Question about Council Tax Banding

sugarfix

Hi everyone,

I've a question around Council Tax Banding (yes, thanks you Jeremy Vine)

I've followed the guide here on the site and found that houses on my road are split between band B and Band C - All are 3 bed Semis built in 1938 in Birmingham and the only discernible difference between the houses is that some have a garage attached at the side (like mine, band C) and some have a shared drive with in-line garages at the rear (Band .

I then looked at house prices and found the house attached to mine (with a garage, also band C) was sold in 1995 for £43500 which should surely put the house well into band B, an assumption supported by the Nationwide house price estimator.

So I figured, what do I have to lose, especially as we've been here for 15 years and are in the process of moving. So I called the Valuation Office and they've said that they can't accept any valuation unless it's 1 year either side of 1991 (so 90 to 92) but obviously, I can't easily find a record of any sales before 1995.

Do you think I have grounds for a revaluation, regardless of the minor difference in the properties locally to me?

Many thanks for any advice.

lincroft1710

I'm ex VOA and in many areas 1995 prices were 25% below those of 1991.

As you are moving, suggest to your buyer that they appeal the band after they've moved in - they will get the chance of a Valuation Tribunal hearing.

sugarfix

Thanks for the reply. And you're correct about the prices being higher in 91 than 95, that's what I found on the Nationwide calculator, but it would still put our property into band B.

lincroft1710

NW house price guide is not accurate, it tends to undervalue 1991 prices. £43,500 in 1995 would indicate around £58,000 in 1991 if there was a 25% drop from 1991 to 1995.

There is a probability of either an appeal on a similar house in your road or an actual 1991 sale - the VOA will have details.

Phinmister

Can you claim if you have moved out of the house you are questioning the band on, ie, I have lived in two houses since leaving my parents. I lived in my first house for 17 years, this is the house I recon I was paying for a to high of a banding, the house I'm in now seems to be the correct banding, but can I challenge the band of my previous home of 17 years?

tomtontom

No, you cannot.

A_Frayed_Knot

Without making this a long post, I have an end terrace on one side of me, a quarter villa 2 bed on the other, semi across the road, and I stay in a quarter 3 bed - all are the same banding C. There are about 2-3 band D.I have calculated the 1991 value of most sold in Drive as far as records do back, theres not that many to be honest-and all come up with either A or B
With so many different shapes and sizes, it would be very easy to make a mistake when "driving by" to get estimate council tax banding. They were all council houses at one stage.

Feel this is not a straight forward appeal/claim - What do I do next, and how? Thanks


Ok just went through and done the reverse (as Martin suggests) - all houses sold from 2005 onwards come into Banding A or B - There is 2 that pops up as band C - 1 was a New Build in 2008, the other may have just paid over the odds for it (2007 when prices were at a premium).

lincroft1710

What is a "quarter villa"? It's not a term we use south of the border. Are the sale prices you are using right to buy prices?

A_Frayed_Knot

Its 4 houses, each with their own main door all in one block, 2 doors(one at each side) at the front lead to upstairs, and 2 doors at the side of the block(1 at each side) which lead to the downstairs.

The prices I am using are not the right to buy prices as they would be so much cheaper, because of the massive difference in houses in the drive, purchase prices vary;
2005 - 57,000 (only 1 sold)
2006 - 54,800 - 93,000 (5 sold)
2007 - 96,000 - 120,000 (5 sold) Good year to sell !!!
2008 - 94,000 - 128,000 (1 sold, 1 new build)
2009 - 67,000 (1 sold)
2010 - 91,000 (1 sold)
2011 - 80,000 (1 sold)
2012 - 59,000(1 sold)
2013 - 56,000 - 80,000 (4 sold)
2014 - 71,250 - 101,103 (3 sold) All according to rightmove
nothing has sold yet this year, so as you can see, huge differences, and it is a very long Drive.

lincroft1710

They sound more like flats than houses. Scottish Band C is so low (it starts £5,000 below English Band A max), that a 3 bed dwelling in Band C wouldn't seem unreasonable.

I would contact the Assessor and ask what details they have for your home. It is possible the Assessor has the wrong details, but you're probably looking at 1000/1 of this being the case.

A_Frayed_Knot

Was just following Martin's step by step check (on main site) to find out the value of the property in 1991;

• Sale price in Jan - Mar 2012
• Region

• Scotland

ACCORDING TO NATIONWIDE'S HOUSE PRICE DATA

• Property's value in 1991
• Council tax band relating to that price...

• £21,282
• Scotland Band A (£0-£27,000)

so according to the table above, the property's value in 1991 was £21,282 and should be in band A,
but can't compare to neighbours as they are different types and sizes of houses/flats (as you put it)
all in the same banding.
No matter what i do to my property, it will not sell for over £100,000, and buyers who bought for over 100,000 are in the same banding as me.
Just trying to find out facts, and followed Martin's table.