Council Tax Band - Bring Back Poll Tax
So you are moving home to a house in a low/given band as documented in the sales data etc.
So did you know you can go on line to a GOV website and check the band for any property?
So you do that and when digging deeper you find an "Improvement Yes/No" filed. If YES then the property will automatically be revalued AFTER sale. So the current band could end up as Band + N where N is unknown.
Also it is not possible to get and HM/GOV official value until AFTER you have purchased the property.
As the law/system currently stands you can own a lowest band property with say 1 bedroom etc and convert it into a 5 or 6 bed, 5 or 6 bathrooms, etc. and STILL be council taxed at Band A/lowest.
Poor old purchaser may end up in a property they can not afford in the long term.
Of course you will say that if buying a 5/6 bed property in such a low band was not a red flag issue/warning then you are not as smart as you think you are.
BUT!
When one gets higher up the bands a band step from F to G, or G to H or heaven forbid G/H to I makes a massive difference.
ADD
When there are no similar properties on the same road/estate to compare as "challenge" information/data then getting re-banded after purchase +N is not fair/good/acceptable.
So how to solve the problem?:
1) Every property change that requires planning should AUTOMATICALLY force a revaluation and associated banding status quo or change. That way and future purchaser KNOWS EXACTLY what they a buying into for the LONG term!
OR
2) Bring Back Poll Tax
OR
3) Refuse to pay and be kept at her majesty's pleasure with full board and lodging, skills workshops, TV, companionship (inmates moaning about the same injustices), etc. all at no cost to yourself. (Note! put you assets into a legal trust before refusing to pay?
But seriously official property Valuation/Banding can ONLY be obtained AFTER the event. That is surely not right and against my human rights in that I'm being forced into making a legally binding agreement but am UNABLE to fully quantify what I'm signing up to!