Council tax banding challenge becoming impossible

Sunflowerpower148

Dear Martin and Team

I really feel your team need to look into how to challenge your council tax band as your current advice seems no longer applicable.

I followed your instructions, providing nationwide statistical information and listing other similar properties in close proximity of mine which are in a lower band. 

The VOA have responded to my challenge ( as per below ) and seem to be coming up with a number of excuses to back up their decision = no change to my current banding. I put in a formal complaint how they came up with their decision. They state:-

1. They will not accept any historical/stats information from the Nationwide.

2. They can not provide me with the evidence they have based their decision due to tax confidentiality (their excuse as detailed below).

3. They base their decisions on general "tone".

Your guidance is to use historic information from the Nationwide but if the VOA don't accept this then your guidance needs to reflect this. I also gave them a list of properties in lower bands but they don't mention these.

Also can you explain what they mean by "tone" as this seems another ridiculous excuse.

It seems to me anyone challenging their council tax band are being set up for a fail.

lincroft1710

By checking actual sale prices, Nationwide (and other) house price indices were found to be inaccurate
 

1991 (and other years) house prices were supplied to the VOA in confidence by the Stamps Office and can only be disclosed when a formal appeal has been listed for a Valuation Tribunal hearing.


"Tone of List" means the accepted banding for different house types/areas. E.g. all 3 bed 100 sq metre pre 1900 terrace houses in Walford are in Band C, all 2 bed 75 sq m pre 1900 terrace houses in Weatherfield are Band B, all 3 bed 90 sq m 1960s semi detached houses in and around Hospital Road Holby are in Band D.


Martin Lewis sold MSE some years ago.