Advice on Council Tax Re-Banding

Domsie

Has anyone been in this situation for re-banding their council tax? I live on a road where all of the houses are different, many are large substantial properties. Ours is not, it is a 3 bedroom semi. The value of our house in 1991 put us in band F and we are still in band F. However, there are 3 other houses on our road which are 5 bed properties on large plots which are also in band F although their value in 1991 put those properties in band G.

There is also a 4 bedroom extended semi which is in band E but having looked at the sales history this was either sold at an under-value (perhaps sold at auction) and/or it was extended after it was last sold.

My dilemma is whether I raise this with my local authority. Are they likely to say that we have always been in the correct band and therefore no refund is due and then they simply re-band the other properties upwards (because that would make the local authority more profit in the long term)?

Also, when you contact your local authority for re-banding, do they keep your details anonymous? On the one hand I do not think it is fair that we are paying the same amount as those in much larger properties but on the other hand, whilst we do not know the owners of these other properties, we would not want our details being made known to them if we are to stay in the same band and they are re-banded upwards.

Apologies for the long post but if anyone has any advice I would be grateful.

lincroft1710

The local authority does not deal with CT rebanding, it is either the Valuation Office Agency (part of HMRC) in England and Wales or the Assessor in Scotland.

If you make them aware of the underbanded houses, they may well put the bands up. It is nothing to do with revenue, just that they have to get the bands right, whether this means a lower or higher band. It is not the usual practice to disclose who made them aware of the underbanding.

Domsie

Thank you for correcting me on who does what! Do you think it likely therefore that we will stay in Band F and the other properties will be moved up to the correct Band?

lincroft1710

It will depend on the 1991 sales evidence they have to back up the bands. Without knowing this it's impossible to say.