Householders face being penalised simply for having a scenic view from their windows.
Even those who have a mere glimpse of a river, hill or park - or any other pleasing outlook - stand to pay more under a special category for 'partial scenic views'.
Bad news for all those living in inner city high-rise blocks of flats, bet the views are superb from the upper floors, balconies are to be taxed also.
A total of 38,081 homes have so far been given the coding of TQ, which tells council tax chiefs that they live in a quiet street or cul-de-sac.
That's me I am a TQ.
People with patios could be in for a shock.
Even covers lean-tos
Blimey I have a roll-up blind over my patio, I wonder if this constitutes to a lean-to, even if I only roll it out on sunny days?
The Government has spent a staggering �13million on the VOA's scheme to build the new database.
In addition, the Government has spent �3.7million on a US computer system that can pinpoint households on a map and list information gleaned from house-to-house inspections.
If you mean who says the inspectors will get into people's homes, I recall this story made the news quite a while ago and then it was said that the penalty for not allowing them in would be �1000, or something like that.
They've resurrected an old story, it may or may not be true, although i'd hazared a gues that they are looking at iy
As to if Labour will win the next General Election, regardless of how unpopular they are, I think they have a very good chance of getting back in, lets face it, if it wasn't for the Scottish votes, they would have lost the last one.
Council Tax is assessed on the sale value of your property and each house was put into its band in 1991.
If you have made any improvements to your house in the last 18 years, your property will be worth more than a property that hasn't had any work done. And that might take it into the next band and a higher bill.
The 1991 assessments were rushed in to replace the discreditted poll tax. The system for assessing banding was not very sophisticated and blanket assessments were made on streets without assessing individual properties.
So, a house with a fantastic view will sell more than one around the corner that faces the council tip. And under this system the more a house is worth, the more council tax is due.
The new re-banding will be more accurate and fairer because each property will be individually assessed. Inevitably, some people will have been paying too little Council Tax since 1991 and this assessment will correct that. Obversely, some people who have been paying too much all these years will see their bills reduced.
Whether the Council Tax is the best way of collecting local tax is another debate.
houses with nice views are worth more than houses without. If the tax is on the value of the house, views will therefore play a part. But I am devastated to hear my equestrian paddock will mean I have to pay more.
While it is tremendous news that inspectors will no longer be able to get into your house under the Tories, who stands to benefit from this? Only those with taxable features, I suspect. So no taxes on duck islands and moats.
Duck houses are not going to be exempt jno. The councils have found out that there are some nasty middle class ducks living in posh houses and they're going to tax them til their pips squeak, sorry quack.
Apparently those who've built little duck conservatories on the back or bothered to maintain their duck house will be hit hardest. If they have a nest inside, they'll be made to pay, but if the place is just covered in duck sh!te, that will be ok.
Right now they're training little armies of voles to swim round snooping on these feathery scumbags.
..this is one good thing to come out of the expenses scandal. Before that broke none us us even knew ducks had houses, so they would have continued to get away without paying.