Council Tax Band Challenge - Previous owner appeal to Independent Valuation Tribunal 24 years ago

Mikey_1982

Hi, I am looking for some advice please. I purchased and moved in to my current property in January this year, the property is in Band E for Council Tax, however I believe it should be Band D from research and assessments that I have carried out. The main factors being that the 2 neighbouring properties to me (one of which is identical in style and layout) are both Band D, the other factor being the sold price in 1991 was £82,000 clearly placing it in Band D.

Having lived here for only 2 months (so within the 6 months advised to submit a challenge) and with my findings, I submitted a council tax band challenge (Council Tax potential proposal) to the VOA online listing all my findings and supporting evidence for my challenge.  HOWEVER I have received a response a week later stating that "a previous owner appealed the band to the independent Valuation Tribunal and a decision on 12th January 1999 confirmed the band of your property as E". On this basis they have said "We are therefore unable to take any further action in this case"

I find this unacceptable that an appeal from a previous owner, now 24 years ago! means I cannot challenge it with my evidence, and that they are not prepared to even assess my case. Can anyone advise me if this is correct? Is that final or am I able to appeal in any way to get them to look at this?  I do strongly believe the property has been incorrectly banded but how do I get them to listen?  

Any advice greatly received  

lincroft1710

If a previous owner made an appeal on the basis the band was too high and the appeal went to a Valuation Tribunal hearing then there can be no subsequent appeal on the same basis


https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/2270/regulation/4/made Section 4 para 5(b)


is the enabling legislation.


Basically a VT decision is pretty final, they will have considered all the evidence presented to them. You would need some exceptionally convincing new evidence to persuade the VOA that the VT decision was incorrect and unless you have the actual document which details the 1991 sale of the subject or nearly identical nearby dwelling which was somehow overlooked (not hearsay evidence and not a house price index calculation) I don't think you could do this