Council Tax Band increased

Naomim

My in-laws have today just received a letter saying their house has been re-evaluated and increasing from band D to E and an increase of £77 a month to £263!

Am I right in guessing a neighbour has possibly asked to be evaluated as in a higher band and the local properties have been given an increase? 

Out if interest, how many houses would be evaluated? It's a road with over 200 properties so would it be all within the same postal code or maybe 5-10 properties.

My in-laws are retired and in their 70's, so to find the increase alongside the explosive gas & electricity rates at the moment is a terrible strain. 

Merlin139

Did the property have an extension or say a conservatory added to it prior to them purchasing it? Property across from me had an extension added 10 years ago and when they sold it then it was up banded.

You can check the banding on .Gov website and by putting in the postcode you can see all properties for said code.

Naomim

Yes it had an extension prior to them buying.

Neighbours opposite have extension and loft conversion. They are selling and move out in two weeks, so could this have caused the uplift?

CIS

Naomim said:

Yes it had an extension prior to them buying.

Neighbours opposite have extension and loft conversion. They are selling and move out in two weeks, so could this have caused the uplift?

There's only 2 things which would have caused the re-banding - either they've just bought/had the property transferred to them or the VOA have realised the property was previously given the wrong banding, and it's being corrected.

Naomim

@CIS do you mean neighbours have just bought? In-laws bought their house in 2000.

I'll check the gov website and see what the neighbouring properties are banded at.

Naomim

So this is very confusing as I just looked and most are band D and a small handful including in-laws are now band E. The handful aren't next door to each other.



Sorry for scribbles. Was trying to block out the addresses.

Just wondering if it's worth them appealing? Next door neighbours who are end terrace, had loft conversion, kitchen extension and side extension remain in band D. Seems mightily unfair.

CIS

Naomim said:

@CIS do you mean neighbours have just bought? In-laws bought their house in 2000.

I'll check the gov website and see what the neighbouring properties are banded at.

No - I mean there are two things that would trigger a re-banding - a purchase/transfer of the property or the VOA becoming aware that there's a banding error. If it's not the former, then it must be the latter.

CIS

Naomim said:

So this is very confusing as I just looked and most are band D and a small handful including in-laws are now band E. The handful aren't next door to each other.



Sorry for scribbles. Was trying to block out the addresses.

Just wondering if it's worth them appealing? Next door neighbours who are end terrace, had loft conversion, kitchen extension and side extension remain in band D. Seems mightily unfair.

The neighbour's property wouldn't be looked at again until it's sold/transferred (unless the VOA spotted an existing banding error). Improvements/extensions made during a period of ownership do not alter the banding until it is looked at for review on sale/transfer.

lincroft1710

If an owner of a dwelling in England extends or improves it after 1 April 1993, then the CT band cannot be increased until after that dwelling has been sold. So in line with CT legislation the neighbouring house with all the extensions must remain in Band D until it is sold.


As CIS has said, there are only 2 occasions when a CT band is increased, either because an error has been discovered with the original band or following a sale where improvements have been made by the previous owner. In both cases there can be a time lapse before a dwelling is rebanded. although 21 years after a sale is excessive, but there is no time bar.

The good news is that in England (but not Wales) an increased band cannot be backdated.

Naomim

Thanks @CIS & @lincroft1710

I understand, however my issue now is why they are rebanded but other neighbours and similar properties, all 1930's terraced with same footprint haven't? Ie: the neighbours the other side of them and two doors down. So if theirs was originally banded incorrectly surely all of them were? 

lincroft1710

Naomim said:

Thanks @CIS & @lincroft1710

I understand, however my issue now is why they are rebanded but other neighbours and similar properties, all 1930's terraced with same footprint haven't? Ie: the neighbours the other side of them and two doors down. So if theirs was originally banded incorrectly surely all of them were? 

You said your in-law's house had an extension, what about the other properties and if so were they carried out by the current owners. However it is worth asking the VOA about the other properties. But do not get too tied up in possible banding anomalies, concentrate on whether or not the increased band of your in-law's house is correct.