Council Tax Rebanding SUCCESS stories

Maisie

Poppycat wrote:

I am in same boat. I am in C just moved to property, found out I should be in B although the VOA indicates I may go up a band due to some work.

My neigbour is in B same house, accept my garage is atached to the house where his is a few feet away

Poppycat. was the work done by yourselves or the previous owner? As any work done by you should not count towards raising the c/t band.

Maisie

bosschap

Local Borough Council: Suffolk Coastal
Council Tax Band Before: E
Council Tax Band After: D
Amount refunded: expecting £2000+
Annual saving going forward £280 on last year.

The whole process took 3 weeks. I had 2 rejection letters, 1 refering back to the lack of challinging the banding in 1993 the other informing me that my appeal had been passed on to the Valuation Tribunal.

I then received 2 letters on the same day. 1 from the Valuation Tribunal Service stating that my appeal would be held withing the next 6 months, the other from the VOA stating my band would be regraded to band D with a note for me to sign withdrawing my appeal as the VOA now agreed with me.

Thanks Martin and also the people who left their successes as they encourage me to go for it.

Poppycat

It would have been done by previous owners moved in 2003 or one before that. As I said only work was a intregal garage, next doors has a garage too only not intregal and they are on a lower band. The VOA said it shouldn't effect my banding anyhow, although they were ringing me back on Monday for more information.

Maisie wrote:

Poppycat. was the work done by yourselves or the previous owner? As any work done by you should not count towards raising the c/t band.

Maisie

Maisie

Poppycat Good luck for when the voa contacts you.

Hope you're successful in getting a lower banding.

maisie

tjay79

just recieved a rebate of £1279 from st.helens council for the incorrect banding of my house. we where in band c now in band b
we allways new that nieghbours where paying less council tax, but did not no we could appeal. so after following the steps set out on this site, along with some excellent advice in the forums, it was so easy.
we got refused on the six month rule, appealed against, told it was going to a tribunal, two weeks later cheque arrives. :beer:
could i thank all of you who posted advice on this issue

miketee_2

Local Council: North Wiltshire
Previous Band: F
New Band: E
Amount of refund: Waiting to see!

After seeing the Newsnight programme, found Martin's site and followed the steps. Dead simple to follow (:beer: ). House on a small estate built in 1997 (ish). Bought my house then (new).
Compared my house council tax listing to identical house listings and found mine was the only one in Band F. The others were in Band E. Converted purchase price back to 1991 as shown in Martin's guide, middle of Band E. Did the same with recently sold houses. Middle of Band E.
Wrote to VOA stating that his list was wrong and asking for it to be put right. Very quick reply stating that the my reassessment proposal was invalid, but enclosing a form to apply for an appeal. Another quick response from VOA stating that the proposal was invalid but That the VOA would consider what I had claimed and refer the matter to the Valuation Tribunal Service.
I wrote back asking why this had been done as I was claiming that the listing was wrong and stating that he had a statutory duty to put the listing right or explain why he considered Band F to be correct. My letter crossed in the post with a Notice of Alteration to the Valuation list changing my banding from F to E with an effective date of June 1997.
They do seem to follow a weird procedure (but then when did local government not?), but perseverence works.:T

xcgb

Local Borough Council: Guildford
Council Tax Band Before: F
Council Tax Band After: E
Amount refunded: £1300

I was put off years ago by the can't clain after 6 months statement but I saw you state that this was not law.
Thanks as I would still be none the wiser if it wasnt for this site!:money:

monedave

Council-Vale Of White Horse
Band Before-F
Band Now-E
Rebate-Several thousand + considerable reduction in new rate

Brilliant
Thankyou Martin.
It took 1 letter as you advised to Local Valuation Officer. Recieved immediate response to confirm it was being looked into. Today approx 3 weeks later confirmed re-banding and Council have promised to send a cheque.
Keep up the good work

The_Emmitt

Council South Northamptonshire Council
Band Before: C
Band After: B
amount of Refund £1000 +
Reduction This Year £137

Not a lot to say really. Cheers Martin :beer:

I expect the refund in the next couple of weeks

I was borderline between B & C when you went back to 1991 so I thought it was worth a punt.

A single phone call is all it took and there you go, money in bank nearly

ann_cormack

Who or what is the right group to speak to as I have been speaking to an Independent Accessor (surveyor).