Prescott using satellites to have a good nosy at your home

[PantomimEDAMe]

Our beloved deputy prime minister is apparently going to use satellite images of your home to check for extensions and garages for the revaluation of council tax. This was in the news a while ago but have been reminded of it today by the Indie on Sunday (which apparently thinks it is new, bless them, as it's on their front page.) The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is creating a database containing the details of every house in the country for tax inspectors.

Wondered if everyone was happy with with this? Given that most people seem relaxed about satellites monitoring our journeys for road pricing on the grounds that 'I've got nothing to hide' (from previous threads). Are people just as happy when it's your home that's being monitored for the purposes of taxing you more?

[SueW]

But most extensions etc should surely already have been through council building regs/planners and it would be easier surely to backtrack those records than to use satellite images.

Also satellite image won't show internal improvements which can make a huge diff to value of house?

[DoesntTheNewYearDragOn]

Yes. Especially as our house was revalued when we moved in due to an extension the previous owers had done.

It's no different from those aerial photo people really is it??!

[Spartakus]

he'd be better employed making sure everyone (Deputy PM's included) pay council tax on their many homes {rolls eyes]

[Tortington]

this stuff really pisses me off. and i can't articulate why. once agin i feel i am being royally screwed up the woo woo.

sometimes i wonder why i try so fking hard to live in a shit house that isn't mine

[tweeni]

to be honest we all pay tax for the same services and i don't see why we should have to pay more tax just cos our house is worth more. shouldn't it just be based on the number of people that live in that house?similarly if you don't have children attending school which a large amount of tax probably goes towards shouldn't you get a reduction because that is one service not everybody uses!

[PantomimEDAMe]

Many extensions will have planning permission, but some won't - you have permitted development rights that mean you can extend a certain amount without pp.

Apparently he is also giving council tax inspectors the right to come into your home and see for themselves. Which I find appalling. They can call the police, invent a crime and get a sodding search warrant if they want to come in MY house.

It's wrong in principle but also wrong pragmatically because it's impossible for the council or central government to guarantee that there are no criminals among their employees or contractor's employees, for instance. Or employees who have dodgy mates. Look at how many 'respectable' men have been caught by Operation Ore with child porn on their computers... I'm not having anyone I don't know or haven't invited coming round looking at my ds's bedroom, for instance (not that there's anything to see, but YKWIM).

[PantomimEDAMe]

Maybe I should apply for a job as an inspector and make sure I work somewhere I'll get access to Prezza's home. See how he likes that.

[Spartakus]

tweeni - I think you're thinking of the poll tax - not very popular! but imho the fairest

[SueW]

Betcha wouldn't get access to his home as it would be a national security matter. Grrr...

This was in the Mail on Sunday today too. Plus a letter from a pensioner who was commenting on the massive tax-free second home allowance for MPs when he, at 80, with an occupational pension and state pension has to pay tax on that.

[WideWebWitch]

Oh ffs, as well as tracking every single movement by car and charging us for it? Bliar and his government are just totally insane and power crazed, I wish the civil liberties people would organise a massive campaign and we could all join it to stop them.

[WideWebWitch]

And what a waste of MONEY too, tax pounds! As are ID cards which will cost a fortune and achieve nothing except increased monitoring of people. Anyone seen the film Gattacca? Not that far off imo.

[DoesntTheNewYearDragOn]

The Mail... god how I loathe that paper!

[JoolsToo]

do you?

[SueW]

Someone once remarked to me that my reading the Mail on the tube told them a lot about me. It was when they had just gone over to ink-that-doesn't-rub-off and and I reposnded with 'What - that I like wearing white in summer and keeping my hands clean?' Am a little phobic about ink on hands but in spite of this usually choose Independent on Sunday if we buy a paper.

[ladymuck]

Sorry, but Google Earth is already starting to do this and make the information available to everyone. Seems fairly sensible for the civil servants to be able to have a quick onscreen glance to see which properties in a road are more likely to have a higher value than others (bet they'll be using land registry information too). A conservatory won't always place you in a higher tax band.

[tweeni]

i thought poll tax is what they used to have instead of income tax not council tax?

[PrincessPeaHead]

how old are you tweeni? can you cast your mind back to, ohhhh, 1990 say?!

[tweeni]

nope was only 2 then!!

[saltire]

Heard on Radio Scotland today that a large percentage of staff at one of the Scottish council offices (I think it was Dumbartonshire but not sure) HAVE not paid their council tax. Perhaps John Prrescott should chase council staff instead.