Council Tax rebranding for garage conversion etc.

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Hi All,

My first post so please be kind.

We have recently bought a 3-4 bed semi-detached house in London (1930s). The previous owner had converted the attached garage into a room and has also done a small extension at the back of the garage into a small WC and a walk in larder/small room-ish/space for keeping fridge/washing machine etc.

We received a letter after our purchase that the Valuation agency would like to carry out a survey to re-value our house and it may affect our CT banding. I didn’t give much notice to the letter as busy with packing/moving etc. A few weeks later we received a letter from Valuation Agency that they have changed our banding from D to E due to previous owners alterations.

Having looked at the Moneysavingexpert guide and all the other forums, existing information and checking the sold prices for similar properties and their floor plans and CT bands, there are number of properties near ours that have had major extensions done for e.g. a loft conversion plus double side extension (garage) or a loft conversion, single side garage extension and rear extension etc. etc.

When I look at their floor plans, they are either 5 bedrooms or more whereas if we consider the garage conversion as a room and ignore the rear bits become a 4 bed semi-detached.
There is another property sold a year or so ago which has same floor plan as ours, just garage conversion and bit on the back and their CT band is still D which I am thinking is whether they appealed it against their change and manage to get it through.
What I would like to understand from you all is on what basis should I make an appeal?

1) Similar properties have a lot more square meterage due to the extent of the extension and added value to the property whereas ours has “loss of garage” negates the “gain of room” in terms of value if we compare the car insurance as a factor when buying a property.

2) Or Should I build my case on the basis of this property with similar layout and extension sold near the same selling price as ours and hence ours CT should also be comparable to that property but not the overly extended properties in the area.
Any opinions, suggestions will be very helpful. What I was planning to do was to take the photos and floor plans for all the properties with big extensions built and the property with similar extension to ours and write a covering letter explaining the comparable facts and market data.

Thanks

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lincroft1710

Use both 1) and 2)