Council Tax Rebanding SUCCESS stories

Mrstoll3013

They have not provided reasons in second application why they have rejected comparables merely stating not comparable 

lincroft1710

Mrstoll3013 said:

They have not provided reasons in second application why they have rejected comparables merely stating not comparable 

Ask them why they are not comparable. Size? Location? House type?

Caparn

Mrstoll3013 said:

Hi could anyone advise. I telephoned VOA  as after watching  Martin Lewis programme & researched council tax band &  value of house in 1991 was concerned I was in wrong band BandE and believed should be in Band D I received a reply stating we were in correct Band. We purchased our house in November 1997 for £78500 previous owners purchased in 1986 for £35000 therefore I could not understand why the VOA were stating  our house in 1991 was in Band E bracket £88001-£120O00. I then considered houses in the neighbourhood and there were very few in Band E most were Band D I then submitted a proposal application citing more properties and house sale price in 1986 and 1997. I have received a reply again stating I cannot appeal as it was an informal review and properties I have provided (15) they are not comparable which I disagree and the sale prices I have quoted are not close to 1991 yet they are the only two sale prices of the house close to 1991. They state I have to provide evidence no more than two years either side. How can I provide evidence when  I have provided all the evidence. Can anyone provide ideas advice of how I can take this further as far as I am concerned we are in the wrong band and have been since 1997. Any advice would be appreciated 
thank you
Mrs Toll

If you go to the Nationwide House Price Calculator you can get an estimated value for Q2 1991 (1st April 1991).
A price of £78,500 in 1997 Q4 is worth £72,062 in 1991 Q2
A price of £35,000 in 1984 was worth between £59,600 and £65,000 in 1991 Q2
So to me it looks like your house should be in band C or D as it falls well below the £88,001 for band E.
https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about/house-price-index/house-price-calculator
If you can find a similar house in the same area that has a lower banding then that is also a valid argument.
https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands
I would also ask them what evidence they have that shows the house was worth more than £88,000 on the 1st April 1991.

Caparn

lincroft1710 said:

Caparn said:

lincroft1710 said:

Caparn said:

lincroft1710 said:

Caparn said:

I've just had the council tax band on my house changed from Band B to Band A with effect from 01/04/1993.
I'm not sure how much council tax I will get back. I've been living there since 1995 when council tax was about £500 a year it's now about £1400 a year. My question is do they apply interest on the money they owe from years ago or is it just the amount it was back then (25 years ago) when £500 was worth a lot more than £500 is today?

You will receive back the difference between the Band A payment and the Band B payment for each individual year. So if 2019/20 difference was £200, that is what you will receive for that year, if 2018/2019 was £190, then you receive £190, etc, etc.back to the start of the refund.

CT legislation makes no reference to the payment of interest on refunds of overpaid CT, so no interest will be paid.

Thanks lincroft,
That seems unfair, the payments I have made date back to 1995 so theoretically they have been holding onto some of my money since 1995 when £1 back then is worth £2 in todays money.

It may seem unfair to you but that is how refunds work, you are repaid what you overpaid in pure monetary terms. There can be no regard to inflation. Any money a council receives from CT payments will have been spent in either that or the following financial year.

This article suggests writing to the local MP and the Financial Ombudsman Service.
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-1692616/Can-I-get-interest-on-council-tax-refund.html
Has anyone had any success trying to get indexation on the money they are owed?

That article is 11 yrs old.

If an MP writes to the council, I bet they would get the stock reply that the legislation does not provide for repayment of interest, which ironically passes the buck to said MP as they and their colleagues are the only ones who have the power to amend the relevant legislation.  Cannot see the FOS getting involved as a council breaks no rules by not paying interest.

Also a council could be criticised by the auditors for making a payment (i.e. interest) where it was not required by legislation.

