Council tax Band, pass Neighcheck but fail valuation, do i still have a case?

mpr87

Hi all,

Myself and my fiancee  bought our first home in 2019 - a 3 bed semi detached that we paid £165000 for. (this was ever so slightly above market average in the area at the time as house prices were rising) but house prices have risen dramatically since. (our neighbours just sold for 186k 6 months ago)

we are on band C for council tax whilst every other single house in the street are all on band B. All the houses are effectively identical bar the odd extension. our neighbour has a large plot of land as they are on the corner plot but no extension (they are planning to build a double extension to the side) 2 houses opposite both have  large full width rear extensions. Our house has a small rear extension on the kitchen whilst our other neighbour (which is also band has a large conservatory/extension to the rear. which i would add is much bigger than our extension.

i've also checked the next streets tax bands - this is a much larger street but again with identical has houses  to ours, some of which are also extended, which all fall again into band B. On the next street there are 2 large 4 bedroom  detached bungalows that are band C and 2 new detached 4 beds that fall into band D (these were built on a spare plot of land recently)  but every other house that is the same build as ours (even ones with significant extensions) are all band B.

i've done the valuation check and we do just fall into band C at the lower end whilst all the other homes i've checked on net house prices sold years before but seem to just fall at the top end of band B.

there is another house around the corner (again extended at the rear and the same build as ours) that sold for 170k the same time that we bought ours that is also on band B.

whilst i fail the valuation check do i still have a fair argument to be put on a band B? i am conscious that it seems a lot of people in the area are potentially on the wrong band and i run the risk of having them put up a band but it just doesn't feel right that i'm paying more council tax than 95% of the area when living in an identical house.

lincroft1710

The answer is that only the VOA will know the answer! Some of the extensions may have been carried out by the current owners and thus the bands cannot be increased until after the houses are next sold. If you are really unhappy with your band then ask the VOA for a band review but it may result in your neighbours' bands being increased. Or your band may be in fact be wrong.