Council Tax Rebanding SUCCESS stories

deedah

Hi

Local Borough Council: Sheffield City Council
Council Tax Band Before: C
Council Tax Band After: B
Amount refunded: £942.46
Annual saving going forward: £153.72

We bought the house in 1999 and realised a year or so later that we were in a higher band than next door (we live in a semi) and most of our neighbours in similar properties. I did some research back then and thought, as more than six months had passed, it was too late to challenge the banding.

In January this year, after seeing the successes other people were having, I followed the advice here. This week the cheque finally arrived :-) The council had originally credited the refund to this year's council tax bill, but I requested a cheque.

It's taken four months in total, but the process was hassle free. Very pleased with the outcome!

frankie45_2

Ealing
new build allocated F
challenged, changed to E
No rebate as was in first year

I moved in to a new build property which had been given band F. I challenged it and that was refused so I appealed. I wasn't going to go to the appeal as I didn't think would get anywhere. Suddenly got phone calls to work, home and a letter saying had been rebanded to E, without a visit. This saves around £300 per year. I have told my neighbours who will hopefully shortly also be benefiting.
Also, then checked on previous property in Hammersmith and discovered IDENTICAL flats were on lower banding! They had appealed in 1991. Am trying to change that banding and if successful, should get rebate for 12 years was resident; not there yet though!
Thanks for help with process, I wouldn't have bothered without the info. Would be nice if people who were successful told their neighbours.

Maisie

frankie45 wrote: »

Ealing
new build allocated F
challenged, changed to E
No rebate as was in first year

I moved in to a new build property which had been given band F. I challenged it and that was refused so I appealed. I wasn't going to go to the appeal as I didn't think would get anywhere. Suddenly got phone calls to work, home and a letter saying had been rebanded to E, without a visit. This saves around £300 per year. I have told my neighbours who will hopefully shortly also be benefiting.
Also, then checked on previous property in Hammersmith and discovered IDENTICAL flats were on lower banding! They had appealed in 1991. Am trying to change that banding and if successful, should get rebate for 12 years was resident; not there yet though!
Thanks for help with process, I wouldn't have bothered without the info. Would be nice if people who were successful told their neighbours.

Frankie. You won't be able to challenge your banding on the Hammersmith house now that you have left there.
If you can persuade the present occupiers to ask for a band review and if they are successful you can then ask voa for your part of the rebate for the time you were there.

HTH

maisie

rhojac

Runnymede Borough Council
Was Band D
Now Band C
No more to pay for the rest of the financial year, plus cheque for £232
Total of £1016.

Original appeal turned down, but discovered from the rejection letter that the valuation was based on the assumption that the property was freehold, which it is not. When this was pointed out, received notification of rebanding from RBC

baz8755

Following on from the success of being rebanded last month, I have just had confirmation from the VOA that they will also be sending me a cheque for the interest due for the past 8 years:j

sugarplum

Billing Council: North West Leicestershire District Council
Previous Band: D
New Band: C
Refund: Not know yet but back dated to 1998

I called the VOA after seeing Martin on The Wright Stuff on 1st Feb and 2 weeks ago had someone from their office come round to have a look at my and my neighbours houses in comparison to the rest of the street. Today I received a letter saying my request for rebanding was successful and so I called the council who say my cheque will be with me in a few weeks :T :T :T

rangers18

We just got a call today from the valuation board to say our banding would be reduced from a C to an B , we live in a terrace of 8 cottages and we are mid, out of the 8 we were the only house to be banded a C yet our cottages are all the same size!! so we raised a appeal on -line to get it re-banded we had to call a few times to get things moving, the LVB sent a asseor out who measured our cottage and after i called today i was told we are being re-banded.
So hopefully a chq for £1000 thats backdated 6 years. I was also told that the owner previous to us will also be refunded.

Thanks martin for the tip..:money:

EVERPATIENT

Woodspring [Bristol] : Band F reduced to Band E : £2000+
It's been a painfully slow progress with the Bristol Valuation Officer but persistence paid off.
I am in one of three identical houses - I was band F, they were both Band E. Now, at least, we are all band E.
Many thanks for the website and the information available from it - without it I would still be Band F

7Stone4

After moving into current rented propety in Novemeber and seeing Martins article I looked online and found out the council tax for my neighbours.

We live in a old victorian hotel which was converted into flat. Me and my downstairs neighbour have the same size and layout and were both a 'D' but the other four flats which are all slightly different and smaller were a 'B'. I thought that we probably should be a C so simply rung them, got the forms, filled it out, sent it off, about 6 weeks later (today) got a letter saying we are being changed down a band!! I'm going to ring my landlord later, i bet he will be happy with me!

Local Borough Council: Havering, (London Borough but in Essex too)
Council Tax Band Before: D
Council Tax Band After: C
Amount refunded: Don't know yet!

whiskymincher

Hartlepool
Previous Band :F
New Band :E
Backdated to 2001
Refund: £1600

Thanks to all for the info.