Council Tax Rebanding SUCCESS stories

WHIFFES

Hi, no it was Worthing West Sussex, but I would imagine the same policy would apply to all councils, we got the letter from VOA saying band was incorrect, so I rang them to find out what now happens. They said once the local council had put it on their system to reduce the charge a refund would be automatic, and true to their word about 10 days later the letter and cheque arrived.
Good luck with yours, and yes you should get a refund as we have been at our property for 7 years but it would go back to either 1992 or 1993 I can't remember which.

virgo149

Bromsgrove District Council
Was Band E
Now Band D
Refund - £2036
Saving just over [FONT=&quot]£[/FONT]300 per year
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[/FONT]Hubbie rang VOA to ask for reassessment as he realised we had been lumped in with 4 bed houses and all the 3 beds were band D (although we were the only 3 bed detached in the road). Typically it seems, customer services were very negative and said we probably wouldn't qualify etc etc etc. Heard nothing for about 8 weeks and received a letter last week confirming reassement. Rang council and they say it will be a couple of weeks and cheque will be on it's way.

Very easy to do and as long as you aren't worried about being assessed up rather than down, definately worth a try! Will update with exact refund when received.

Have let neighbours in another road know who have same house as ours and they were ringing VOA that afternoon with the request.[FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]Update: Received cheque for £2036 and a very happy neighbour has confirmation of their rebanding as well.
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:T

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Trickmeister

Previously G now F
Refund (or 'credit') over £2k
Ongoing annual saving £300

Have lived here 10 years but followed the steps advised on this site and have today heard we will be rebanded, backdated to 93.

We're in the country and like for like is difficult, but many houses in our immediate area were put in G in 91 but implemented as F in 93. We weren't. The VOA said this was a factor in our application.

We also took the position that our property was wrongly banded, and were not appealing. Our initial request was rejected on the basis that we could not appeal, but we asked for our case for a wrong banding to be reviewed. We also used actual sale prices of the property compared to the valuation date in 91, all of which put it in the lower band.

And here we are:T

debrab

FIFE COUNCIL
PREVIOUS BAND E
REBANDED TO D
backdated to 2008

We have lived in our property for over 10 years and after reading your success stories we decided to give it a try. I followed all the links to ensure we had a case and then sent it to our local council.

The man who dealt with our query was very helpful and within 3 months we had received our letter stating our rebanding. The only thing is ours is only being reduced because our property had changed from the original plans so only backdated for a year - but hey ho better than nothing. Due to our query, it looks like our neighbour in the same style of property will also be successful as the guy at the council stated he will be contacting them. so great successes overall. So thanks for all your advice
:j:j:j:j:j:j:money: :j:j:j:j

OTHER SUCCESSES TO DATE: Mortgage Exit Fees - £350 from C&G back to 1992 (3 x properties). Don't worry if you don't have your paperwork, as long as you have the rough dates and the address and postcode and they will find your records. Don't let them pass you off with the excuse that they have no records as I said that i would contact my Lawyer and they magically found my details

woodlandsgreen

Excellent guidance on this site enabled me to achieve the following from Harrogate Borough Council:
Old band G
New band F
Refunded (equivalent of 10 years!) £2520
Annual saving for the future £335

This was achieved with some research into the other properties locally and identifying obvious differences in the banding for ostensibly similar properties. The VOA took about 2 months to research and confirm my claim that the banding was wrong but put up no challenge or problem to it.

mclaughlin76

I moved house three years ago, however I have now checked this site and it would appear that I was on the wrong banding at my previous address. Can I still appeal, now that I no longer live there? Any advice would be appreciated.

greeninferno

debrab wrote: »

FIFE COUNCIL
PREVIOUS BAND E
REBANDED TO D
backdated to 2008

We have lived in our property for over 10 years and after reading your success stories we decided to give it a try. I followed all the links to ensure we had a case and then sent it to our local council.

The man who dealt with our query was very helpful and within 3 months we had received our letter stating our rebanding. The only thing is ours is only being reduced because our property had changed from the original plans so only backdated for a year - but hey ho better than nothing. Due to our query, it looks like our neighbour in the same style of property will also be successful as the guy at the council stated he will be contacting them. so great successes overall. So thanks for all your advice

May i ask how you went about this ?

I am in the same situation also in Fife but am unsure who to contact any insight appreciated.

cheers

lincroft1710

mclaughlin76 - no you cannot appeal. Current occupier can appeal if they've lived there for less than 6 months, if more than 6 months they can ask for rebanding. You should ask them to do this, pointing out they may save themselves some money.

soccergoods

Lewes District Council
Band E
Band E

We are living in a Semi D House our neighbours are D we are E. Our house has a slightly bigger Ext but they live on a Double plot with a garage and there garden in twice as big as ours. I thought as the houses are Semi D we would have a good case. Although the 1991 one price for the house was was in the correct band I had hoped they would also be in the right Band. They will refue there band ones the house gets sold. To bad as I would have liked the rebate. Will now check if anyother houses are in the lower band in my area to say it isn't fair that we are in the correct one but the rest ( if true) are not. Thanks for the info anyway as there seem lot of people on here that did have succes.

garym161

Blackburn with Darwen BC

Original Band - D

New Band - C

Refund - £800

Saving £200 per year

Checked on VOI web site neighbours all band C, called to challenge. 3 weeks later received letter to say band changed and today been credited with £800!!!! Thanks Martin:money::money::money::money: