Total Area of a House for Council Tax Band Appeal

lincroft1710

silverchoice said:

This is what the VOA emailed
me about how they calculate the area.

”When measuring houses and bungalows we measure all the area covered within the external walls, excluding:

•           Eaves overhang

•           Open balconies

•           Covered ways and external passages

•           Unconverted loft areas

•           Attached and integral garages

•           Washhouses and fuel stores/coal bunkers

•           Conservatories and porches

We exclude internal areas with a head height of below 1.5m, other than areas under stairs.

We add a notional wall thickness to each dimension before calculating the areas. For example, a chalet bungalow or loft conversions with sloping ceilings.”

Absolutely correct!


So as I previously said, check the measurements yourself and if they don't come to 198 sq m, get the VOA round to remeasure or just get them round anyway.

silverchoice

Here is the floor plan of my house. I have emailed this to the VOA.

CSI_Yorkshire

silverchoice said:

Here is the floor plan of my house. I have emailed this to the VOA.

That's internal room dimensions only - you can't just add them up do work out how much land your house takes..

Go and measure one of your walls from the outside and see how much different it is.

I still think you'll be short of the VOA measurement, but not by as much as you think you are. 

lincroft1710

silverchoice said:

Here is the floor plan of my house. I have emailed this to the VOA.

As CSIY has said that is the internal area of the house and you have also omitted the porch. Adding a notional 30 cm for external wall thickness (15 cm where it is attached to next door), 10 cm for internal walls plus a estimate for the porch. 

I calculate

9.25 x 5.10 = 47.2 x 3 = 141.6 

4.10 x 2.70 = 11.07 x 3 = 33.2

Porch (estimated )1.60 x  1.80 = 2.9

Garden Room 3.30 x 3.50 = 11.5


So total area approx 174.8 plus porch and GR = 189.2 sq m

The walls may be thicker than the amounts I have estimated so that may be why the VOA say 198 sq m, so I can only reiterate again if you dispute their area you need to get them round to remeasure.


Having now seen a layout plan and size of the house, Band E seems more appropriate than Band B 

silverchoice

lincroft1710 said:

silverchoice said:

Here is the floor plan of my house. I have emailed this to the VOA.

As CSIY has said that is the internal area of the house and you have also omitted the porch. Adding a notional 30 cm for external wall thickness (15 cm where it is attached to next door), 10 cm for internal walls plus a estimate for the porch. 

I calculate

9.25 x 5.10 = 47.2 x 3 = 141.6 

4.10 x 2.70 = 11.07 x 3 = 33.2

Porch (estimated )1.60 x  1.80 = 2.9

Garden Room 3.30 x 3.50 = 11.5


So total area approx 174.8 plus porch and GR = 189.2 sq m

The walls may be thicker than the amounts I have estimated so that may be why the VOA say 198 sq m, so I can only reiterate again if you dispute their area you need to get them round to remeasure.


Having now seen a layout plan and size of the house, Band E seems more appropriate than Band B 

The VOA say that Conservatories and porches are excluded.

They also said that the other end terrace in my block is not a similar area to my house which is definitely incorrect.

housebuyer143

You haven't answered my question from your previous posts about what band your neighbours are in? Or any other 5 bed in your area? 
A band B for a 5 bed seems completely wrong, I don't think I know anyone who lives in anything more than a 3 bed with a B rating. 

If all your neighbours are E as are surrounding areas then I don't think you have any valid argument to stay a B.

lincroft1710

silverchoice said:

lincroft1710 said:

silverchoice said:

Here is the floor plan of my house. I have emailed this to the VOA.

As CSIY has said that is the internal area of the house and you have also omitted the porch. Adding a notional 30 cm for external wall thickness (15 cm where it is attached to next door), 10 cm for internal walls plus a estimate for the porch. 

I calculate

9.25 x 5.10 = 47.2 x 3 = 141.6 

4.10 x 2.70 = 11.07 x 3 = 33.2

Porch (estimated )1.60 x  1.80 = 2.9

Garden Room 3.30 x 3.50 = 11.5


So total area approx 174.8 plus porch and GR = 189.2 sq m

The walls may be thicker than the amounts I have estimated so that may be why the VOA say 198 sq m, so I can only reiterate again if you dispute their area you need to get them round to remeasure.


Having now seen a layout plan and size of the house, Band E seems more appropriate than Band B 

The VOA say that Conservatories and porches are excluded.

They also said that the other end terrace in my block is not a similar area to my house which is definitely incorrect.

Will depend on the construction. I included plenty of porches of the same construction as the rest of the house in the area of the house. Similarly if a garden room is of substantial construction it would be included.


If the VOA say the other house is smaller than yours when the area is in fact similar, it is not going to help your case!. 

silverchoice

Here is the floor plan of my neighbours house. I’ve worked out the internal area to be slightly more than mine. Surely the areas the VOA hold should be similar?

silverchoice

housebuyer143 said:

You haven't answered my question from your previous posts about what band your neighbours are in? Or any other 5 bed in your area? 
A band B for a 5 bed seems completely wrong, I don't think I know anyone who lives in anything more than a 3 bed with a B rating. 

If all your neighbours are E as are surrounding areas then I don't think you have any valid argument to stay a B.

Two doors down has a similar internal area and is band B while I am band E.

lincroft1710

silverchoice said:

Here is the floor plan of my neighbours house. I’ve worked out the internal area to be slightly more than mine. Surely the areas the VOA hold should be similar?

As has been said on several occasions,

1. It is the external area not the internal area which is relevant

2. It is fairly apparent that Band B is far too low for your home

3. Comparing your home with another which also seems to be in too low a band won't help your case.


You need to wait until the VOA have physically ,check measured the size of your home and provided you with their evidence to support Band E or at least given you a reason for the increase (which is very important as 3 band increases need a good reason ). As the VOA have increased your band from B, they are likely to be aware the other houses in the terrace are in B 


I don't know if this is actually the case but the main part of the neighbour's house is about 1 metre deeper than yours