Money Moral Dilemma: Should we report neighbours who are in the 'wrong' council tax band?

Pzion

All you are going to do is seriously upset your neighbors and gain nothing, 

Danien

My understanding is that in challenging your council tax band you provide details of similar properties in a lower band, plus pricing evidence from the assessment year ('91 or '93, depending where you are in the UK) that show that all the properties and yours were in the same pricing band.

Giving evidence of more expensive properties now in a lower band won't get it done. With this stupid system you have to do your research and follow the guidelines or you won't be successful.

Giving details of the more expensive houses in a lower band won't help you or them. And if you are being asked for more info, did you provide the required specifics in the first challenge? If not, see if you are able to provide more info for your challenge or appeal with the correct information.

jedav

At the inception of council tax the purpose-built flat I lived in was assessed at the same rate as some conversions opposite and at a higher rate than another purpose-built flat opposite in the other direction, but with a different road name.  I wrote and got the band lowered, arguing that the comparison was invalid.  My property had been purchased the previous year, which may have helped.
Of course, if you are able to find a similarly-sized property with the band you think is correct you may risk the owners' ire if your evidence results in their council tax rising, similar to the risk you run if you cite larger properties in lower tax bands.  Would such citation achieve a reduction in your band, or is the council just expecting you to work for them for nothing?  Surely it would be easy for them to check nearby properties themselves (recent online pictures are generally available!) and planning departments will have information on extensions.

pinkcrystal

Definitely not. It doesn’t benefit you in Tte least, in fact if you have a conscience at all, it will aggravate it & you will lose peace of mind. Relationships are always more important that money matters. 

matstaffs

Definitely not, house size is only one factor of grading and you will upset neighbours for no reason.  The council know what your neighbours pay so pointless on that basis too.

Edina_Typhoon

Would you want your neighbours to know if you 'grassed them up' ?  If the answer is no, then don't do it.  The council has all the information about which properties are in which band.  If they really want to know, they can look it up for themselves.

[Deleted User]

We are in the same position but have been told that an appeal would be unsuccessful as there are no comparable properties in the immediate area.  Our property was wrongly designated as E when it should be D, due to the incompetent way in which the original survey was carried out.  We have not taken the matter further as we do not wish to fall out with our very good neighbours.  However, I do think that properties should be re-valued after any work is carried out to extend a property not just if and when it is next sold.  If this were done it would probably increase the overall council tax received.

Dr_V

The council should be able to do it itself, but Yes. 

Councils need money. If I was paying the wrong amount of tax then I would prefer the council to get it right. It’s a matter of fairness.

JaneHenery

"There's not much to be gained by grassing up our neighbours"? So that's how you live your life, looking at ways to profit from others? No, you should absolutely NOT inform the council. You should also maybe take a long hard look at your life values. 

lincroft1710

The OP should have indicated that they were not in discussion with the council but the VOA who are the body that deal with CT bands. The VOA should know which nearby houses have been extended, but if some have been extended without planning permission or were not given an improvement indicator, then they won't know.


Because CT bands are now so well established, the VOA stance has changed from having to prove a CT band correct to one of the CT payer having to prove the band is incorrect.


To correct a previous post by another poster, in Eng and Scot 1 April 1991 is the date at which all dwellings are valued, but any changes before 1 April 1993 (or the date of last sale if later) which increase a dwelling's value are taken into account. In Wales the dates are 1 April 2003 and 1 April 2005 respectively.