Help with Council Tax ReBanding

bristolrugbyfan

Hello
We've just moved into a new house and have received a letter from VOSA to advise that they are changing our Council Tax banding from D to E. I disagree with this (our previous house was a 3 bed terrace in the suburbs of Bristol and was a Band B and so Band D felt about right for a 3 bed detached in a more rural area). However, I've done some digging and it would seem that all the houses in our street are Band D or above, which doesn't feel right as most of them are only small 1 bed detached bungalows. I understand the principal behind the change, as the previous owners did major work to convert our property from a 1 bed bungalow to a 3 bed house and this is the first time the house has changed hands since they did the work in 1993 - but I would be a lot happier if we were moving from Band B to Band D - and from Band D to Band E. I am under the impression that the entire street may be victim to a 2nd gear valuation but is there any way I can argue this successfully? The street is mostly inhabited by retired people who have lived there for around 30 years and who are fair to straightlaced to have ever challenged the status quo.. the fact that properties change hands so rarely would also make them harder to value which only strengthens my belief that the estate agents in question never bothered - they still haven't removed the "sold" sign and we moved in on July 26th!! So it feels like we may just have to suck it up, but any advice to the contrary would be gratefully received!

McKneff

My eyes hurt after about 4 lines down,

Could you edit your post and put some paragraphs in please.

You will get more responses.

lincroft1710

Look at other 3 bed detached houses of a similar size in the area, if they are Band D, you may have a case. Comparison with your previous home is pointless.

bristolrugbyfan

Thanks Lincroft1710

I have checked other homes on our street and all the 1 bedroom bungalows (which our house was before conversion in 1998) are Band D.

There are 3 other houses which have been converted/extended in a similar manner to ours since 1991 and all have a note against them on VOSA website indicating that they will be similarly re-valued if they are ever sold. They are also currently Band D.

As I believe that the housing stock on our entire street has been placed in the wrong Council Tax band, is it worth looking at the values/banding of comparable houses (3 bed detached) in the rest of the village or will this evidence be dimissed as irrelevant?

lincroft1710

Looking at 3 beds in the rest of the village is definitely a good idea.