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Council tax advice pls - should I fess up?


John K

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Ello wise and learned ones...

How does the banding work?

I'm assuming the council look at the average house values on a street / in a post code.

But even the average for the street is too low, probably 3 bands too low based on recent sales.

And more through luck than judgement, I have ended up in an odd house on the street which is a band above the average.

Can they get you for back payments? Should I fess up?

Can they look at an individual house out of 50 on a street?

Not sure what to do - unfortunately I am one of these paranoid honest people who try to do thing right in the desperate hope of collecting good karma...

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Not sure you need to do anything as the ban dings for properties were established long ago and I am not aware of houses being rebounded even after big extensions. I also don't think it has anything to do with the value of the house

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mine got rebanded after purchase (as the previous owner added a garage/bathroom and bedroom) when I bought it as I think that is the only time for re-evaluation.. and I think that's the only time they do it!

 

when did you buy yours?

 

you might find when you sell it might go to the correct level

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I wouldn't do anything you have nothing to worry about,

It's up to the council to band your property & tell you what to pay. I extended our house in 2008 & the band did not change.

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If the house is re-banded, for example because of an extention, I'm fairly sure you can appeal in the same way that you can appeal against a valuation proposal on business property.

Either way, you cannot be responsible for council tax going back before you first occupied it.

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I've been here since 2003, apart from an internal rebuild and new windows nothing has changed to the structure.

All that I have noticed is the general rise in prices.

The majority of houses are selling for 100k more than when we moved in.

Mine is probably 20% higher still.

Being honest we are looking at going from the current band D to G..!

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Council tax banding is based on how much the property was estimated to be worth on 1st April 1991, and not its current market value. It is individual to a specific property and not an average for that street.

If the property has been altered or extended during your ownership then any re-banding would normally occur at the time of sale.

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My previous house looked a lot smaller from the front, as the assessors worked  out the banding driving by in a car my 3000 sq/ft  property was set at  2 bands below expectations and has not changed. I have since moved and most of the houses are F band a new neighbour moved in to a G band and was successful in getting it re-banded to F with a considerable refund which unfortunately went to the previous owner.

 

Banding usually increases when the house is sold after an extension, if you are happy don't rock the boat. ;)  ;)  ;)  

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I just moved to a more expensive house under the same district council, and my tax has gone down £600 per year because this one has been extended since it was valued for council tax.  Didn't get re-evaluated when it was sold to me.  

 

Suggest you don't tell your neighbours though!

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I bought my current house in 2003 and it was 1 band higher than every other house in the street because the previous owners extended it, then a couple of years ago got a letter from the council saying we have been over charged and gave us all the money back!!!

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I have a close contact at my council who works in Council Tax. I have spoken to them and the advice is as follows.

"In April 1990 bandings were given to all properties and unless you appeal that decision because you think it is incorrect then that is your banding and nothing will change.

The only reason for an appeal usually is because you think the banding is too high. If you appealed it you could end up with it being increased or lowered"

Under current law your banding is what it is so dont worry.

Hope that helps.

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I had same thoughts about my old house, banding I thought was too high compared to adjacent property.

When I moved out and rented it during the downturn, my tenant challenged the banding with council, I did consent to this. All came good and a band lower agreed. Happy Days

Better still, the council repaid me the overpayments for the 4 years I owned the property! Seem to remember about £1400, which paid for a few upgrades!

Always a gamble, but came good for me!

Then found a buyer, the reduced banding would only have helped

Andy

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I have a close contact at my council who works in Council Tax. I have spoken to them and the advice is as follows.

"In April 1990 bandings were given to all properties and unless you appeal that decision because you think it is incorrect then that is your banding and nothing will change.

The only reason for an appeal usually is because you think the banding is too high. If you appealed it you could end up with it being increased or lowered"

Under current law your banding is what it is so dont worry.

Hope that helps.

Many thanks..!

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I appealed our banding as it was a D despite the 5 other properties in the terrace being a C and similar properties in the rest of the estate also in band C. I had my case rejected and my subsequent appeal rejected. Our house is in the middle of the terrace and there's a 7ft wide archway running through the middle. Our second floor extends above this so we get two longer bedrooms. Apparently it tipped the square footage over to the next band so nothing they could do.

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