You are probably right. If no one has already successfully manage to claim interest for the time they have had your money then I'm not going to bother either. 
I was paid back over £2k for getting my band reduced so it is definitely worth trying to get your band lowered.

lincroft1710

Caparn said:

Mrstoll3013 said:

Hi could anyone advise. I telephoned VOA  as after watching  Martin Lewis programme & researched council tax band &  value of house in 1991 was concerned I was in wrong band BandE and believed should be in Band D I received a reply stating we were in correct Band. We purchased our house in November 1997 for £78500 previous owners purchased in 1986 for £35000 therefore I could not understand why the VOA were stating  our house in 1991 was in Band E bracket £88001-£120O00. I then considered houses in the neighbourhood and there were very few in Band E most were Band D I then submitted a proposal application citing more properties and house sale price in 1986 and 1997. I have received a reply again stating I cannot appeal as it was an informal review and properties I have provided (15) they are not comparable which I disagree and the sale prices I have quoted are not close to 1991 yet they are the only two sale prices of the house close to 1991. They state I have to provide evidence no more than two years either side. How can I provide evidence when  I have provided all the evidence. Can anyone provide ideas advice of how I can take this further as far as I am concerned we are in the wrong band and have been since 1997. Any advice would be appreciated 
thank you
Mrs Toll

If you go to the Nationwide House Price Calculator you can get an estimated value for Q2 1991 (1st April 1991).
A price of £78,500 in 1997 Q4 is worth £72,062 in 1991 Q2
A price of £35,000 in 1984 was worth between £59,600 and £65,000 in 1991 Q2
So to me it looks like your house should be in band C or D as it falls well below the £88,001 for band E.
https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about/house-price-index/house-price-calculator
If you can find a similar house in the same area that has a lower banding then that is also a valid argument.
https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands
I would also ask them what evidence they have that shows the house was worth more than £88,000 on the 1st April 1991.

NWHPC is inaccurate and would only give a rough idea of the 1991 value, VOA won't accept the valuations as good evidence. In any case VOA has details of 99.9% of all the property sales in England and Wales.

Caparn

lincroft1710 said:

Caparn said:

Mrstoll3013 said:

Hi could anyone advise. I telephoned VOA  as after watching  Martin Lewis programme & researched council tax band &  value of house in 1991 was concerned I was in wrong band BandE and believed should be in Band D I received a reply stating we were in correct Band. We purchased our house in November 1997 for £78500 previous owners purchased in 1986 for £35000 therefore I could not understand why the VOA were stating  our house in 1991 was in Band E bracket £88001-£120O00. I then considered houses in the neighbourhood and there were very few in Band E most were Band D I then submitted a proposal application citing more properties and house sale price in 1986 and 1997. I have received a reply again stating I cannot appeal as it was an informal review and properties I have provided (15) they are not comparable which I disagree and the sale prices I have quoted are not close to 1991 yet they are the only two sale prices of the house close to 1991. They state I have to provide evidence no more than two years either side. How can I provide evidence when  I have provided all the evidence. Can anyone provide ideas advice of how I can take this further as far as I am concerned we are in the wrong band and have been since 1997. Any advice would be appreciated 
thank you
Mrs Toll

If you go to the Nationwide House Price Calculator you can get an estimated value for Q2 1991 (1st April 1991).
A price of £78,500 in 1997 Q4 is worth £72,062 in 1991 Q2
A price of £35,000 in 1984 was worth between £59,600 and £65,000 in 1991 Q2
So to me it looks like your house should be in band C or D as it falls well below the £88,001 for band E.
https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about/house-price-index/house-price-calculator
If you can find a similar house in the same area that has a lower banding then that is also a valid argument.
https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands
I would also ask them what evidence they have that shows the house was worth more than £88,000 on the 1st April 1991.

NWHPC is inaccurate and would only give a rough idea of the 1991 value, VOA won't accept the valuations as good evidence. In any case VOA has details of 99.9% of all the property sales in England and Wales.

