Council Tax Challenge

Exgolfer07

Nationwide valuation data quote my flat as Band D, yet my flat in 2003 was given a Band E. Then and now there are no comparisons. How can I make a challenge.

lincroft1710

Nationwide and other HPIs are inaccurate, so the Band may be correct and NW guesstimates won't be accepted as evidence by the VOA. If you have "no comparisons", then you can't really claim your band is incorrect.So you fall at the first hurdle.

If you could supply more details about your flat, the area in which it is situated (rural, urban etc), any sale prices, other flats and their bands nearby, may be able to find something to help

Exgolfer07

My Flat 10 is in an urban area, built 2003 2 Beds, first sold at £167,260, no comparables for VOA to give a Band E rating. At 50 Barnstable Road, around ¼ mile away, modern 2 Bed Flats, Flat 8 was sold on 16/12/2003, for £128,500 with a Band C. I believe my Flat 10 was incorrectly banded, it should be a D. Just because there are no comparables does not mean Flat 10 has been correctly banded.

lincroft1710

On those figures I would say your flat was borderline D/E, but you would need more evidence to convince the VOA it should be Band D. Just because you can't find any comparables doesn't mean your flat has been incorrectly banded.

Exgolfer07

Thanks for the reply and your help. If my flat was on the boarder line of D/E it is surprising the VOA chose to give the higher band and not the lower one. This seems wrong. Did you make a calculation to arrive at D/E band or is it your opinion. Thanks again.

lincroft1710

The VOA tended to go for the higher band as it is easier to reduce a band that is too high, than increase a band that is too low. However we do not what evidence the VOA used to arrive at Band E.I made a rough calculation based on the prices you supplied