# Council tax band review!



## jenks (Apr 20, 2009)

Having moved into a new built house a few months ago when the banding was evaluated I thought band E was too high, so looked into it..

Using a link off the monetsavingexpert website I determined that the rough value as off April 1991, when band values were set, my value would have been in the middle of band D

Also I found a house nearby that is worth over 50% more than mine also in band E

So I appealed.

The reply stated " in my opinion the value of your house in April 1991 would reasonably have been between £68,000-££88,000 ( band d)

However they will not change my banding!

About to appeal my review.

Any thoughts


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## herbiedacious (Sep 27, 2010)

It's worth persuing, l was refused a rebanding even though I had a copy of a building society valuation dated oct 1991which showed that the house was wrongly banded. Although most of the houses in my street are identical, l eventually got a rebanding because in 1991 mine was the only house without double glazing or central heating. Result. (Dont tell my neighbours, l'll get lynched!)


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## slineclean (Dec 23, 2011)

I challenged my banding when I moved into my apartment and they sent someone out and they measured the all the rooms and I got mine re banded :thumb:


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## Barney Boy (Feb 12, 2013)

Previous property we lived in was built in 1995 and we appealed stating that as the house was not available to assess value in 1991 how could they put a band on it.They reduced the band by one level.:thumb:Everyone else in the close did the same except one couple who didn't bother and they carried on paying the higher rate.


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## Bill58 (Jul 5, 2010)

I had to fight to get mine at band F instead of G, I found out a few months ago that my neighbour who has put their house up for sale is a band E. Both houses are self builds and roughly the same size


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## SarahAnn (Apr 6, 2011)

Our's is due to go the wrong way any time now. The chap who came out to look at our house said the people at the other side of the bridge we live at had complained that their band was too high compared to our's. They said that we had got paddocks etc and they hadn't so it wasn't fair.

The chap who came out said that it didn't help that our house had been over-valued by the greedy person who built it who still lives next door to us and because it sold in 1991 for an over inflated price, we are stuffed.


He said that he would have to put an increase through but wouldn't rush it through. It was months ago that he visited us and we still haven't heard anything. He told us to appeal aswell when we do eventually get the letter saying it's going up into the next band so there must be loads of appeals hanging around and no-one paying the increase or getting the benefit of a decrease.

I know the people who complained as they give us dirty looks as we drive over our bridge :lol:


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## TaxTheRich (Aug 11, 2013)

Interesting.


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## SarahAnn (Apr 6, 2011)

We got our letter today. It's taken months to arrive.

We've gone up 2 bands. The chap who came to look at the house told us to appeal but I don't think the husband can be bothered. Looks like we've saved up til now anyway 

The chap who came said it was due to it being over-valued in 1991 and it actually sold at an inflated price. I'm in touch with the chap who bought it years after that for a lot less than someone else paid in '91 but it's what it sold for in 1991 that counts.

It sounds a right mess. I don't know why they don't just value them all again now.


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## Andy from Sandy (May 6, 2011)

> It sounds a right mess. I don't know why they don't just value them all again now.


That is a job creation scheme for when Labour get back into power as there is only about 27,000,000 addresses in the UK to be re-valued.


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## jenks (Apr 20, 2009)

There should be a list of current house values that relate to banding, these could be increased/decreased in line with average house prices. Therefore everyone knows where they stand. Our is that just too simple for local government?
Appeal papers turned up yesterday so will sort it this weekend


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## jenks (Apr 20, 2009)

Posted off my appeal this week. Sent in copies of pages off the interweb showing estimated values for bandings for 2013 values and one showing the estimated value of my house in April 1991. Both show my house should be in the band below what I am in.
Just got to wait now.


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## jenks (Apr 20, 2009)

Got a reply this week, they have to set up an appeal hearing, should be within the next 5 months.

5 BLOODY MONTHS! what a joke!


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## Rob_Quads (Jul 17, 2006)

Thats councils for you. If they were any other business they would have gone out of business.

It still amazes me how everything takes so long to sort with the council. I'm sure someone must realise the less in progress paperwork you have the easier and quicker it will get sorted


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

jenks said:


> Got a reply this week, they have to set up an appeal hearing, should be within the next 5 months.
> 
> 5 BLOODY MONTHS! what a joke!


It is a joke, but all will be back dated if you win.:thumb:


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## Rebel007 (May 7, 2013)

SarahAnn said:


> It sounds a right mess. I don't know why they don't just value them all again now.


I sure hope not! One thing you can be absolutely certain about is if they revalue property now the council tax will only go one way and that is UP.

There would be an excuse if properties were revalued as we would all be living in properties much more valuable than they were in 1993 so they would just bring us into line based on our current value, no increase (yeah right) but since the house is worth 300% more the council tax should reflect that and be 300% more thats the argument that is likely to be used.

If you dont believe that would happen youi must live in a different world to me!
e.g. when VAT was reduced for a year the government increased fuel tax as petrol prices had recently fallen by a fair ammount, when VAT went back to its full rate the fuel tax was not rescinded it stayed in place meaning another back door tax increase had got through.


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## majcas84 (Aug 24, 2012)

Rebel007 said:


> I sure hope not! One thing you can be absolutely certain about is if they revalue property now the council tax will only go one way and that is UP.
> 
> There would be an excuse if properties were revalued as we would all be living in properties much more valuable than they were in 1993 so they would just bring us into line based on our current value, no increase (yeah right) but since the house is worth 300% more the council tax should reflect that and be 300% more thats the argument that is likely to be used.
> 
> ...


The council tax won't go up in line with the increase in property values since the 1990s if the properties are all re-valued. The bandings are just a way of apportioning the revenue that needs to be raised.

A council will set a budget to provide its services over the year and this will determine the total amount that it needs to raise in taxation. This total sum is then divided by the total number of households in its area by converting them all to 'Band D Equivalents' in order to determine the council tax payable by each household. So revaluation might mean some pay more than now and some will pay less but the total going to the council will not change because of revaluation changes.

The total amount a council can raise from council tax is capped by central government so you won't find your bill going up by 300% anytime soon. It will go up over time, but somewhere in line with inflation as the cost of services provided goes up too.

Apologies if that was a bit boring but hopefully it will go some way to putting your mind at rest.


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