Council tax rebanding increase

InThrees

Hi folks, not the first query of this type but I'd be grateful for some input.

We moved into our property in April 2021.  Last week I received a letter from VOA stating they have moved our band from B to D, due to improvements made by previous owner.

After some research I realise this is how things work, but still very unwelcome news (I won't grumble further).  We weren't informed by our conveyancer and in my ignorance it did not occur to me.

Anyhow, the improvement was by way of a loft conversion that was carried out jointly by our former owner AND the former owner of our neighbour's house (i.e. they had the same work done, at exactly the same time).  My current neighbours moved in a few months before us, in December 2020.  We are an adjoining terrace with the same number of rooms but their property is smaller by more than 10%.  The original planning application for our property also involved an extension to the rear of the property but this was not carried out.

I do not think they have been contacted by VOA (and given the completion of the works was the same, I'd have thought they would've been contacted ahead of us).  Their property is listed as band B.

My questions:

1. Will I have to pay a backdated amount to cover the increase, from April 2021 to now?
2. If I place an appeal with VOA, using my neighbour's house as one example, does this simply risk raising their band, with ours remaining as D?
3. In relation to question 2, would they find out it was because of me?!
4. In my (uneducated!) view, this is quite a jump for adding a dormer loft.  Could VOA be incorrectly assuming all works were carried out as per the original planning application?

lincroft1710

1. If in England or Scotland, no, in Wales yes.


2. Yes. But are you certain your neighbours are the owners rather than just tenants.


3. Possibly, but the VOA won't tell on you.


4. Possibly, but the VOA may have done an inspection prior to you buying the house. You will have to ask them from where they obtained their information.

InThrees

Thank you for your swift response.

I'm in England, so that's some good news.  My neighbours are the owners.  I'll contact VOA as suggested to find said info.