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Two Council Tax bills for 1 house

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boinkit_2
boinkit_2 Posts: 7 Forumite
in House buying, renting & selling
I bought a property in September 2016, and in November I started receiving overdue council tax bill notifications. I turns out that the property I bought has 2 council tax bills for it. One is for the property number 27, and the other is for 'the annexe'.
This was the first I knew about this, but it seems that the previous owner had it down as being 2 properties for council tax purposes, but didn't tell me when I bought it. I now have to pay 280 per month for one bill and another 220 for another bill!
I spoke to the estate agent who I bought through and they said they were unaware. I spoke to the solicitor I used to manage the purchase and they said it is nothing to do with them as it wouldn't come up in their searches etc.
I am trying to get the 2nd bill removed, but this is proving difficult as the Valuations office said that I could rent out a room and have someone using the ensuite bathroom (currently ripped out) off of the master bedroom - which is mad.
Not sure what to do - or who is to blame here. Any advice as I am already over 1200 quid down since moving in because of this....

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  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
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    There are 2 choices.

    Pay the bills, or fight to get the Valuations Office to remove the 2nd charge.

    CIS may be along soon to advise how best to do that. Meanwhile, research the law and procedures
  • rtho782
    rtho782 Posts: 1,189 Forumite
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    Council will consider it a property and charge CT on it unless and until the VOA tell them otherwise.

    It's the VOA you have to persuade, I'm not sure how you go about that.
  • marliepanda
    marliepanda Posts: 7,186 Forumite
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    How clear was it when you purchased that there was the possibility of someone living separately (separate kitchen? Entrance etc)

    You can apply to the valuation office to have it put back into one dwelling. Though the council tax is likely to be rebanded higher due to that as it's now one big property rather than two small ones.

    Not sure what renting a room out has to do with the valuation office? You can't rent the annexe out as an annexe without a council tax liability, but renting one bedroom?

    It should be fairly clear whether a building is two dwellings or not. You've not really given us much info to evidence.
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 17,660 Forumite
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    To qualify for separate council tax assessment, an annex needs facilities for washing and for the preparation of food plus room(s) for living/sleeping and WC, it also needs to have access which is not through a room of the main house.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • marliepanda
    marliepanda Posts: 7,186 Forumite
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    lincroft1710 wrote: »
    To qualify for separate council tax assessment, an annex needs facilities for washing and for the preparation of food plus room(s) for living/sleeping and WC, it also needs to have access which is not through a room of the main house.

    Exactly, it should be fairly obvious it's two dwellings so not something you could easily miss.

    There's not enough info but if the valuation office are saying no it's likely that you're not doing enough work to actually make it back into one dwelling. You need to provide more information on how the property is set up.
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
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    What does the 'annexe' currently consist of ?

    Craig
    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.
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