Council Tax. Are You Paying More Than Your Neighbours? Check It Out

$17mma

This may sound like a silly question but with the banding grades thatare given is A the highest and so on?

innovate

No, A is the lowest.

Bands explained

Saint_Chris

i remember a while ago somebody posted something about how to check if your paying the same council tax as your neighbours. I can't seem to find it now anybody any ideas.

Thanks

trafalgar_2

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=82562&highlight=paying+neighbours

musey

Hi guys

I've read this thread with interest and sent an online appeal despite having been in the house for longer than 6 months and have had a letter back telling me that they do not consider it a "valid proposal" as it wasn't made within 6 months (how on earth they expect me to know I can appeal when they don't make it clear I'll never know). I noted as mentioned by another poster the line "I will review it and make sure that it is fair and consistent" but they are asking for evidence.

I have a valuation survey carried out on the property in Dec 1994 (my parents owned it before me and we keep all paperwork........saddos I know lol) based on that valuation we should be a band lower. But I know they based the council tax on 1991 prices so can anyone give me any idea where I might find general 1991 prices for my area?

Or would the valuation be enough, I have calculated a possible price on http://www.nationwide.co.uk/hpi/default.asp and wonder if I should include that.....any suggestions?
Cheers

mac123

The VOA have made you aware that you need to appeal within 6 months; when you appealed. You can't expect them to advise every new householder of their rights of appeal every time a property is sold!!

Contact your Council (property unit) and they will advise you of the rateable value of your property as at 1991

musey

I'm aware that they have now told me that I had 6 months from my move in date to appeal, what I was getting at was the afct that when I moved in there was no literature sent to me when I registered for Council Tax telling me that I only had 6 months to appeal against the banding had they done so I would have appealed then rather than now. If you get my meaning.

Thanks for the tip re. property section at my Council I'll give them a go, but aren't they sure to have the rateble value of the property as whatever the council tax is currently banded at?

mac123

musey wrote:

I'm aware that they have now told me that I had 6 months from my move in date to appeal, what I was getting at was the afct that when I moved in there was no literature sent to me when I registered for Council Tax telling me that I only had 6 months to appeal against the banding had they done so I would have appealed then rather than now. If you get my meaning.

Thanks for the tip re. property section at my Council I'll give them a go, but aren't they sure to have the rateble value of the property as whatever the council tax is currently banded at?

no, Councils have no obligation to tell you as they dont band the properties, they are told by the IR's Valuation Office what band the property would have been valued at as of April 1991.

Also, the VO have no obligation to tell everyone their rights of appeal. Unfortunately, it's one of those that people learn ready for the next time.

PS ... Have worked in Council Tax for 3 years plus so property unit is your best bet for rateable value

susan47

I just wanted to say that we successfully appealed against our council tax banding last year - despite having been in our house for 15 years. I stumbled across the VOA website last summer and thought I would just write a letter to them, saying that I thought it was unfair that half our street were E and the other half F when the houses were pretty much the same in value. I didn't even expect a reply, since I knew about the six month rule. However, I got a reply after about a week, and they sent somebody out to re-evaluate our house just a week or so after that. The upshot was that they reclassified us to an E and gave us a cheque for over £2,000. The strange thing is, the guy said that he felt the whole street should have been F, but since he couldn't put everybody in the F band, it would be easier for him to make us an E and give us a refund so we were the same as most of our neighbours!

Maisie

susan47 wrote:

I just wanted to say that we successfully appealed against our council tax banding last year - despite having been in our house for 15 years. I stumbled across the VOA website last summer and thought I would just write a letter to them, saying that I thought it was unfair that half our street were E and the other half F when the houses were pretty much the same in value. I didn't even expect a reply, since I knew about the six month rule. However, I got a reply after about a week, and they sent somebody out to re-evaluate our house just a week or so after that. The upshot was that they reclassified us to an E and gave us a cheque for over £2,000. The strange thing is, the guy said that he felt the whole street should have been F, but since he couldn't put everybody in the F band, it would be easier for him to make us an E and give us a refund so we were the same as most of our neighbours!

Well done Susan shows the 6 month rule is not always relevant.

Hope many other MSE's win on this issue.