Possible Council Tax Reclaim

scott9678

Hi all,

Just after a bit of advice. My neighbour came to me today with the details of a company (Council Tax Banding Consultants) saying that they have managed to get his band down from C to B and he will be getting the money in the next couple of months. For this, they wanted £100 upfront, which he gets back, and 15% of any payback he gets.

He is a pretty intelligent guy so I wouldnt expect him to go for this if it was in anyway dodgy and he will be getting quite a bit back soon, so just wondered if anyone had heard of this company and whether it would be worth going for.

Cheers

HappyMJ

Scam....You can do it yourself very very easily. You just wander around your estate looking for properties that are Band B and of the same type and size as your house and present details of those properties to the valuation office agency to consider. They will then have a look at your house and either accept or deny your application. You can then appeal that decision yourself. It's a very easy process.

lincroft1710

What a kind neighbour!

He's gone and spent all that money, got his band reduced and now you can go to the VOA with the evidence of his band reduction as a reason for your band to be reduced. And it won't cost you 15% of any overpayment you receive.

The company aren't scamming in the sense that they are taking money for nothing. They can get results, but a Council Taxpayer can often get the same result themselves.

Finally, you can only appeal to a Valuation Tribunal against a VOA decision if you applied for the reduction within 6 months of becoming the taxpayer. Outside of the 6 months you can ask for a CT band review but there is no appeals process, other than asking them to reconsider their decision.

scott9678

Wow! I didn't think I'd get criticised for trying to save money on a money saving website!

If I'd have known he was considering this I would have directed him to this site. Ive looked at the details and it does seem a pretty simple process so rather than pay for someone to do it, I'll do it myself.

HappyMJ

scott9678 wrote: »

Wow! I didn't think I'd get criticised for trying to save money on a money saving website!

If I'd have known he was considering this I would have directed him to this site. Ive looked at the details and it does seem a pretty simple process so rather than pay for someone to do it, I'll do it myself.

We're not criticising you personally...it's just these companies and the easy money they make from this.

scott9678

HappyMJ wrote: »

We're not criticising you personally...it's just these companies and the easy money they make from this.

I meant being criticised for not using the company that my neighbour did & doing it myself

lincroft1710

We are not criticising you for not using this company, we're suggesting that as your neighbour has had his band reduced, it makes it easier for you to do it yourself.

shaztastc

does anybody know if you can claim back a wrong council tax banding after you have sold that property?

HappyMJ

shaztastc wrote: »

does anybody know if you can claim back a wrong council tax banding after you have sold that property?

If the current occupier has had the banding changed then yes you should be able to claim back the difference. It depends on the reason they had it changed and from when the change applied. You can't now apply for the banding to be changed in a property you no longer own.

lincroft1710

As HappyMJ correctly states you cannot ask for a band reduction on a property you no longer own. Your only option is to persuade the current occupier to ask for a band reduction.