Council Tax Band Challenge - Where Do I Go From Here?

Leodogger

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Obviously!!!

My point being that as you were successful in getting the band of your previous home reduced and know how to go about this and seemingly know a lot more than many who post here asking advice, what points to make etc., why do you need any help?

I don't from my perspective, I was asking how the VOA arrive at their valuations in the first place which you explained, although not to my satisfaction does it provide an answer as to a fair system having been used in the way properties have been valued for rating purposes.

lincroft1710

JWhite wrote: »

With regard to your last paragraph, this really depends on the square metre size of the land your property stands on if a bungalow. It is true to say that some 2 bed bungalows would be in the same band as a 3 bed semi but only if the bungalow was sitting on a far larger plot than the semi and this is where the valuation system falls down because the size of the plot on which our bungalows sit is about 1/2 of the size of the 3 bed semis opposite, hence the much lower sales price when they come to market.

To demonstrate what I said in a earlier post, if a bungalow sold for £52,500 in Apr 1991 and a house for £67,500 also in Apr 1991, both would correctly be in Band C. From studying thousands of sales, garden size made very little difference to property prices in 1991, except in extreme cases. However when the property price renaissance started around 1997, garden size became more important.

I would stick my neck out and say that this development was never assessed for the Council Tax Band when built.

If your bungalow was built prior to 1990 or after 1992, there is a 99.9999% chance that it or one of the others was inspected.


Knowing public sector as I do, the majority of departments can't be bothered to save taxpayer's money by getting anything right.

The trouble with CT was, they had to save taxpayers' money by getting it done as quickly and as cheaply as possible. I don't remember exactly what the agents' were paid per valuation, but it was peanuts, thus they wouldn't spend much time banding an individual house. The 6 month time limit for appeals was introduced so as to save money.

Sorry but its true, I worked in the public sector for many years so know by experience the incompetence of some departments, my sister also worked in the planning/highways dept and she said much the same thing about the management. Nothing personal in this remark, you may have been a really hard worker but the management of many depts. leaves a lot to be desired.

The management of each office were told "Here's your budget, you can have x people, you have y appeals and z new bandings to deal with. Get on with it, don't fail or the VOA is history"

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lincroft1710

JWhite wrote: »

I don't from my perspective, I was asking how the VOA arrive at their valuations in the first place which you explained, although not to my satisfaction does it provide an answer as to a fair system having been used in the way properties have been valued for rating purposes.

No-one's saying it's perfect.

Leodogger

lincroft1710 wrote: »

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Well you have more or less confirmed what I said and as for

"If your bungalow was built prior to 1990 or after 1992, there is a 99.9999% chance that it or one of the others was inspected."

Our development was built in 1991 so no it was not inspected so why were the appeals turned down for the first 3 attempts when the VOA obviously knew that the development was never assessed/inspected?

I understand what you are saying about the targets/money given to carry out this exercise which is why I am stunned when I get a response from the VOA that categorically says the assessment had to be right in the first place and that my appeal definitely is turned down, it obviously had a very good chance of NOT being right due to all the reasons you mention and could have a very good chance of being challenged and won ! :mad:

lincroft1710

JWhite wrote: »

Our development was built in 1991 so no it was not inspected so why were the appeals turned down for the first 3 attempts when the VOA obviously knew that the development was never assessed/inspected?

Ask them to come and inspect it, which if the appeal goes to Tribunal, they will have to.

However as the development was built in 1991, then they should have 1991 sales evidence.

Leodogger

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Ask them to come and inspect it, which if the appeal goes to Tribunal, they will have to.

However as the development was built in 1991, then they should have 1991 sales evidence.

I was referring to the previous property we lived in which I successfully appealed.