Another Annex Council Tax question

ForestPerson

Sarahspangles said:

Presumably you've read all the gov.uk general guidance.... 

The VOA seem to pick up changes like this from property sales. They don’t increase council tax bandings for home improvements until the property is sold. Creation of a new property is normally dealt with immediately but in this case it’s been picked up after the event.

In your case if there was no planning permission or building regs then you’re potentially in a difficult position when you do want to sell. There’s now a fashion for buyers to ask for these, even though sufficient time has passed for the lack of consent to be unenforceable. In your case you don’t have the consents but the buyer will have to pay two sets of council tax. Did your solicitor explain this when you purchased, or did the valuation for council tax come out of the blue?

I don’t have an answer but these issues might suggest that registration as business premises is a better option than it initially appears.

Thanks!  Yes I've read that and when it all started we read loads and there didn't seem to be any way out other than to pay the council tax we were asked for. But now there's a possibility of having to pay double as it's 'unoccupied'. 

Yes, I am sure the VOA picked it up from our sale/purchase and came out of the blue. The solicitor we used was useless and did not anticipate it (never use the solicitor recommended by the estate agent!) I will check the planning history of the property again -- when we bought it we did not think the addition of a shower/toilet and kitchen facilities to be particularly material and might even have ripped them out then.  (The only 'building' they did was walls round the shower and toilet.  Allegedly the outbuilding had been used as a sauna; the garden also had a swimming pool back then.) 

Food for thought.

Bookworm105

ForestPerson said:

 The solicitor we used was useless and did not anticipate it 

the possibility of a change to council tax is a matter of public record that anyone can look up at anytime, it is an "improvement indicator": Yes / No shown against your address 

How home improvements affect your Council Tax band – Valuation Office Agency

Improvement indicator

If the property has been improved or extended since it was placed in a Council Tax band, a Yes will be shown. If a Yes is shown, the band will be reviewed and may increase following the sale of the property.

If you’ve purchased a property with an improvement indicator

If you’ve purchased an improved property and we increase its Council Tax band after a review, the new band will apply from the date we notify your local council. This is usually a few days after we complete our review.