!

martin252

Local Borough Council: Tandridge
Council Tax Band Before: H
Council Tax Band After: G
Amount refunded: £5528
Annual saving going forward: £507

I checked neigbours and similar houses close by - they are all individual houses but Estate Agents details from sales showed them to be the same or bigger/better accomodation but one band lower. Put my case to the VOA mid-march and received my Council Tax refund (back-dated to 1993) today !

Thanks to Martin Lewis - What a result!!!!

kate48

Local Borough Council: Poole
Council Tax Band Before: B
Council Tax Band After: A
Amount refunded: £397.90
Annual saving going forward: £120.84

The refund covers the 3.5 years since I moved in. The annual saving isn't huge, but that's on top of the single resident discount I get.

Thanks Martin, I am one happy bunny, especially since it only took a ~5 minute phone call!!

refie999

Salford
Band D now
Band C
I live in a cul-de-sac of eight houses the house facing me is identical to mine the others differ slightly. I dicovered my neighbour in the house facing was band C, a few phone calls one letter and a refund of £1200 easy peasy!
Thanks Martin

ashww

just done this for my dad

Local Borough Council: kirklees
Council Tax Band Before: F
Council Tax Band After: E
Amount refunded: £5000ish (not got yet, but he's lived there since the 70's)
Annual saving going forward: £310

ash .

Peevedoff_3

Last year I tried to get my council tax reduced.Partly because I suspect that I have always been in the wrong band and also due to the building of a new power station nearby,which is very noisy and makes it diff:(icult to get to sleep,especially in the summer months.I even went to tribunal over it but lost,much to my shock as I thought that I had a good case.Now one of my neighbours houses,5 bedrooms,is for sale at £380,000and not selling.It was up for sale a couple of years ago for £495,000.I feel very let down by the system and cannot wait for the revaluing and hope for some justice then.

PamVegas

Local council: Liverpool
Original band: E
New band: D
Amount repaid: approx £225 due, not recieved yet
Annual saving now: £300

MOved in last August into close with only 8 houses, 6 banded D, one of which identical house to mine. Filled in online form day before being in the house six months and recieved rebanding notification this week. I had worried they would increase the neighbours banding but as they moved into the property after us I thought they may have thought theirs had been banding wrongly to begin with ;-)

lucia85

can anyone tell me where i can find actual sale prices for 1009-1991 as everytime i send off my request they tell me i need to send actual sale prices but after investigating iv found out they are infact the only ones who hold this information..been going on since dec 10.