Baffling council tax re banding

Jessetta

We moved into a new property three months back and last week received a letter with a re banding (G). The previous owners converted the lift space (no dormer) and improvement indicator on, I get why it’s been flagged.

On doing initial valuation check we are still comfortably in our previous band. When last sold prior to improvements it comes in as the band below that. Fairly modern estate so no real sale comparables.

We are a lower sq footage than all the nearby band G properties I can find - most are a higher sq foot across two stories rather than our 3 incl. loft, and they’re on bigger plots. 

So far seems like a reasonable place to challenge. 

The problem I’m having is that houses in the immediate area seem to jump straight from band E to G. There are limited comparables at our old band. Our unconverted direct neighbour with a very similar property  is E! 

Am worried I’m going to accidentally reband the entire road - but I can also clearly see a difference between our property and others at G. What would you do? It feels wrong that there are barely any properties at F. 

BillTee

I've just been rebanded to D - previous owner converted garage into small bedroom. Only similar property in street is adjoining semi - still has garage. Other homes are, like yours, larger/detached so I'm now in their band. I have today appealed citing next door (same footprint - think theirs is actually a bit larger) plus 4 properties in same village - 2 in band C and 2 in band B. 

Suggest you go online and look at what's required, then challenge.  Think Govt is grubbing round for soft targets to boost coffers to pay for all the handouts. Good Luck!

lincroft1710

BillTee said:

Think Govt is grubbing round for soft targets to boost coffers to pay for all the handouts. 

None of the money collected by councils in CT payments goes to Central Government. Increasing a CT band following alterations to a dwelling and subsequent sale has been happening for nearly 30 years. 

lincroft1710

Jessetta said:

We moved into a new property three months back and last week received a letter with a re banding (G). The previous owners converted the lift space (no dormer) and improvement indicator on, I get why it’s been flagged.

On doing initial valuation check we are still comfortably in our previous band. When last sold prior to improvements it comes in as the band below that. Fairly modern estate so no real sale comparables.

We are a lower sq footage than all the nearby band G properties I can find - most are a higher sq foot across two stories rather than our 3 incl. loft, and they’re on bigger plots. 

So far seems like a reasonable place to challenge. 

The problem I’m having is that houses in the immediate area seem to jump straight from band E to G. There are limited comparables at our old band. Our unconverted direct neighbour with a very similar property  is E! 

Am worried I’m going to accidentally reband the entire road - but I can also clearly see a difference between our property and others at G. What would you do? It feels wrong that there are barely any properties at F. 

VOA rarely take plot size into account. Because of the huge price range of Band G, it is possible to have a house worth almost twice as much as its next door neighbour, and both to be correctly in Band G. For a dwelling to go from an E to a G its notional 1991 value needs to increase by at least 34%.


Would suggest that you look slightly further afield and see what you can find in Bands E, F and G