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Council tax band

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bethwilliams95
bethwilliams95 Posts: 36 Forumite
in House buying, renting & selling
Hi,

I’m buying a new build property which won’t be ready til December-March. I am wanting to find out what council tax band I can expect it to be in so I can look at what sort of monthly figure it would be.

The sales advisor claimed she didn’t have that information and the online government website doesn’t have the property listed (assuming because it’s not built yet). When can I expect to be able to find this out, before moving into the property?

Thanks

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  • bethwilliams95
    bethwilliams95 Posts: 36 Forumite
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    Forgot to add: the property is in the north east and is a 3 bed semi priced at £134,995 and has a garage.
  • foxy-stoat
    foxy-stoat Posts: 6,879 Forumite
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    Just budget yourself £1800 a year and if its less happy days, if its more then you just need to add a few pounds a month onto the payment budget.
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
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    bethwilliams95 wrote: »
    Hi,

    I’m buying a new build property which won’t be ready til December-March. I am wanting to find out what council tax band I can expect it to be in so I can look at what sort of monthly figure it would be.

    The sales advisor claimed she didn’t have that information and the online government website doesn’t have the property listed (assuming because it’s not built yet). When can I expect to be able to find this out, before moving into the property?

    Thanks

    You will only know for certain when the VOA have banded it. All you can do for now is to look at simialr properties nearby and try and estimate from that.
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • tim9966
    tim9966 Posts: 494 Forumite
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    When I moved into a new build last year the council had no idea what band it was, so asked me what I thought it should be in, and set it as that.


    Then 2 months after I'd moved in I got a letter saying it had now been set as was a band higher.
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
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    tim9966 wrote: »
    When I moved into a new build last year the council had no idea what band it was, so asked me what I thought it should be in, and set it as that.

    Then 2 months after I'd moved in I got a letter saying it had now been set as was a band higher.


    That's just so the council can open a preliminary account and allow people to start making payment - most councils won't do it as it has no legal standing in respect to billing/recovery of council tax.

    Until the valuation office band the property and tell the council then they are none the wiser as to what the band will be.
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • D_M_E
    D_M_E Posts: 3,008 Forumite
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    Look for similar sized properties in the closest postcode and see what band they are in, then budget for your property being 2 bands higher and you should have something left over.

    As an example, my friend bought a 3-bed new build a few years ago and the closest postcode had 3-beds banded at band C, so he budgeted for his being band E.

    When it was finally banded it was put in band D, so he had a bit of change left over.
  • Nicola83
    Nicola83 Posts: 71 Forumite
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    We moved in to our new build at the end of February, and we're now nearly at the end of June and have still not been banded.
    I spoke to the council today and all she said was start making payments so I don't get a huge bill at the end of the year!

    How long does it take to band a property?!? It's a joke!
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
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    Nicola83 wrote: »
    We moved in to our new build at the end of February, and we're now nearly at the end of June and have still not been banded.
    I spoke to the council today and all she said was start making payments so I don't get a huge bill at the end of the year!

    How long does it take to band a property?!? It's a joke!
    Assuming England or Wales ?

    The valuation office have been reduced significantly in staff numbers, they don't have the number of people needed to carry out all their tasks in a reasonable time period. The council have no say in the matter of banding, you need to chase it directly with the valuation office.
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • marliepanda
    marliepanda Posts: 7,186 Forumite
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    CIS wrote: »
    That's just so the council can open a preliminary account and allow people to start making payment - most councils won't do it as it has no legal standing in respect to billing/recovery of council tax.

    Until the valuation office band the property and tell the council then they are none the wiser as to what the band will be.

    We start everyone off on a D and then adjust to fit after the fact. Our valuation office does seem to get things sorted pretty sharpish though but we are a rural district
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 17,647 Forumite
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    Sometimes the council are slow in telling the VOA a dwelling needs banding and sometimes the VOA are slow in banding a dwelling and there are times when a dwelling needs a full inspection and the occupier isn't very co-operative in arranging a mutually convenient appointment.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
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