Council Tax increase

MoonStone_2

I'm currently trying to challenge the band I'm in and a bit lost. My flat wasn't built in 1991 and seems to have been placed in band C by comparison with similar accomodation also not built in 1991. It's a one bedroom flat and in the same band with 2- 5 bedroom houses. I have a letter refusing my proposal that contains contradictions, but the original valuer is the one that wrote it and he also seems to be the one I've to appeal to.

Wiggynut

Hi

I'm looking up to see if my Flatmate is entitled to any refund from this council tax banding!
I went onto the Council Tax Valuation List and it says 'no properties found'.

How is this possible - We live in a 60's style concrete ex-council block!!

How do I look up what the flat was worth in 1991?

any suggestions welcome

Thanks

billynom8s

Does anyone know if you can ask for a banding change if your house was built after 1993 ?

Maisie

For answers to all the above questions go to the council tax 'discussion' thread.

You'll find loads of good information to get you started on rebanding.

Zanysam . No you can't ask for a rebanding if you've left the property. Ask the current occupiers to apply and if they're successful you can then contact voa for your part of rebate.

billynorm. You can apply for a review (rebanding) anytime if you think the banding is wrong. Voa banded in 1991 and if the house was built after that date they assumed it was there in 1991.

Wiggynut. If you can't find your house put the street name in voa site (no numbers) and see if it comes up then.

To get 1991 prices you'll have to look up archived library papers (estate agents for sale columns) or ask neighbours/builders for prices.
All the information is on the council tax discussion thread.

dadoronron

Help and advice please. I've recently challenged my Council Tax banding (currently D) and have today received the 'sorry it's right' letter. When I did the checks with MSE's recommended sites I found that my house could/should be Band C as are a couple of other houses exactly the same as mine in the road. What should I do next?

sunshine124

hi there, could someone plz help me with my situation. My husband and i are living with my parents and we are both self employed and the council want to know our income so they can work out my parents council tax benefit. Anyway, we sent them our accounts and the council has said that they work out the council tax benefit on gross income and not net income?? Can someone please tell me is this right? I have been to the CAB and they tell me that unfortunately the council does actually go on gross income, but i find this so unfair as my husband and I are both on a low income and we are nowhere near earning as much as the council says, hence they have made my parents council tax bill increase instead of decrease. Is there anyway we can change the law on this, as we do not have the money available to pay this high bill as it is worked out on gross income, as we work on what we actually have, i.e. our net income. I would be grateful if someone could help me out with this.

Fizzog

I'm new to MSE. I have followed the advice on this web site, about a re-accessment of my council tax. We recieved a letter this morning saying we don't qualify for a re-accessment as we are in the correct Band. The VOA says our cottage would have be in the 40,001-52,000 bracket when the accessment was done in 1991 and therefore we are in the correct band. I don't understand how they reached that conculsion as we paid £33,000 for cottage in 1999. It was advertised at £34,950 in 1998. We told the VOA that according to house price web sites our cottage, would have been worth about £27,000 in 1991. They said that web sites that advertise house prices, only represent a small percentage of the UK and are used as a trend for house prices.

We aren't allowed to appeal.

I would apprieciate some advice as to what to do next.

Thank You

rosal

Our request for re-assessment has also been rejected. There are 2 dates that are used. The 1st of April 1991 and 1st April 1993. Apparently since we had some alterations between those dates, we were put into 1 higher band (D). Neighbours around us had alterations to their property carried also by 1st April 1993, but had not sought planning permission. So, in effect the valuation office do not have a record.

Where do we go from here, as nearly all the houses are in a lower band to ours?

Wallaby

isasmurf wrote: »

I've just found a comprehensive guide to Council Tax valuations on the VOA website. It even includes a database where you can search for any address in England and Wales to see it's Council Tax Band history. Very useful if you're moving house. http://www.voa.gov.uk/council_tax/

Anyway, according to the VOA.

I didn't know that a property could be revalued if there was a change of ownership.

____________________________________________________________________________________________
Improvements, such as modernisation and extension, can increase the capital value of domestic property so that a higher council tax band could be justified. However when council tax was introduced in 1993 it was decided that the council tax band on an improved dwelling would not be increased until there was a change of ownership.

This decision was taken to ensure that owners are not dissuaded from improving their property.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Hi isasmurf & Hello Everybody,

I have just joined this website & have read your comments with great interest. Especially your comments about 'council tax bands not being increased on improved dwellings until there is a change of ownership' !!! I have two issues, which I invite comments on, & I would really appreciate advise;

My first issue relates to your comments above. We bought our 4 Bed, detached house in 1979. It was a New Build- back then. Over the years we have extended the house considerably both in 1989 & again in 1999. Liverpool Council have increased our Band from D to E, in their valuation of 1993, even tho the ownership remains the same. So based on this, can I claim a rebate & ask to be put back to Band D ?

My second issue is; Our home has the disadvantage of being adjacent to a Supermarket. The Supermarket was built in 1982, a couple of years after we bought our home in 1979. The Supermarket is so close that, our garden wall is actually the boundary wall of the Supermarket's car park, & for us, more so than our neighbours, our privacy has been compromised. Our home directly over-looks the Supermarket's Car Park, so much so that, when the Wagon Drivers bring a delivery to the Supermarket they often sit waiting their turn to off-load their goods. The Wagon driver, sitting high up in the Cab of these huge wagons, enjoys an uninterrupted view directly into our main bedroom windows & he is close enough for me to actually identify the newspaper, which he sits reading while he waits his turn. Consequently, our Bedroom curtains remain partially closed all day long.

I have taken photos of these wagons & we have complained to the Supermarket many times over the years, but my complaints fall onto deaf ears. This issue is shared with 3 or 4 of my neighbours, but our situation is more severe than theirs. because of our proximity. Plus, we all share the usual problems that Supermarkets bring... noise, litter & often vermin. I don't believe that our circumstances have been considered when our council tax was evaluated.

Would these two issues make a good case to reduce our Council Tax Band ? If so, what is the best way of applying for this given that our situation is unusual. I would really appreciate any comments & advise.

Regards,

MW

lincroft1710

Firstly it is the Valuation Office Agency, not the council who are responsible for the banding. As the band was changed in 1993, I would presume that the original Band D did not reflect the 1989 extension and the change to Band E would thus be lawful. It is the physical state of a dwelling as at 1 April 1993 on which the Council Tax band is based, or if there has been a sale since that date, the physical state at date of last sale. As the supermarket existed at 1 April 1993, then you cannot make an appeal against your CT band on the grounds of its proximity.

However you can write to VOA and ask them to review band on account of nuisance from supermarket, but if they say your band is OK, then I'm afraid that's moreorless the end of it.

It's no comfort, but being next to supermarket or other nuisance isn't that uncommon.