Council Tax Banding & Water Charges

vesuvians

With the current Council Tax Banding fiasco being discussed on this site comes another serious question for all customers of the water companies who pay for their water bills based on the council tax banding of their homes.

I pay my water and sewage bills based on a council tax band of C but I have just applied for rebanding as my next door neighbour who lives in an identical property has been banded B since 010493.

Being that my water rates are directly linked to my Council Tax Banding, I now question that if successful in rebanding to Band B, will I also be able to claim back from the water authorities the overpayments made because of the fiasco with the original banding of my home.

Your comments are eagerly awaited!!

Psykicpup

I believe that actually your water bills are based on the Rateable Value of your home not your council tax banding. As far as I am aware water authorities have not been allowed by the government to raise charges on the council tax bandings- please correct me if I am wrong tho..:)

Cardew

vesuvians wrote:

With the current Council Tax Banding fiasco being discussed on this site comes another serious question for all customers of the water companies who pay for their water bills based on the council tax banding of their homes.

I pay my water and sewage bills based on a council tax band of C but I have just applied for rebanding as my next door neighbour who lives in an identical property has been banded B since 010493.

Being that my water rates are directly linked to my Council Tax Banding, I now question that if successful in rebanding to Band B, will I also be able to claim back from the water authorities the overpayments made because of the fiasco with the original banding of my home.

Your comments are eagerly awaited!!

Welcome to the forum.

Water charges have no connection with Council Tax Banding whatsoever! So it doesn't matter if you house is re-banded to A or to H you will continue to pay the same water charges as previously.

Those without meters have their charges based on the Rateable Value of your property. Rateable Values ceased to exist for anything but water charges in 1990. All new property after that date had to have a meter fitted.

If you do a search for 'Rateable Value' in this section you will find lots of threads on this subject.

christina_gore

Do you have a soak-away? Check? phone and write with your Water Company Drainage line to find out before the end of your water bill year -you may be entitiled to a reduction of this year's water rates and future ones if you have a soak-away ie all your surface water does not drain away to the Main Sewers, My New water year starts on April 4th with Thames Water . Drainage line is on my monthly paying-in book. They are not obliged to tell you (Ofwat will not let them!!!)if they owe you money . These new rules started in 2000. Before that everyone paid regardless . If you have a soak-away and they owe you money they will not backdate it to 2000!!!They will not give back any money they owe. Not right really is it paying for a service you do not receive?