Council Tax Rebanding SUCCESS stories

IanF_3

Edinburgh City Council:Council Tax Band Before: G
Council Tax Band After: F
Amount refunded: £3507:42
Annual saving going forward: Circa £300


Martin

Some time ago you did an article on Council Tax. I followed your tips - found my neighbour was band F and I was Band G despite the fact that our houses were semi-detached and virtually identical. I appealed as you suggested.

Thanks a million! Well not quite....., but I have just received a cheque for £3,507:42 not to mention the ongoing reduction of £300+ per year!!

Many thanks indeed

Ian F

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redneck

Local Borough Council: Stoke-on-Trent
Council Tax Band Before: E
Council Tax Band After: D
Amount refunded: £2,376 (from 1993)
Annual saving going forward: Not Advised, so assume Nil ?
^^^ Edit, None taken for C.T on Oct bank statement ?


Plus if possible a few details on your experiences.

Did your basic format " I believe I am in the wrong band" attached a map with all C's and D's surrounding myself, added a p.s, that the voa hadnt even got my correct postcode.

Letter sent : 24th July
Acknowleged : 26th July
Decision : 13th September
Cq Received : 22th October

Can turn my heating up a bit now, Thank You :j

EmmaS2007

Local Borough Council: Eastleigh
Council Tax Band Before: F
Council Tax Band After: E
Amount refunded: £2100 ish

My parents sold their house in early 06 for a lot less than what others on the road were selling for. I heard in the news about council tax bandings being unfair - so I followed the instructions on the money saving expert website, and found every other house on the street was Band E, ours had sold for less than theirs and clearly fell into Band E.

I sent some letters to the Valuation Office but they kept sending standard replies. I requested a meeting with them and produced various calculations on the house price, and showed how it should have been in Band E. They agreed to reband it after this meeting, any my parents got a refund of over £2000, even though they no longer lived there.

Many thanks to money saving expert!!!
:beer:

always_broke_2

:j it was really easy.
bradford metroploitan council, previous band B , neighbours were band A with same size properties. i wrote to the inland revenue explaining that i thought an error had occurred. my property had 2 numbers as its address which implied that it was 2 properties knocked into 1 when it had a basement which had been registered as a property way back ( 2 room cellar). i got a banding change and refund back to 1993.
at the time coucil tax was introduced i thought it was correct as i had always paid more rates than my neighbours. anyway very pleased with the result.:beer:

always_broke_2

:j it was really easy.
bradford metropolitan council, previous band B , neighbours were band A with same size properties. i wrote to the inland revenue explaining that i thought an error had occurred. my property had 2 numbers as its address which implied that it was 2 properties knocked into 1 when it had a basement which had been registered as a property way back ( 2 room cellar). i got a banding change and refund back to 1993.
at the time coucil tax was introduced i thought it was correct as i had always paid more rates than my neighbours. anyway very pleased with the result.:beer:

Gills1901

Local Borough Council: North Ayrshire Council, Scotland
Council Tax Band Before: C
Council Tax Band After: B
Amount refunded: £600
Annual saving going forward: n/a


I asked for a refund after discovering that for the 5 years I stayed at a previous address I was a band higher than the rest of the street. After about three months of letters to the council I was over the moon to get a cheque for just over £600. Thanks a lot Martin

Youngy

Youngy wrote: »

Local Borough Council: Stratford on Avon
Council Tax Band Before: H
Council Tax Band After: G
Amount refunded: £3800
Annual saving going forward: £438pa

To cut a long story short, we were originally told were no grounds for appeal (under 6 months rule) But went to the tribunal in person and explained why felt were grounds and why should be in lower band - even tho were told this was not to determine that. The secretary explained we would hear back the outcome.

And today we have received a letter from the VOA saying they have rebanded us down to band G from band H, effective from 1st April 1993

That is great news in itself, but how do we go about requesting a restrospecitve refund from our local council? Is this done automatically? Also will any refund inc back interest.

Although has taken approx 6 months we now have a huge £400pa saving and looking forward to a nice refund! Many many thanks to all who have given advice and especially Martin

Our council have now refunded the overpayments (£3800). Can anyone provide guidance on claiming back retrospective interest?

thanks

mrsmoneypenny9

Council = Blackburn with darwen
Band Before = E
Band After = D
Amount Refunded £2950

Thank you Martin, after hearing you on the radio i followed your instructions, applied for a re-avaluation over the internet, took litrally took me 10 minutes, and a few weeks later got a letter telling me the good news. best feeling in the world, definately worth a try.

magwright

I saw the TV programme some time ago on this subject then visited this website. I went through the process of checking the valuation in 1991 and decided I had a good chance of success.

I didn't pursue the matter immediately but, to my surprise, I received a completely unsolicited letter from the council informing me that the banding was being changed with effect from 1993.

I was in band H but have been reduced to band G. The amount refunded is around £3100. Excellent.

Now this might sound a little greedy, but in my opinion they should be paying interest on this money. Some of this overpaid council tax has been in their possession for 14 years and it is entirely the councils error that it was overpaid.

I think I have a very strong case but I'm not sure how to proceed in claiming it. Anybody know anything that might help me.

Youngy

Youngy wrote: »

Our council have now refunded the overpayments (£3800). Can anyone provide guidance on claiming back retrospective interest?

thanks

We've now had a reply from the council, basically saying we are not entitled to the back interest on our overpayments. Has anyone appealed against this and if so how do we go about this?

email received from council:
"Unfortunately, the Council Tax refund system does not allow for interest to be paid under any circumstances, including re-valuation.
So if your property had been reclassed upwards, instead of down, the Council would not be able to claim interest on the lapsed years either. I know you will be disappointed that an interest payment will not be forthcoming, but hope you are pleased that re-valuation and return of overpayments has been achieved."

Have seen others in this thread appealing, any help would be gratefully received