Unique manse house

Henrycecil

During lockdown in April 2020 I applied for a reduction from Band E on a 3-bed detached Victorian house. The house has been owned by a chapel, as a manse for the minister to live in, since around 1870, hence there are no records of sale.However, it was valued by an estate agent in August 2020 at between £280k and £300k. The manse is located in a village and there are no similar properties in the same street. It is unique. I found it almost impossible to find a similar property  anywhere in the village but I did offer as comparison a couple of Victorian houses in different parts of the village, but these were bigger in size and had considerably better facilities such as a conservatory, a driveway and/or designated parking space.  The manse has none of these. After some chasing, the VOA wrote in January 2021 refusing my application, saying "Having checked our records it appears these (comparison) properties may be in the wrong banding and will be raising reports to have them reviewed. Having looked at similar sized 3 bed detached properties in (XXX) Street these are all in Band E and in my opinion support the current banding of the subject property."  I emailed back asking if they would consider sending an officer to visit our property to reassess - they did not reply.  At the time the VOA's Listing Officer rejected my application, Martin (Lewis) had just broadcast another programme about re-banding and I honestly feel the VOA's website was inundated and they did not give proper consideration to my request.  Sorry this is so long. If anyone can offer some advice I would be very grateful, as would the new tenant of the manse who is liable to pay the council tax on the property.  Thanks for reading this.

lincroft1710

If you are no longer the taxpayer of the manse, then you cannot now query the band, the new tenant has to do this and if they have been the occupier for less than 6 months they can formally appeal the band.



The best thing would be for the new occupier to look for houses of a similar size and type in Band D and perhaps widen their search to neighbouring villages.  

General_Grant

lincroft1710 said:

If you are no longer the taxpayer of the manse, then you cannot now query the band, the new tenant has to do this and if they have been the occupier for less than 6 months they can formally appeal the band.



The best thing would be for the new occupier to look for houses of a similar size and type in Band D and perhaps widen their search to neighbouring villages.  

Where did they say they were no longer the taxpayer?  
Where does it mention a new tenant?

lincroft1710

Henrycecil said:

During lockdown in April 2020 I applied for a reduction from Band E on a 3-bed detached Victorian house. The house has been owned by a chapel, as a manse for the minister to live in, since around 1870, hence there are no records of sale.However, it was valued by an estate agent in August 2020 at between £280k and £300k. The manse is located in a village and there are no similar properties in the same street. It is unique. I found it almost impossible to find a similar property  anywhere in the village but I did offer as comparison a couple of Victorian houses in different parts of the village, but these were bigger in size and had considerably better facilities such as a conservatory, a driveway and/or designated parking space.  The manse has none of these. After some chasing, the VOA wrote in January 2021 refusing my application, saying "Having checked our records it appears these (comparison) properties may be in the wrong banding and will be raising reports to have them reviewed. Having looked at similar sized 3 bed detached properties in (XXX) Street these are all in Band E and in my opinion support the current banding of the subject property."  I emailed back asking if they would consider sending an officer to visit our property to reassess - they did not reply.  At the time the VOA's Listing Officer rejected my application, Martin (Lewis) had just broadcast another programme about re-banding and I honestly feel the VOA's website was inundated and they did not give proper consideration to my request.  Sorry this is so long. If anyone can offer some advice I would be very grateful, as would the new tenant of the manse who is liable to pay the council tax on the property.  Thanks for reading this.

see the emboldened part

General_Grant

lincroft1710 said:

Henrycecil said:

