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Unsure if I should appeal my council tax banding decision

2

Comments

  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 19,076 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    A redacted version would be helpful.

    Don't use semi-detached as evidence if yours is detached, VOA will correctly say it is not comparable. A village such as yours may be seen as sought after, even though it has no "amenities".

    You can send evidence to the VOA at any time, there are no time limits until the appeal is listed for a Tribunal hearing 
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • Lottie83
    Lottie83 Posts: 37 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    I will upload it now, thank you. 

    Ah, I see. If I can’t get enough evidence of detached houses in my village (due to a lack of them) I will create spreadsheets for surrounding villages and use those too. I know they have provided 5 properties as their evidence but I would feel more confident with as many as possible for my evidence. 

    According to the estate agents all Yorkshire Dales villages are sought after but who knows! 

    That’s interesting as my letter states I have three months from the date of the decision letter to appeal? Unless it’s just my lack of understanding of the process! 


  • Lottie83
    Lottie83 Posts: 37 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    Hopefully this works! 

  • Lottie83
    Lottie83 Posts: 37 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    I will also add that I gave them 5 examples when I submitted my challenge yet they have only commented on 4. I believe the example they haven’t commented on is the house opposite me, which I mentioned earlier. 

    I also had a lack of understanding for the process when I did my challenge, I purely based it on the amount of bedrooms which obviously I now know is incorrect. 

  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 19,076 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    If the VOA are correct on the size then Band E does not seem excessive for a detached character property of 134 sq m, although that is large for a property with just 2 beds. 
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • Lottie83
    Lottie83 Posts: 37 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 9 September at 8:03AM
    It’s a 2 up, 2 down. Kitchen and lounge downstairs and 2 bedrooms upstairs. 

    I tried to measure it myself at the weekend but failed, I’ll need to do it when I have someone available to help with the tape measure. 

    I have been able to check the measurements of the internal rooms as noted on the floor plan/EPC, and they are accurate. 

    There is a difference between the internal and external size of 38 sq m based on what the VOA believe. I struggle to see the walls adding that! 

    What I can’t get my head around is that band E in my village also covers 4 bedroom houses which are 231 sq m and 270 sq m and both are currently for sale at £550k and £575k. One even has 4 acres of land! Neither have been extended either. The system just does not make sense! 
  • Lottie83
    Lottie83 Posts: 37 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 9 September at 9:43AM
    Just another thought (sorry), the internal measurement of 96.7 sq m includes the external outbuilding (it was dressed for sale as a single bedroom) and boiler room . The house itself is 87.69 sq m internally (including the extension/garden room).

    The VOA calculation can’t be correct as they have used 7.62 sq m x 8.84 sq m doubled yet the ground floor (if the extension is to be included) is larger than the first floor so doubling it can’t be correct. 

    Please could I ask if I should be including the external outbuilding and boiler room? Or should it be purely based on the house itself? 

    I’m going to ask a neighbour for help with measuring to hopefully get to the bottom of this! 

    Thank you again! 

  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 19,076 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    The VOA's letter says that the annex bedroom has not been included in the RCA measurement. But if that plan is accurate then I agree there may be something amiss with their measurements. If the garden room is of inferior construction, it should not be included in the RCA. However the notional 1991 sale price should reflect the annex bedroom, garden room and the utility, although what figure you would put on an annex bedroom, I just don't know
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • Lottie83
    Lottie83 Posts: 37 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    I have measured externally and the total is 100.84 square meters. 

    I have called the VOA and they’ve advised they’ll open a case regarding the size discrepancy, but cannot give a timescale for this so I am to go ahead with the appeal. 

    I’m not sure if it’s relevant, but my neighbour has confirmed the outbuilding was not converted until after the property became a holiday let, he thinks this was around 2017/2018 but obviously this isn’t concrete evidence. 

    So while I appreciate it adds value now, it would have been much lower in 1991. For what that’s worth anyway! 
     
    So I’ll continue with my spreadsheet and then submit all the evidence as soon as I can. 

    Many thanks for all your help, it has been much appreciated. 
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 19,076 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 9 September at 6:10PM
    It doesn't matter what was there in 1991, it is what was there at the date of your purchase that matters.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
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