Appealing a domestic rates bill

ATC111

Has anyone successfully appealed a capital valuation and/or poundage used to calculate a residential property rates bill? 

I have already requested a review of the valuation based upon similar properties in the area and the purchase price

I contacted the local authority, who set the rate/poundage to be applied to the market valuation, but they don't seem to have an appeals process as the poundage is set by political input and a protracted deliberation process.

Can anyone advise on how best to go about getting the market valuation reduced and if it is feasible to get the poundage reduced?

Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

Ticked

You can try, and if you succeed there will be a queue to find how you did it. I tried years ago on the grounds that the valuation was based on lettable value but as my mortgage excluded letting, the valuation should be nil. It went back and forth for months till the next step was court, which I couldn’t afford. So, power to your elbow. Come the revolution……..

spo2

I did years ago - the rate-able value was set a couple of years before I had bought my house, which was near the start of the boom, while house prices were rising. They valued my house at 25% more in the years before I bought it, which would have meant that while all other house prices were rising, mine was dropping.

I appealed on these grounds and every time it was rejected I appealed again and eventually won the case and had my rates bill reduced, although not by as much as I thought was correct

ATC111

Thank you for the replies. I have requested a review on the basis of the capital value as set in 2005 is greater than the selling price in 2023 and that of other similar properties sold in the vicinity. It also has no bathroom due to water damage so has not been habitable for some time. 

Money_Grabber13579

ATC111 said:

Thank you for the replies. I have requested a review on the basis of the capital value as set in 2005 is greater than the selling price in 2023 and that of other similar properties sold in the vicinity. It also has no bathroom due to water damage so has not been habitable for some time. 

The capital value in 2005 is what they use for everyone though so just because the value now might be less than that has no bearing on the rates bill - it’s what the value was in 2005 which is important. 

Also, on the not being habitable point, I understand that rates are not adjusted for damage, so long as the damage is capable of being repaired (this was raised in the Victoria Square apartments scenario).

qwert_yuiop

Correct. The value of the house today is not relevant, unless it’s been extended ( or partly demolished?) in the meantime. The rateable value is just a means of comparing one house to others.

spo2

As mentioned above, you can get an exemption for rates if the house is not habitable. However we had to show that our house had no kitchen (due to an extension and remodel) before this was granted. I don't know if this would apply to a house without a bathroom