Has anyone here gone through the experience of appealing their council tax banding?
I live in a semi and my neighbour has just told me that he is going to appeal and it would help if I did the same, I've now found out that the next set of semi-detached houses that were built at the same time by the same builder back in the 70's is a whole banding lower, and the next set are a banding lower than that (a spread of two groups is a b***** lot of money)!
I can not believe that who ever controls the appeal process is going to make it easy (neighbour is retired so has time to look at any forms).
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Yes, did it in around 98. Fell out with the LA over a wheelie bin thing, went and appealed the banding. Valuation Office chap came around, agreed that the LA had got it right, went to a tribunal date and they went belly up and I won my case by default. Well worth a try.
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It was simple. Lots of valuations were done either on paper or by drive-by assessment, just copy whatever your neighbour does.
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>> Has anyone here gone through the experience of appealing their council tax banding?
Yes next door did, the council put her up a band
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>> Has anyone here gone through the experience of appealing their council tax banding?
Yes next door did, the council put her up a band
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Didn't I hear that your neighbour had done it, Zero?
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I tried it when they wanted to put a nuclear waste dump nearby. Inspectors turned up and measured my ground floor area from the outside. Were most interested if I'd installed central heating, to which I honestly replied no and didn't allow them internal access.
Appeal hearing was rejected, but be very careful, they are able to increase your tax banding.
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That is a risk of course !!
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I know it must (?maybe) complex but how is the banding reached?
We are at a high banding (F) and the next house an E then a D, all built the same and at the same time, but now all at roughly the same value going by one of the online property sites, I'm hoping that the chances of going up are small.
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How long have you lived in the property? If it’s more than six months you are out of time for a banding appeal I’m afraid unless there is anything that has happened after you moved in that has reduced the value of your property.
You should always check the banding of similar properties when moving into a property
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Some info here:
www.valuationtribunal.gov.uk/your-appeal-type/council-tax/council-tax-banding/
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/housing/council-tax/council-tax/ (Scroll down to Appeals)
What CG says about 6 months is correct but there is a saving for substantial changes in neighbourhood.
The relevant sale costs are those in 1993, not today.
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I appealed for a reduction on the grounds that I had no garage and no space for one. Every other house in my road has one, apart from three where the space had been used for extra garden. It only took an inspector a cursory glanced to agree.
But beware: local folklore has it that potential buyers are put off a low rating on the grounds that it indicates a property not worth looking at.
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Ok been here since 2007 so well outside six months!
Very odd that neighbour seems to have started the process and not been knocked back yet. They moved in 1983.
Even back in 83 apparently the houses were valued vastly differently.
Looks like I'll have to break the news to him to not waste his time.
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Info on MSE: www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/council-tax-bands-change/
There's a pretty simple 3 stage check to see if you are in with a shout - you've already ticked 2 of the 3 - different price bands for similar houses, and similar current prices. You just need to back calculate the price at '91 to see if in the right band or not.
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Thanks...sorry being lazy but what about the six month limit?
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My application was made about two years after moving in but things may have changed in the 44-year interval.
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From MSE:
You can only formally challenge your council tax band if you've lived in the property for six months or less. This is also called making a proposal to change your council tax band.
This is done through the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). It might be able to change your band before you need to challenge, so get in touch with it first and explain why you think your band is wrong – make sure to include evidence. If you're unhappy with its decision, you can then formally challenge via its website.
If you've lived in your property for more than six months, you can still contact the VOA with evidence of why you think your band should be changed, and it will decide if it's enough to review your case.
Asking for a review is a different process than making a challenge. The VOA has told us it will be quicker and more efficient to ring it on 03000 501 501 if you're in England, or 03000 505 505 if you're in Wales. This is because you'll get to speak to an expert directly, who will help you with queries and explain the process.
However, you can also write a letter politely explaining: "I am writing to tell you I believe the council tax banding list of my property is incorrect, my house is in the wrong band, and I ask that you investigate to check, and correct it if it is in the wrong band." You will need to provide evidence along with your letter (for more, see the gov.uk guidance on how to challenge your council tax band).
Send your letter to: Valuation Office Agency, Customer Service Centre, Wycliffe House, Green Lane, Durham, DH1 3UW.
This has worked and does work, though there are no guarantees. It can need some perseverance and you may only get a band change going forward, but no backdated payout. See the council tax successes forum thread for details from many people who have pushed through this.
If it still doesn't help, you could complain to the Adjudicator's Office, which covers complaints about VOA administration (such as mistakes or misleading advice, not disagreements with its decision).
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Was about to post something when my work phone rang - first proper call in new role I started yesterday.
Now I've sorted that I see RichardW has made same point I intended about different process for informal review or making a formal proposal to change the list. Only the latter has the prospect of backdating and appeal to an independent Tribunal.
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Got it..many thanks for the explanation.
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Update.
Long story short we have had a brilliant result!
After I started this query we contacted the department that deals with appeals to get the ball rolling, they asked a few questions about our house and others in the street, then they basically said just wait and if you don't hear anything then that is good news.
Yesterday the postie dropped a wad of letters from the council, turns out each one was the refund calculated per financial year for the time we have lived here, so we have dropped one band and the average refund is about £300 per year!
Our neighbour (semi-detached) appealed and received his letters at the same time as us, he was visibly shaking when we spoke to him as his refunds go back to the mid-80's.
This all must have been done back in the 'office' as nobody visited us.
Now I just need to start the refund process, seems I have to onto the council website and fill in a form (unfortunately it could be a separate form per year!) and weirdly tell THEM how much I'm claiming, I'm sure this process could be better.
Fingers-crossed it goes smoothly.
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Congratulations. Enjoy your windfall. I managed to get my Council Tax dropped by one grade because mine is the only house in the road without a garage or any prospect of building one, short of demolishing part of the hose.
Off-topic but also concerning official procedures, has anyone else received notification that their State Pension has been underpaid? My own missive covers year on year from 1995 to date and the total to be paid is £474.36.
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>> Off-topic but also concerning official procedures, has anyone else received notification that their State Pension has been underpaid? My own missive covers year on year from 1995 to date and
>> the total to be paid is £474.36.
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Yes indeed. Mrs O'Reliant started getting hers in March and received a letter a couple of weeks ago informing her of an increase. She also got £97 paid into her account to make up the shortfall.
We thought it was just her pension that had been underpaid as we have not seen anything in the media about a widespread issue.
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Sort of related question...
If you receive a refund from a government department that might go back several years at what point could you cheekily ask for interest to be added? or is that only what big companies do?
I think the PPI payments are getting 8% added which boosts the total.
I'm sure HMRC would claim it back off one of us if we underpaid.
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Off Topic - Under payment of Old Age Pension
I had a 8 page letter about 2 years ago which was complete gobbledegook
I phoned them as the letter made no sense - it was a standard paragraph letter on pensions which told me nothing - it referred to my pension in 2011 and not a thing about 2017!
Phone call told me I had been underpaid 17p per week for 7 years or so. The pension was updated & increased with inflation so I got some 25p extra pension per week. The lump sum was to be around £70, it never appeared.
I waited some 3 months & phoned - £70 + £10 apology for poor service.
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Appealing your council tax banding - R.P.
