What counts as property improvements for Council Tax rebanding?

Spring23

After living in our home for 4 years our neighbours put in a council tax challenge which put us up a band.  The reason we have been given is the previous owners made improvements.  When we bought the house I checked the gov.uk website and it said: Improvement Indicator:  No 
There are no planning applications against the property and we have been unable to get an answer to what these improvements are.  
Does anyone know: a) what is considered an 'improvement' and b) if the improvement indicator said no when we bought the house, can it really be changed 4 years later?

gwynlas

Do you mean that your neighbours application for rebanding means that you have all had your properties reviewed or that you have vindictive neighbours who have reported improvements on your property to the LA? I thought that any changes made to property you live in did not affect council tax but might cause rise when property sold.

lincroft1710

Just because there isn't an Improvement Indicator, it doesn't mean that there haven't been improvements. A previous owner may have carried out improvements without notifying either Planning or Building Control.

If the VOA believe a CT band is incorrect it can be increased or reduced at any time. But a band cannot be increased solely because of improvements carried out by the current owner after 1 April 1993. An improvement can be anything which would increase a dwelling's sale price. 

Spring23

Thank you for your comments.  It was just our property that was rebanded but the VOA have now admitted it was an incorrect change and we have been put back to the original band.