Council Tax Reevaluation from Improvement indicator

silverchoice

We bought a house in 2021 with an improvement indicator. 

We didn’t get a letter from the Valuation Office Agency until December 2022 saying that “due to alterations/improvements made to the house by a previous owner we must include the additional value in the band following your purchase.”  Nothing happened following that letter and today (July 2023) we received exactly the same letter.

This is strange because the only major improvement the previous owner did was to get new UPVC windows. A conservatory had already been added a long time before they moved in so that shouldn’t count should it?

I called the Council about any Planning Permission or Building Regulations applied for my house and they couldn’t find anything. The only thing I can find is a Fensa certificate for the new windows in 2008.

Do the Valuation Office Agency actually have to prove that the house has been improved by the previous owners to reevaluate the Council Tax band or do I need to prove that they haven’t improved the property?

lincroft1710

The VOA can increase a CT band at any time if they believe it is too low. Only the VOA will know if the conservatory is reflected in the band. Even if it was added years ago there is no guarantee it is currently reflected.


Where there has been a sale and the VOA need to consider revising the band, they will usually inspect and compare what they find with what is on their records. New windows and conservatories are rarely band significant, so it is extremely doubtful your band would increase

silverchoice

Just had a revised Council Tax Bill where my band has increased from a B to an E. I haven’t even had a letter from the valuation agency. They haven’t even bothered to visit the property.

I’m definitely going to appeal. Two doors down is a similar house bought a couple of months before mine for only £20,000 less and that’s a band B.

lincroft1710

If you haven't already, check your CT band here

https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands

and I would also suggest you re-read the July 2023 letter from the VOA, as it may be they sent out a duplicate of the Dec 2022 in error, rather than a Notice of Alteration of Valuation List.

housebuyer143

silverchoice said:

Just had a revised Council Tax Bill where my band has increased from a B to an E. I haven’t even had a letter from the valuation agency. They haven’t even bothered to visit the property.

I’m definitely going to appeal. Two doors down is a similar house bought a couple of months before mine for only £20,000 less and that’s a band B.

That seems crazy, have you checked what all similar houses in your street are for the council tax band? You can do this online and will give you an indication of whether E is the correct band.

The only places I know what are B are flats... What kind of house have you bought? 

lincroft1710

housebuyer143 said:

silverchoice said:

Just had a revised Council Tax Bill where my band has increased from a B to an E. I haven’t even had a letter from the valuation agency. They haven’t even bothered to visit the property.

I’m definitely going to appeal. Two doors down is a similar house bought a couple of months before mine for only £20,000 less and that’s a band B.

That seems crazy, have you checked what all similar houses in your street are for the council tax band? You can do this online and will give you an induction of whether E is the correct band.

The only places I know what are B are flats... What kind of house have you bought? 

I'm ex VOA and in the areas I worked virtually all council built houses were in Band B as were many Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses

silverchoice

lincroft1710 said:

housebuyer143 said:

silverchoice said:

Just had a revised Council Tax Bill where my band has increased from a B to an E. I haven’t even had a letter from the valuation agency. They haven’t even bothered to visit the property.

I’m definitely going to appeal. Two doors down is a similar house bought a couple of months before mine for only £20,000 less and that’s a band B.

That seems crazy, have you checked what all similar houses in your street are for the council tax band? You can do this online and will give you an induction of whether E is the correct band.

The only places I know what are B are flats... What kind of house have you bought? 

I'm ex VOA and in the areas I worked virtually all council built houses were in Band B as were many Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses

As you’re ex VOA can you tell me if I can appeal the fact that was an improvement indicator on my house when no significant improvements have been made?

Bluebell1000

housebuyer143 said:

silverchoice said:

Just had a revised Council Tax Bill where my band has increased from a B to an E. I haven’t even had a letter from the valuation agency. They haven’t even bothered to visit the property.

I’m definitely going to appeal. Two doors down is a similar house bought a couple of months before mine for only £20,000 less and that’s a band B.

That seems crazy, have you checked what all similar houses in your street are for the council tax band? You can do this online and will give you an indication of whether E is the correct band.

The only places I know what are B are flats... What kind of house have you bought? 

In my area, our last house (3 bed ex council semi) was band A. We're now in a non council built 3 bed semi and that's a B. 
Good luck in getting it sorted out.

housebuyer143

Bluebell1000 said:

housebuyer143 said:

silverchoice said:

Just had a revised Council Tax Bill where my band has increased from a B to an E. I haven’t even had a letter from the valuation agency. They haven’t even bothered to visit the property.

I’m definitely going to appeal. Two doors down is a similar house bought a couple of months before mine for only £20,000 less and that’s a band B.

That seems crazy, have you checked what all similar houses in your street are for the council tax band? You can do this online and will give you an indication of whether E is the correct band.

The only places I know what are B are flats... What kind of house have you bought? 

In my area, our last house (3 bed ex council semi) was band A. We're now in a non council built 3 bed semi and that's a B. 
Good luck in getting it sorted out.

Wow! I'm in the wrong place 🤣 

I would say if the OP checks all the other similar houses in the street and they are B then I imagine they can very easily get it over turned.
What is in an E band in your area? If the house isn't comparable to that then again, good reason to think a mistake was made.

CSI_Yorkshire

Might you get more specific advice on the other sub-board?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/other-reclaiming-mortgage-fees-council-tax-etc

silverchoice

CSI_Yorkshire said:

Might you get more specific advice on the other sub-board?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/other-reclaiming-mortgage-fees-council-tax-etc

I’ve started a thread on that board too. Thanks.