Council tax ‘blunder’ leaves resident paying hundreds too much

A PENSIONER has claimed a council tax blunder has left him paying hundreds of pounds more than he should have.

Stephen Carter, 74, moved into his small two-bed Almondbury home in 2011 and quickly lodged an appeal against its Band C rating.

The appeal failed and a subsequent tribunal also rejected his claim.

On receiving the disappointing news in the post the following year, Mr Carter noticed that bizarrely the documents said his property had been reduced to Band B.

But after enquiring with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) – the government agency that decides council tax bandings – he was told it was a mistake.

To rub further salt into the wounds, Mr Carter says most of his neighbours in similar size homes are currently Band A – the cheapest band.

Mr Carter, a former library manager, believes government officials moved his house down to the cheaper Band B without telling him or Kirklees Council.

He thinks the mistake may have cost him more than £1,000 over the past six years.

But despite his protests, he says the VOA insists his small property is a Band C and there is no further route of appeal.

Mr Carter contacted the Examiner after seeing reports of other Huddersfield residents’ council tax woes.

Over recent years we have reported that some people have found their homes unilaterally re-banded by the VOA to a higher rate.

One resident told the Examiner he thought a neighbour’s attempts to get their band reduced had led to a review of the whole street, causing his bill to shoot up by more than a £600.

In August we revealed as many as four people who challenged the VOA to reduce their band in 2016/17 ended up with it being increased.

Mr Carter said: “My property was built in 1994 and its council tax banding was fixed taking into account what the property would have been valued at had it existed in April 1991.

“To be placed in Band C the property would have been valued at between £52,001 and £68,000 in April 1991.

“I attended a tribunal where I personally took copies from the Examiner property pages of the first Thursday in April of 1991 to show property prices at the time.

“I chose eight or 10 properties from different parts of the area that would have been the same size or bigger than my own.

“All of these properties were offered for sale at under £52,000, except for one that was on the top price for it to be in Band B.

“I argued that while the properties were offered at certain prices, it would be unlikely they would achieve the actual asking prices and therefore they would be in the Band B rating.

“But the tribunal ignored the evidence in the Examiner and ruled against me.”

He added: “The VOA have just dug their heels in and have not been willing to fully investigate how the so-called ‘mistake’ was included in my letter of refusal.

“I am totally at a loss as to why they flatly refuse to investigate why I received a letter saying I’d been moved to a Band B when I wasn’t.

“It’s also strange that a full street of some 30 or so houses only 50 yards from my house are all Band A and are all at least the same size as my house.”

A Valuation Office Agency spokesperson said: “We can’t comment on individual cases.

“We will alter a council tax band if it is incorrect, or there has been a physical change to the property. If a taxpayer contacts us with concerns about their council tax band, we will review their banding free of charge.

“There are limited circumstances in which taxpayers can submit a formal appeal to the independent Valuation Tribunal.

“Details on how to request a review, and check your appeal rights, are on gov.uk.

“If a council tax appeal is heard at tribunal, the tribunal decision is the end of the process on the grounds of that particular appeal.”