London's new garden squares
London is already the greenest capital in Europe, with homeowners enjoying more than 600 garden squares. And the good news is that there are more to come.
As the BBC move out, Shepherd's Bush switches to a new programme
As Aunty leaves the Bush the borough seizes the opportunity to create a proper neighbourhood.
Spotlight on Camden Town
The shops and markets clustered around the high street and canal make Camden one of the most colourful of London's neighbourhoods. The area's period homes and loft-style apartments attract a mix of homebuyers.
Revealed: from Reading to Redhill – the top 20 commuter stations
Choose your route. Our exclusive property buyers’ guide shows travel times, costs and house prices.
My design London - Russell Norman
Owner of Polpo, Spuntino and Polpetto restaurants in Soho, and da Polpo and Mishkin's in Covent Garden, restauranteur Russell Norman opens up on his favourite London haunts.
Find a rated tradesman
Want to add value to your property, make your house a home, or sell your place fast? With 1,000s of tradesmen nationwide, rated and recommended by previous customers, this is the smart way to find a reputable tradesman.
Buy of the week: Camden Town
This two-bedroom flat has a pretty park on its doorstep, while buzzing Camden Town is only 10 minutes’ walk away. Big sash windows and high ceilings give a spacious feel and there’s a private garden with a studio/home office (£525,000).
Swap of the week: Willersey, Glouc
This little Cotswolds beauty is just across the road from the village green and duck pond. For £530,000 you get beams, exposed stone walls and an open fireplace, plus four bedrooms, a useful attic room and lush gardens to enjoy.
Life-changer: Trescowe, Cornwall
For a project brimming with potential, what about this coastal home, yours for £545,000? The family space includes six bedrooms, while its collection of outbuildings overlooking an acre of gardens could become income-generating holiday lets.
Spotlight on Camden Town
The shops and markets clustered around the high street and canal make Camden one of the most colourful of London's neighbourhoods. The area's period homes and loft-style apartments attract a mix of homebuyers.
Property search
How to get a council tax rebate
By Lucy Tobin
In the rush to band homes when the tax was launched in 1991, many properties were categorised by council staff driving along residential streets guessing what each home was worth. That led to huge errors, with many homes put in the wrong band. Now, the Valuation Office Agency’s website means you can easily check your banding. If it’s wrong, you can both cut the cost of your current bill and receive back-dated refunds.
How to challenge your home’s banding and get a refund
The place to go is the Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) website: voa.gov.uk. Enter your postcode and compare your banding with similar houses nearby. There are eight valuation levels, from Band A (the lowest) to Band H.
If you find your property’s rate is higher than that of similar neighbouring properties, you may have a case. You’ll need to contact the VOA by phone on 0845 602 1507 to state your findings.
But watch out for rogue cold-callers who are currently contacting homeowners and offering to carry out the checks on their behalf. This is not illegal, but it is unnecessary because they will take a cut if they are successful and you can do it yourself, easily and for free.
If your banding looks correct, there are other ways to secure discounts. Council tax bills assume two adults occupy the property as their main home, so single people can receive a discount of 25 per cent.
Furnished holiday homes will also receive a discount, mostly at 10 per cent but it’s as high as 50 per cent for some. Those on benefits or with some disabilities may also eligible for discounts.
More articles
-
London’s epidemic of discounting
A combination of greedy sellers, nervous buyers and unscrupulous estate agents who promise sky-high prices in order to tempt clients, is being blamed for an epidemic of discounting in the London property market, where a third of all homes for sale have had their original asking price slashed.
-
As the BBC move out, Shepherd's Bush switches to a new programme
As Aunty leaves the Bush the borough seizes the opportunity to create a proper neighbourhood.
-
Only 639 new homes are for sale in Greater London
The scarcity of land is changing the face of London as offices become homes and commercial centres go residential.
-
Property insider: Paddington
Paddington is one of the fastest growing residential hotspots in the capital. With a new Crossrail station on the way and the West End within strolling distance, this well-connected suburb is attracting homebuyers from across the globe.
-
Kilburn: a central postcode with the lowest prices
Knocked off the property map by Notting Hill — but now Kilburn's time has come.
-
Not even the best tenants come with a guarantee
The accidental landlord discovers that things can go badly wrong no matter how thoroughly you vet your renters.
-
Farmer is milking me for road repairs
At my weekend house we have a right of way over a private road owned by a local farmer. The farmer has asked me to contribute half the cost of resurfacing the road, however farm traffic use it far more regularly. What can I do?
-
Diary of an estate agent
This week's agent gets the silent treatment while being shown round a minimalist loft apartment in Camden by… a mime artist.
-
London’s epidemic of discounting
A combination of greedy sellers, nervous buyers and unscrupulous estate agents who promise sky-high prices in order to tempt clients, is being blamed for an epidemic of discounting in the London property market, where a third of all homes for sale have had their original asking price slashed.
-
There is such a thing as a VAT-free lunch
Shop savvily and you can still avoid VAT in some areas — when buying clothes, holidays and presents, for example. But start with a VAT-free lunch — by making it yourself.
Advertisement
