Letting agent lied to us about council tax before we signed lease

brocolli

Hi there,

Hopefully someone can give me some advice...

I recently moved into a property in January and was advised prior to signing the lease that the house was a C band in an email so I have proof. We later got contacted by our local council who have advised us we are liable to pay rates for an E band! I have emailed the letting agent and they have advised me this was an "administrative error" but are unwilling to compensate me for this. They have said that they let the property out many years ago and had the property down as a C band, however when I checked the SAA website it says this band has been payable since 1993. We are already paying a significant monthly rent and paid a LARGE deposit and also an admin fee and now we have more to pay on council tax...

I realise I should have checked the council tax myself before signing the lease but I assumed the letting agent would give me accurate info.

Can anyone give me advice should I demand money from the letting agent? Can I?

Thanks in advance.

Beckyy

brocolli wrote: »

I realise I should have checked the council tax myself before signing the lease but I assumed the letting agent would give me accurate info.

I think you've summed it up in a nutshell really. As there was nothing to stop you from looking yourself then they can't be to blame for an 'error'.

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I would suprised if you could get any money out of the letting agents because of this.

Can you actually afford the property? What is the price difference in the council tax banding in your local council? Have you read the guide about council tax rebanding, to see if that's something that may be applicable? (Bearing it mind it could also go up!)

sirmosh

Unless you have written communication where they have stated it was a Band C I think it will be very difficult to prove it was even said. Even then it's probably not very likely you can do anything about it.

brocolli

I am pretty sure at the time there was not enough information to check the council tax band anyway. I can afford the property but that is besides the point we now have to pay an extra £530 over a year. A significant mistake on the letting agents part, if it was over a mere few pounds I wouldn't be compaining.

jjlandlord

brocolli wrote: »

I am pretty sure at the time there was not enough information to check the council tax band anyway.

Why not?
As long as you know the full address (number + post code) you can check with either the council on directly from the VOA's website.

brocolli

As I said - there was not enough information, pretty sure they only advertised the street name and not the house number.

pmlindyloo

But didn't you visit the house before you signed the contract and therefore knew the address?

Have to agree with everyone else. The LAs will say this was an administrative error and as annoying as it is then you are bound by your contract.

Wyndham

brocolli wrote: »

As I said - there was not enough information, pretty sure they only advertised the street name and not the house number.

But didn't you go and look at it before you signed on the dotted line? Surely you must have needed the number to know which house to go to....?

jjlandlord

pmlindyloo wrote: »

The LAs will say this was an administrative error and as annoying as it is then you are bound by your contract.

That does not mean that they are not liable for compensation.
No expert, but perhaps a key element would be whether a reasonable person would check the tax band themselves or rely on the agent's reply.

Beckyy

It's still possible to see the banding for each house on that street, that would show you if there were any houses banded C. There may have been a door number in a photo, and I would assume that you knew the house number after viewing and before proceeding so could have checked then.

I appreciate what you're saying, but any information that you can check yourself you should. How long is your tenancy for?

brocolli

I will live and learn, still annoyed how they have accepted they have made a mistake but are unwilling to compensate me for their mistake. I have yet to meet a letting agency that have been competent...