Challenging a council tax band that changed band in 2010.

inner_grace

I am in the process of purchasing a house and one thing that I have always found strange is how it is a band E yet the houses I was looking at in the same price bracket and size within the same area were all a band D. I decided to buy it because it's the most suitable available dispite my disappointment with the band.

I intend to challenge it when I move in because when I look at what silmilar properties on the street sold for years back, their 1991 value puts them in a band D. I can't understand why it was upped to a band E in the summer of 2010 along with 5 other houses on the same road. One house across the road the same size is still a band D.

My solicitor said she cant assist me with what it would have been worth in 1991 as not a legal matter. I can't find the value of it for 1991 or around then, according to what I've read the land registry didn't record values until 1995. Is there any other way I can find out what it was worth in/around 1991? I have asked my estate agent to find out from the vendor but she may not want to disclose what she paid for it in 1993 as it's rather personal.

My best guess at what has happened is that someone has requested a review of their band and it has increased several houses on the street but judging by the houses we viewed in the area they have made a mistake.

Has anyone successfully had their council tax revised back down in a similar situation? Do you have any tips for me?

lincroft1710

Land Registry has been recording prices for many years prior to 1995, but they are only in the public domain from that date. 1993 prices will usually be lower than those in 1991.

The best course of action would be to ask the Valuation Office Agency why the bands were increased in 2010. Avoid mentioning the Band D house, as it may be that Band E is in fact correct and that house was erroneously omitted from the band review. It is unusual for bands to be increased en bloc without good reason,

Archived newspaper property ads may give you an idea of asking prices in 1991.

inner_grace

Going through old property guides is a good idea, I will do that. Thankyou. It's a tricky one because it's either towards the top end of a band D, which I think is more likely the case or right at the bottom of a band E which sucks if that's the case as it adds £400 to the yearly bill. I have been informed it was a band E, then it was put down to band D when the vendor challenged the band with the council in 1993. Insurance company had valued it in the band D bracket and someone visited the property agred it should be in band D. Then in 2010 was told they had made a mistake as other properties the same size was in band E. A handful of properties were moved to band E. No one came around to the house to do any checks before putting the band up. It is possible the other properties should have all been put down to a band D. The value appears to be very border line either way and nothing to stop the council trying to pull a fast one back in 2010. Strange how an insurance company and the visit back in 1993 were both wrong. My research suggests otherwise.

lincroft1710

The council have nothing to do with altering CT bands. The Valuation Office Agency (part of HMRC) are responsible for assessing and altering CT bands and gain nothing financially by increasing (or decreasing) bands.

Insurance valuations are usually for rebuilding costs which will not be the same as the market value of a dwelling, so I don't understand the relevance of an insurance valuation. What is unusual is that when the bands were increased in 2010, no one appealed the increase.