How do you know they won't accept that as evidence? Cumulatively NWHPC  results combined with their purchase price and similar houses in the area and VOA's lack of knowledge of the valuation in 1991 would be a good case.
There is also the house price calculator on MSE where you also add details about the area your house is in:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/council-tax-bands-change/

lincroft1710

Caparn said:

lincroft1710 said:

Caparn said:

Mrstoll3013 said:

Hi could anyone advise. I telephoned VOA  as after watching  Martin Lewis programme & researched council tax band &  value of house in 1991 was concerned I was in wrong band BandE and believed should be in Band D I received a reply stating we were in correct Band. We purchased our house in November 1997 for £78500 previous owners purchased in 1986 for £35000 therefore I could not understand why the VOA were stating  our house in 1991 was in Band E bracket £88001-£120O00. I then considered houses in the neighbourhood and there were very few in Band E most were Band D I then submitted a proposal application citing more properties and house sale price in 1986 and 1997. I have received a reply again stating I cannot appeal as it was an informal review and properties I have provided (15) they are not comparable which I disagree and the sale prices I have quoted are not close to 1991 yet they are the only two sale prices of the house close to 1991. They state I have to provide evidence no more than two years either side. How can I provide evidence when  I have provided all the evidence. Can anyone provide ideas advice of how I can take this further as far as I am concerned we are in the wrong band and have been since 1997. Any advice would be appreciated 
thank you
Mrs Toll

If you go to the Nationwide House Price Calculator you can get an estimated value for Q2 1991 (1st April 1991).
A price of £78,500 in 1997 Q4 is worth £72,062 in 1991 Q2
A price of £35,000 in 1984 was worth between £59,600 and £65,000 in 1991 Q2
So to me it looks like your house should be in band C or D as it falls well below the £88,001 for band E.
https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about/house-price-index/house-price-calculator
If you can find a similar house in the same area that has a lower banding then that is also a valid argument.
https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands
I would also ask them what evidence they have that shows the house was worth more than £88,000 on the 1st April 1991.

NWHPC is inaccurate and would only give a rough idea of the 1991 value, VOA won't accept the valuations as good evidence. In any case VOA has details of 99.9% of all the property sales in England and Wales.

How do you know they won't accept that as evidence? Cumulatively NWHPC  results combined with their purchase price and similar houses in the area and VOA's lack of knowledge of the valuation in 1991 would be a good case.
There is also the house price calculator on MSE where you also add details about the area your house is in:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/council-tax-bands-change/

I'm ex VOA and spent the last 12 yrs of my career settling CT banding appeals. I would sometimes check these indices against actual 1991 sale prices, the worst I found was undervaluing 1991 sale price by 25%. So we would disregard all HPIs. Further they are so generalised and only use a small percentage of sales so they cannot take account of microvariations where prices in some towns and villages have not followed the general trend in the area. VOA have details of 99.9% of property sales in England and Wales, so had evidence of actual1991 sales. The MSE calculator is also inaccurate.

Mrstoll3013

So would the VOA provide be with their evidence if I asked for it as I do not understand why they will not consider my comparable properties I have submitted

lincroft1710

Mrstoll3013 said:

So would the VOA provide be with their evidence if I asked for it as I do not understand why they will not consider my comparable properties I have submitted

No. They would only do this if there was a valid appeal and it was proceeding to a Valuation Tribunal hearing. Some VOAs may provide some indication of their evidence, but it would be rather vague

Harribo66

We bought a new build chalet bungalow in 2015. This was a property built was an independent builder on a small piece of land sold off from a large garden. In 2018 I started the process of requesting a change in banding from band E to band D. As our house was a one off build I had to find similar properties with a two mile radius for comparison.  My research showed that similar properties were a) a lower band, b) higher valuation, c)larger in size. These were deemed as not comparable and would not consider them as evidence.

I then looked at the planning applications for new build chalet bungalows and found one in Band E which was both larger and almost twice the value of our property. Again this was dismissed.
I feel many of the responses to my emails were cut and paste jobs. I questioned the criteria for making the original banding decision but this was not answered.  

Is there anything I can do at this point in time? Would I be able to request a change in banding again?