Council Tax Refund

[ynnafymmi]

I recently got a phone call from a company called"Affinity Tax Consultants" claiming i could get a substantial refund of the council taxes ive paid over the last 25 years.Ive been to pay upfront.Is this ascam?

[ynnafymmi]

"been asked to pay upfront"

[Boto]

Of course it is .

[EdmundD]

There is such a company but why can't you check it yourself with your council?

[ynnafymmi]

They seemed very plausible,and i could be doing with the money.Anyone else on here been contacted by this company?

[ynnafymmi]

I dont think any council are going to willingly refund any money to anyone,Edmund.Even if i was dieing on my feet my council wouldnt refund a penny to me or anyone else.

[Boto]

Why should a council refund council tax because you were dying?

[hc4361]

Some people are entitled to a council tax refund. This company doesn't know a thing about you but wants paying up front so that they can get all your details and find out if you are so entitled.

If it turns out that you are entitled to a refund, the company will take a chunk of that, too.

Save your money and look in to it yourself. See the scam warning at the top of Birmingham Council's website
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20005/council_tax/230/request_a_refund_on_your_council_tax_account

What council area do you live in?

[ynnafymmi]

Im not saying they should,Boto.But whats the chances if i ask them for a substantial refund that they will just tell me to get lost.Not a lot of councils awash with cash,is there?

[ynnafymmi]

Aberdeen,hc.Not much chance of getting a refund off of them!

[hc4361]

Be aware that if you are assessed because you believe you have been put in the wrong council tax band the council could decide you are right - but it should be in a higher band and then you will end up paying more.

[New Judge]

For heaven's sake!

1. What makes you think "Affinity Tax Consultants" know enough about you and your tax affairs to be confident that you could get a "substantial refund of the council taxes" you've paid over the last 25 years? Come to that, what makes you think you might?

2. What do you think they will do for you once you've paid "upfront".

3. Is this a scam? What do you think?

[hc4361]

If you think your property is in the wrong council tax band contact Aberdeen Council:

I think my property is in the wrong Council Tax band
Your charge is based on the valuation band of your property. If you think that your property is in the wrong valuation band you can appeal this. To make a valuation banding appeal please contact:

Grampian Assessor
Woodhill House
Westburn Road
Aberdeen
AB16 5GE
01224 664360
[email protected]

You could be entitled to a council tax reduction - check it out here and see if it applies to you:
https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/council-tax/apply-council-tax-reduction

[ynnafymmi]

Ive been a council house tenant all my life,till i bought my small 2 bedroom apartment 10 years ago.Been in the D section all that time.

[ynnafymmi]

Thanx,hc.Will check it out.Over and out.M.

[Buenchico]

It's the VOA that determines Council Tax bands in England & Wales, not local councils. So if you actually believe that there's any chance that your home is in the wrong band, start here:
https://www.gov.uk/challenge-council-tax-band

If you're in Scotland though, start here:
https://www.saa.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-proposals/

Affinity Tax Consultants is a trading name of Affinity Sales and Marketing Ltd. It was set up 17 months ago as Warranties Plus Limited but changed its name to Affinity Sales Ltd in August last year. (The "and Marketing" bit was then added to the name in March of this year).

It's run by a 59-year-old guy called Alan Prior, who's also the sole director of Unity Consultants Ltd (which doesn't seem to have any form of web presence), which was set up 9 months ago. He previously set up a company called Spaciia Limited in September 2015 but applied for the company to be dissolved just four months later (which could well be explained by the Insolvency Service action referred to in my link below).

The addresses for the registered offices of Mr Prior's companies suggest that he's based in the Brighton & Hove area. In which case there would seem to be quite a strong possibility that he's the same Alan Prior (right age, right location) who was banned from holding company directorships four years ago:
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/13599350.publisher-alan-prior-banned-from-business-over-tax-failures/

[fiction-factory]

I agree with the others. Don't show any interest in this company. If you have any reason to believe you may be in too high a band see follow the guidance given in the Martin Lewis site- but don't expect to be too popular if you all end up being told you and neighbours should be in a higher band