Council tax band appeal - how to find house values circa 1991

[CMT]

Hi

I moved into my property over 3 years ago. In February I received some letters from the Valuation Office Agency. One was to re-classify my property from Band D to Band E.

I am trying to write a "proposal" (the VOA's confusing term for the first stage in the appeal process) and am finding it quite difficult. For one thing, I don't want to become the hated neighbour who has become responsible for the upping of everyone else's band (there are several similar properties of the same design and built at the same time. Mine has been minimally added to but everyone else's has huge extensions and most are still in Band D).

But the thing I am really struggling with is that reading what goes on at the local VOA tribunals, they seem to want you to produce evidence of house sales prices of similar properties in or around 1991. If it is from 1995 they seem to think that is too far away from 1991. But how on earth am I supposed to find a house similar to mine that was sold 1989-1993 when the Land Registry doesn't have the information online until 1995?

Also, I would really like to have a solicitor or someone to help me if it does come to tribunal but am finding this more tricky than I anticipated. The council tax advisors aren't taking on any new work atm. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[echat11]

Hi CMT

The following might help.

https://landregistry.data.gov.uk/app...-03-01&lang=en

[Sam101]

As I understand it, the valuation that sets out which Rating Band a property sits in is the current value and not the value from years ago. Why do you wish to find values from 1991?

In order to dispute the band allocated, you need to establish other similar property in your area that are rated in a lower band and then argue that the LA rating is incorrect. You may well need to quote neighbours property band set lower and if that results in others becoming rated higher than that is not your problem

I had a similar problem a few years ago and unfortunately got nowhere.

[islandgirl]

I did manage to keep a property I owned in a lower band when the local council wanted to revise it upwards. I seem to remember it related to house values in the mid eighties (this was in about 2006)