Company offering to get Council tax reduced.

Coulrophobia

Out of the blue today we had a phone call from a company called Dalton and Dalton, tax consultants. During the call they said that our house was wrongly banded and that they could get us a reduction. the figure they are talking about is in the region of £3,000 (total added up over 19 years). when asked why they had contacted us they said that they had about 40 neighbours signed up [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM].

All the houses on the road are banded B on the yougov website.

[TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM] It seems that they have 'someone in the area on Monday'

Has anyone else ever come across this kind of thing?

CIS

[TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

[TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM] the actual process of re-valuing a property is free as its part of the valuations office statutory duty.

These companies charge you to for contacting the Valuation Office - you can do this yourself for free.- http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/YourlocalcouncilandCouncilTax/CouncilTax/DG_10037383

skorpio

Agree with CIS. Do it yourself and you'll keep every penny of the overpayment.

Coulrophobia

Thanks for replying.

The company never did get in touch again anyway.

thewad

I signed up with MSD on a 50/50 deal as I was lead to believe if I lost the appeal it would cost me £100's in court costs. The money, they said , would be used to pay "specialist council tax claims solicitors" lol.
I got the letter from the council yesterday saying I had been successful and the money is on its way.
I now find that the appeal process is free and am thinking of not paying them as I believe it's misrepresentation.
My next door neighbour got her money 2 weeks ago and as so far refused to pay them so also awaiting further news from her.
What's my standing on this? :beer:

John

CIS

What's my standing on this?

If you can prove they mis-led you then tell then to go and stuff themselves and you'll see them in a court if they wish to pursue it via civil action.

thewad

My thoughts exactly.

AndySte101

i want to get my house rebanded, i do actually think my house is in the wrong tax band. I have contacted my local council who said that its not them that deals with it but the Valuation office that does. i have passed them my details as they said they will sort out. Il keep u all posted

thewad

How do you prove something like that.
I've written to the relevant Trading Standards office and they confirmed that they are making enquiries into their trading practices.
Filled in the form they sent me as well but still waiting for a reply.

peter_percent

Coulrophobia wrote: »

Out of the blue today we had a phone call from a company called Dalton and Dalton, tax consultants. During the call they said that our house was wrongly banded and that they could get us a reduction. the figure they are talking about is in the region of £3,000 (total added up over 19 years). when asked why they had contacted us they said that they had about 40 neighbours signed up [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM].

All the houses on the road are banded B on the yougov website.

[TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM] It seems that they have 'someone in the area on Monday'

Has anyone else ever come across this kind of thing?

I had a cold call and got them roumd, they confirmed the appointment in the morning, then turned up half an hour late because he had been "busy", I felt like telling him that" I am busy now you have missed the appointment" nothing angers me more than people thinking that their time is somehow more valuable than mine, however I let him go through his routine not inside my house after all this was the result of a cold call and his car was well past it's best, not what you would expect from a tax expert who has a nationwide network of lawyers at his disposal,!! but in my front garden, in front of my CCtv camera, he had several laminated sheets of examples and mentioned Martin Lewis and this site several times, I found his info contradictory, he told me three other neighbours had signed up, I only have six and know them all so I asked them, it was untrue or they are telling lies, A look at the web site makes it worse, it looks like it is made with one of those freebe programs with stock pictures that have no links,some cut and paste stuff, a link to a free map page, little company info no history and a laughable blog/faq page that goes nowhere, a search for the word "tax" turns up no results!!!!!, A google street view, of the address shows up a backstreet multi rented office doorway.
I was neither impressed or convinced

poet123

Does anyone have any more info on this? My elderly MIL has apparently paid £150 upfront to this company and has signed a contract with them which says that she will give them 25% of anything reclaimed. She is 78 and we feel this is preying on the elderly.