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Warning as council tax scams surge
Wednesday 5th May 2010Householders are being warned of a new resurgence in a council tax scam which sees residents being called by fraudsters posing as council employees.
The scammers target unsuspecting residents and tell them that their home is in the wrong council tax banding and that they are owed a rebate as a result. To pay the rebate the scammers then ask for the person’s banking details.
Recent incidents in the London borough of Bexley and the city of Bolton have led to councils issuing warnings to residents, urging them to be extra vigilant.
Greater Manchester has been a hotspot for the last year and recently Trading Standards received calls relating to incidents in the borough of Bolton where residents were targeted.
Council tax banding has been a contentious issue since the Valuation Office first banded homes in 1991 (2003 in Wales). Homes have not been revaluated since – with various governments promising to do so but never following through.
23.2 million homes are banded in the UK, with the average council tax banding being D. All other properties are banded proportionately to D, with A paying the least and H paying the most.
These bandings have never been revaluated. As a result, according to official government figures, it is thought that more than half a million homes are in incorrect bandings.
If you have reason to suspect your house is in an incorrect banding, you can contact the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and officially challenge it. The VOA website has a list of 14 reasons that can be used to qualify for a challenge, including extensions to properties, as well as major changes in the area that affect market value of domestic homes as a result.
If your reason isn’t listed you can contact your local VOA – there are 85 offices across the UK – and explain why you think you apply for a revaluation. Alternatively, if you become a new council tax payer to a home you automatically have six months to apply for a revaluation.
Once you have applied you should receive a formal decision within two months and if you are successful your banding will be changed accordingly.
However, just as your banding can result in a decrease on your council tax bill, so too could it result in an increase, so beware.
Debt expert and director of Atlantic Financial Management, Kevin Still, said: “MoneySave Financial Solutions and Atlantic Financial Management are committed to looking at ways of saving our clients money and to optimise their income.
“The first step is usually to find out if you are paying too much for something and Council Tax can be a hefty monthly burden, but also a priority expense that may put your home at risk if not paid. For people with debt problems the key is trying to increase disposable income to accelerate the rate we can clear debts with unsecured borrowing, like credit card debt and personal loans.”
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