General Chat

Managed to get on the site and other links today, sadly we are banded right from what I can see and have worked out from converting back the house prices to 1991. This site has links to check the price houses in your road were sold for over the last 6 years, and also a link to the house price converter to take you back to 1991 prices. http://www(.)moneysavingexpert(.)com/cgi-bin/viewnews(.)cgi?newsid1160141972,18232 Remember to remove brackets.

I tried to get into the site yesterday and today and it's either impossible to get on or you get on and the link fails. Typical bl**dy Government c*ck*p. The only sites that work properly are those that take money off you, like the DVLA !

It's telling you all about it now on Tonight ITV

I realised about 4 years back that I had been paying too much for 9 years. I wrote to the council. At the time, I was on benefits (25% discount) and paying council tax by direct debit. When I asked when I was getting my refund, they said they had paid me back by not taking the tax from my account - they hadn't informed me before the event like they're meant to!! I looked back - true they hadn't taken it for 2 months, but I would have thought 9 years would have accounted for more than £100!! (this was a few years back)! I asked for a breakdown - they couldn't give me one. I'm still waiting........... maggie

Hi Debby The money website says that the VOA site is very busy, getting loads of hits. They're right, it takes an age to even get the first page open so I'm going to try again tomorrow. We've only been in this house 3 months but we're pretty sure we're paying the right band. It certainly won't hurt to check though. Mandy :)

OC Maybe you should visit the websites and see why? My aunt was in a similar position to yourself - she wrote to the Lord Mayor (lol) when she had no decent response from the council and got hers reduced! Debby

I lived in a ground floor flat in a large victorian house - there was another flat above me. My Council Tax bill seemed very high...to cut a long story short, both me AND the tenant above, were paying council tax for the WHOLE house. The Council did nothing about it until I stopped paying my bill, then threatened to take me to court. I said I would go to court and so would the upstairs tenant. The Council backed down and issued revised bills but refused either of us a refund on overpaid Council Tax. OC

More than a million homeowners can claim refunds as they have been in the wrong tax band for the last 15 years! I know for a fact I was in the wrong one at my last house as they banded the whole street on the higher band due to a beautiful detached house opposite mine! I was told at the time I couldn't claim any money back as I hadn't appealed in the first 6 months! Debby

Roger I would be amazed if anyone was paying less than they should be! Debby

Our council took us too the bailiffs for a missed payment so a hard subject for me!!, my council ae awful!! caz xxx

But remember it could work the other way, you paying too little and if you find that and don't inform the council you are breaking the law.

Are you in the wrong pay band? See below in a mo

First, check your banding compared with your neighbours. This can be done by visiting www(.voa).gov.uk (England and Wales) or www(.)saa.gov.uk (Scotland). If you are in a higher band than your neighbour, you could be overpaying. Next households are advised to work out your house price at 1991 levels. To do this go to www(.)moneysavingexpert.com/council and follow the instructions. Compare the results with the 1991 bands listed to see if you should be in a lower band. Finally challenge your band. If the previous two steps indicate that you are in the wrong band, you can raise it with your council. Good Luck! Debby