During lockdown in April 2020 I applied for a reduction from Band E on a 3-bed detached Victorian house. The house has been owned by a chapel, as a manse for the minister to live in, since around 1870, hence there are no records of sale.However, it was valued by an estate agent in August 2020 at between £280k and £300k. The manse is located in a village and there are no similar properties in the same street. It is unique. I found it almost impossible to find a similar property  anywhere in the village but I did offer as comparison a couple of Victorian houses in different parts of the village, but these were bigger in size and had considerably better facilities such as a conservatory, a driveway and/or designated parking space.  The manse has none of these. After some chasing, the VOA wrote in January 2021 refusing my application, saying "Having checked our records it appears these (comparison) properties may be in the wrong banding and will be raising reports to have them reviewed. Having looked at similar sized 3 bed detached properties in (XXX) Street these are all in Band E and in my opinion support the current banding of the subject property."  I emailed back asking if they would consider sending an officer to visit our property to reassess - they did not reply.  At the time the VOA's Listing Officer rejected my application, Martin (Lewis) had just broadcast another programme about re-banding and I honestly feel the VOA's website was inundated and they did not give proper consideration to my request.  Sorry this is so long. If anyone can offer some advice I would be very grateful, as would the new tenant of the manse who is liable to pay the council tax on the property.  Thanks for reading this.

see the emboldened part

Sorry - such a long paragraph, I must have given up.
However, I wonder about the status of the OP.  Are they acting as an agent for the owning organisation which has been paying CT since April 2020?

lincroft1710

General_Grant said:

lincroft1710 said:

Henrycecil said:

During lockdown in April 2020 I applied for a reduction from Band E on a 3-bed detached Victorian house. The house has been owned by a chapel, as a manse for the minister to live in, since around 1870, hence there are no records of sale.However, it was valued by an estate agent in August 2020 at between £280k and £300k. The manse is located in a village and there are no similar properties in the same street. It is unique. I found it almost impossible to find a similar property  anywhere in the village but I did offer as comparison a couple of Victorian houses in different parts of the village, but these were bigger in size and had considerably better facilities such as a conservatory, a driveway and/or designated parking space.  The manse has none of these. After some chasing, the VOA wrote in January 2021 refusing my application, saying "Having checked our records it appears these (comparison) properties may be in the wrong banding and will be raising reports to have them reviewed. Having looked at similar sized 3 bed detached properties in (XXX) Street these are all in Band E and in my opinion support the current banding of the subject property."  I emailed back asking if they would consider sending an officer to visit our property to reassess - they did not reply.  At the time the VOA's Listing Officer rejected my application, Martin (Lewis) had just broadcast another programme about re-banding and I honestly feel the VOA's website was inundated and they did not give proper consideration to my request.  Sorry this is so long. If anyone can offer some advice I would be very grateful, as would the new tenant of the manse who is liable to pay the council tax on the property.  Thanks for reading this.

see the emboldened part

Sorry - such a long paragraph, I must have given up.
However, I wonder about the status of the OP.  Are they acting as an agent for the owning organisation which has been paying CT since April 2020?

The OP's current situation isn't clear. If there is a new tenant in situ, then only that tenant could query the band. If the property is currently empty as a new tenancy has been agreed for a future date and the OP is the agent for the owner or the OP is still the occupier then the OP can query the band

Henrycecil

Thanks to all for your comments. The manse was occupied until last September by the minister who has now left.The church paid the council tax - the minister was not classed as a tenant, the manse came as part of the employment package. The tenancy begins tomorrow, March 1st.  I have found a couple of similar properties in a nearby village (approx 3-4 miles away) in the same council district. I was under the impression that the VOA would only accept comparative properties in the same village. I am sure the tenant would be happy to apply to the local authority for a review of the banding. BTW the property is in England.

lincroft1710

Henrycecil said:

 I was under the impression that the VOA would only accept comparative properties in the same village. I am sure the tenant would be happy to apply to the local authority for a review of the banding. BTW the property is in England.

I'm ex VOA and have used dwellings in other villages to support the band of the dwelling I was defending at a Valuation Tribunal. There are always occasions when there is no useful evidence in the same village or locality.


The tenant should apply to the VOA for a band review, not the local authority.

Henrycecil

Sorry, I meant to say tenant would be happy to apply to the VOA, not the LA. I am determined to do my utmost to help him get  a good result as the house is really not worthy of being in Band E. Should be more like a Band D. Thanks so much for the information and advice.