Reclaim £’s in Council Tax – In Just 10mins

How?

This goes back to the New Tory council tax system from 1991 where they needed every house to be put in a valuation band. Problem was the limited time, they had to complete such a task, so the government recruited local help including estate agents. This in turn created the inevitable. A complete hash of the valuation structure, with houses in the same street being in different bands, even though both were priced equally.
How much can I get back?

Get your banding decreased and as well as paying £100 – £200 less each year, the repayment should be backdated to when you moved into the property; as far back as when the tax started in 1993. I have helped people back that have got £1000’s back in a cheque quickly from a simple 5minute check. It’s very easy, with websites to help you do it. In England and Wales you should go to the Valuation Office Agency or VOA. In Scotland visit the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA).

Go to the website and tap in your postcode and you’ll be told your council tax band. Then do the same for a neighbour’s house. It HAS to be comparable to yours in size, bedrooms and so forth, so, if you live in a semi, start right next door. Then radiate out, finding similar properties in the area until you have a few that are rated lower than yours. Okay, you now have your first piece of evidence.

Your second is to find if your property was actually valued wrongly in the first place. Properties under £40,000 (yes there were such things back then) were placed in Band A.

Band B covered £40,000 to £52,000. Band C from £52,001 to £68,000. Band D from £68,001 to £88,000. Band E from £88,001 to £120,000. Band F from £12,001 to £160,000. Band G from £160,001 to £320,000. Band H for homes of £320,001.

Take the current value of your house and feed it into the Nationwide House Price Calculator, which will give you an estimate of its approximate value in 1991. Then compare that price to those bands we’ve given you above – this will help you in your case for getting Council Tax rebanding.

Let’s say you DO think you have a good case. If you’ve been in the house six months or less, then appeal directly to your local authority (the council in other words). If it’s longer than that, then you have to go to the VOA (in England and Wales) or the SAA in Scotland. You can appeal online … it’s quick and it’s easy.

Remember, in England and Scotland the bands haven’t changed since 1991. So if there is a rebate to be paid, it could potentially be thousands … all the way back to 1991 Even if you can’t get Council Tax rebanding changed, check you’re getting any council tax rebates you’re entitled too.