trekster Report post Posted November 13, 2009 Hello My ADHD friend lives in the same county as me. He lives in a 2 bed coach house at one end of the county and i live in a 2 bed flat at the other end. The main difference between his place and mine is that he has a garage and driveway and i dont. ive got a small storage yard at the back of my flat. i have a communal doorway to get into my flat which is upstairs, the stairs are included in his house. The previous owners of his house (hes on a shared ownership housing scheme but still claims housing and council tax benefits all the same) were a couple. Hes a single man living in a place that is worth less than mine! The surface area of the place is approximately the same as mine. So why is his council tax banding a B and mine an A? Could it be that it wasn't clear on the forms that there was a single disabled person living in the house when he applied for council tax benefit? Should he appeal his banding? i looked up his details on a banding website. i cant remember how you can look up other houses in the area since you cant have everyone's postcode for that locality if they are excluded from electoral role. Not sure what i should advise him to do? He has dyslexia so writing wouldn't be any good but his care team could help him appeal this banding decision. Does the rate of housing benefit affect the rate of council tax benefit? Maybe thats the wrong figure as well? Alexis Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chris54 Report post Posted November 13, 2009 The council tax band a house is in is based on what its value was back when council tax first came in (cant remember which year) or would have been worth if built then and is often not reflected in what house are now worth. This is soon to be up dated. So because house prices very from area to area similar houses in different area may be on different bands. Just having a garage could be ength to push it up into the next band. If he lives alone he will be entitled to single occupancy reduction of 25%. If he is getting council tax benefit it is probably best to get this checked, that he is getting the right amount. Housing benefit and council tax benefit are both worked out in the same way, using the same figures. The thing you have to be careful about when appealing about banding is that it can go up as well as down. He needs to get on to the council and get them to send round the benefit check person (Sure someone will tell you the right name for this) who will (can) go through all his benefits and finances and make sure he is getting the right amount and the right benefit. These days they do it on a laptop and can tell you right away. Even fill in the forms for you. Last time I did that, A while ago now the man had a laptop that had a funny screen that turns round and had a picture of the form on it which you signed with one of these stylises and then a portable printer to print my copy. He also had a portable scanner to scan the document that they needed copies of. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justine1 Report post Posted November 13, 2009 Hi it is also about where the house is situated(which is the same really to do with house price ie.more sought after=more expensive) Where I used to live the house I rented privatley was in avery expensive area,my kids school was in a less desirable area even though it was just a 10 min walk across a field the council tax difference, based on the same size accomadation incl.driveway etc,was about £30 p/m.Obviousley I dont know if thats the case in your /your friend situation but I do think it may be owrth getting advice from the council. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted November 13, 2009 Hes over the road from a river so is on a flood plain. There is a helicopter base nearby, also walking distance to local shops (but im nearer to my local shops). Cheers justine Alexis Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aeolienne Report post Posted May 12, 2012 Why pay to have your council tax band checked? Do it for free http://www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/why-pay-to-have-your-council-tax-band-checked-do-it-for-free-7668100.html HTH Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted July 8, 2012 cheers :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sa Skimrande Report post Posted July 10, 2012 (edited) Council tax and housing benefit I have found where I live the same type of properties on the same estate inhabited by single mostly unemployed people, the benefits available are all different in every case, very few get the same amount yet receive the same income via benefits and every other condition is the same, so from that it is plain to see the benefit system in terms of housing is so messed up, one really does need to get hold of a clued up advocate to navigate one through the forms upon forms of discouraging gibberish in most cases. I suffer badly with forms and I have recently found out I am getting £130 less than most other on the estate and this has been going on for five years, we are all on benefits, but I have to top up my rent to the tune of £130 each month from my ESA, no wonder I struggle to live whilst most others can afford luxuries I cannot. Edited July 10, 2012 by Sa Skimrande Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
