Valuation Office Agency Change?

ChilliBob

Hey everyone,

Not sure if other people received similar letters, however, a couple of weeks ago we were told they (Valuation Office Agency) were assessing council tax bands, and would let us know if ours were to change.

Today, a new letter, sadly it's changed and been revised upwards. So we're now band F rather than band E - which is just shy of £600 a year worse off! (Along with a council tax letter at the same time, great!)

Obviously this is rather irritating, so, considering a challenge, just wondering what people think…

Checked our post code - the results are a mix:

5/20 = F

2/20 = D

13 = E

I've also looked into the 20 results for out post code - none of them have changed as a result of this exercise, only ours!

We've been in this property just over 4 years (December was 4 years).

If I calculate the property value in 1991 using our december 2021 purchase price it classes it as a band F. If I use the previous occupants pricing, in Jan 2008, it classes it as a band D.

The neighbours on either side live in similar sized properties and are both band E (as is most of this postcode as you can see above). Using their sold prices (2014 and 2018) produces D and E respectively.

So yeah, that's the situation, anyone else in this situation? Anyone challenged and been successful? Reckon I've got a chance?! Cheers!

ChilliBob

Bizzarely, when doing the opposite side of the street there's one lonely property that's a G! - Looks the same as all the other bungalows on the road, using Zoopla prices for Jan 2025 and Nov 2008 it puts it squarely in the F category (well according to this whole 91 price thingy)

lincroft1710

Zoopla pricing and house price indices such as Nationwide are completely unreliable.

Is your home identical to those of your Band E neighbours or are they different? Has your home been extended by a previous owner.

It would be unusual for the VOA to increase a band without good reason

ChilliBob

Thanks for the reply. It's not identical but very similar - like ours both are 4 bed semis which been extended. One neighbor in the same way as ours, the other a loft conversion and single story.

Our extension would have been done in say 2009 or so, any changes since we have owned hsbr just been cosmetic really, or old for new (boiler) etc.

Checked the other side, so all 40 houses and we're the only one that has been changed!

lincroft1710

It sounds like the VOA were slow to pick up on the sale which would have generated a band review to take account of the 2009 extension. I would contact the VOA and ask exactly why the band has been increased

ChilliBob

Cheers. I suspect it'll not be changed but I guess a challenge isn't too arduous a task. With only one other random G in the street I don't suppose we risk going up yet another band either!