Council tax banding tribunal

JRMD

We have a tribunal hearing in July to appeal our council tax banding and the valuation office haven’t submitted their evidence with the required 6 week deadline. I need to submit mine shortly to meet my required 4 week deadline. Shall I just base my evidence on refuting their initial decision evidence? 

lincroft1710

If that is the the only evidence you have then yes. But it would help if you could find evidence that would support your case rather than just refuting the VOA evidence.


Have you contacted the VOA to inform them of their failure to meet the required deadline?

JRMD

lincroft1710 said:

If that is the the only evidence you have then yes. But it would help if you could find evidence that would support your case rather than just refuting the VOA evidence.


Have you contacted the VOA to inform them of their failure to meet the required deadline?

Yes - I contacted them - they effectively said “oooops, here it is, we’ll give you an extra 2 days for your deadline”. But the rules say that they can’t submit evidence (or a rebuttal to
mine) if they miss their deadline without good reason. 

I’m going to base my evidence on rebutting theirs as well as lots of other evidence I’ve collected, but also going to push for their evidence to be thrown out. Feels very much like the whole system is rigged in their favour though 😞

lincroft1710

I was interested to know what the official view on this (I'm ex VOA but left before the current "rules of evidence" came into force) so I sent an email to the VT London Office on Friday evening.


Received this reply today

"If the VOA fails to serve you with their evidence in accordance with Standard Direction, then you will need to inform the Tribunal of this breach and the matter can be raised as a preliminary issue at the hearing.

However, you are still required to comply with your part of the direction, and send your evidence to the VOA at four weeks before the hearing"


So you need to tell the VT about the VOA breach..

JRMD

lincroft1710 said:

I was interested to know what the official view on this (I'm ex VOA but left before the current "rules of evidence" came into force) so I sent an email to the VT London Office on Friday evening.


Received this reply today

"If the VOA fails to serve you with their evidence in accordance with Standard Direction, then you will need to inform the Tribunal of this breach and the matter can be raised as a preliminary issue at the hearing.

However, you are still required to comply with your part of the direction, and send your evidence to the VOA at four weeks before the hearing"


So you need to tell the VT about the VOA breach..

Yes - I’ve reported it to them. And including it as my first point of evidence which I’ll be sending within the deadline!! Thanks.

lincroft1710

JRMD said:

lincroft1710 said:

I was interested to know what the official view on this (I'm ex VOA but left before the current "rules of evidence" came into force) so I sent an email to the VT London Office on Friday evening.


Received this reply today

"If the VOA fails to serve you with their evidence in accordance with Standard Direction, then you will need to inform the Tribunal of this breach and the matter can be raised as a preliminary issue at the hearing.

However, you are still required to comply with your part of the direction, and send your evidence to the VOA at four weeks before the hearing"


So you need to tell the VT about the VOA breach..

Yes - I’ve reported it to them. And including it as my first point of evidence which I’ll be sending within the deadline!! Thanks.

That isn't "evidence" within the accepted meaning of the term for VT purposes. "Evidence" is details of property(ies) which support your case for a lower CT band.

JRMD

lincroft1710 said:

JRMD said:

lincroft1710 said:

I was interested to know what the official view on this (I'm ex VOA but left before the current "rules of evidence" came into force) so I sent an email to the VT London Office on Friday evening.


Received this reply today

"If the VOA fails to serve you with their evidence in accordance with Standard Direction, then you will need to inform the Tribunal of this breach and the matter can be raised as a preliminary issue at the hearing.

However, you are still required to comply with your part of the direction, and send your evidence to the VOA at four weeks before the hearing"


So you need to tell the VT about the VOA breach..

Yes - I’ve reported it to them. And including it as my first point of evidence which I’ll be sending within the deadline!! Thanks.

That isn't "evidence" within the accepted meaning of the term for VT purposes. "Evidence" is details of property(ies) which support your case for a lower CT band.

I misspoke (mis-wrote?) - by evidence I meant my objection summary, which includes a list of technical objections as well as evidence of other properties that support my case. Thanks!

lincroft1710

I'm intrigued by your term "technical objections"

Kuga247

Surely if they don’t submit within their time scale /restrictions you win the case / tribunal that’s why the time scale is there surely 

Kuga247

If the tribunal was in July how did it go have had rate band changed to what it should be 

lincroft1710

Kuga247 said:

Surely if they don’t submit within their time scale /restrictions you win the case / tribunal that’s why the time scale is there surely 

As a VT decision could impact on the bands of many dwellings, if the VT just allowed the appeal without hearing the VOA evidence, the VOA would probably ask that the judgement be set aside and the case re-heard. 


The circumstances may be unprecedented