What are the problems with buying a house with an easily incorporable annexe accomodation with it's own council tax band?

[mylovelymonster]

As above. Apart from the mahoosive additional annual bill.

onesandwichshort - I think if you are doing major works to a property then you can apply for exemption for the 'habitable' spaces empty for up to six months, but you can apply for change in tax band whenever you like? (I at first thought there was a six month period from start of ownership, after which you were unable to get a band change, but I think if you are making significant alteration then that is relaxed?) We're doing everything within six months so doesn't apply to us - we were able to get the exemption for the annex as is not being lived in at the moment - just dumping ground and alterations being done.
Sounds as though you won't have any issue with your project. Good luck getting it all done and settling in to living in and enjoying it.

Update - we have recieved our notice, and have been successfully rebanded and are going up one band from the original one for the main house. This will mean a saving of a few hundred pounds a year, and we can think of our home as 'whole'. We no longer have an annex, but wonderful extra family space. Also, if we ever sell (not for 20years hopefully) then the acommodation will appeal to more buyers. All round, is just great, and very much counter to our discussions before we bought.

Big thanks for the encouragement and useful advice here.
I thought it would be impossible, but actually, dealing with the council and associated agencies has been fine and officials I've had dealings with have been helpful and supportive - since owning the house. It has been a very big leap of faith which has turned out pretty well. Hope this is at all helpful to anyone else, with the understanding that different councils/local VOAs may take different view!

That's a lovely update - and very useful. Good luck with everything.

Brilliant - I'm really pleased for you!

We decided to take on a house that needed extending and we are going through the painful stage at the moment (sigh).

Thanks Caramel
Artyjools - It will be great when it's finished though? We're doing a fair bit to ours too. Have found lots of interesting stuff to put right - seems something else rears it's head wherever we look! - very long list!! - and we need to do a small first floor extension/remodelling.....
I would be a wreck if I ever did a self-build.
I think creating your new home, whether from scratch or making alterations, is always fraught and stressful one way or another
[Mainly trying to find decent, competent and interested trade!]
Am positive though it will be worth it. Good luck Arty!

We absolutely love where we are now and we know that we shall have one fantastic house when we have finished. I could do without he stress though!!

Hope you have less of that!!

Just been reading this thread and I was really hoping that the OP or anyone else in a similar position was still around to offer us advice.

We bought a house where the double garage (joined via a small hallway next to our kitchen, so no separate entrance) was converted into an annexe. The previous occupants had the garage converted to accommodate an elderly relative, but unfortunately the relative died before it was completed I believe. When we bought it they were using the 'kitchen' as a utility room, extra bathroom (house has one other bathroom),extra living room and home office.

Now that we have bought the property the VOA have written to us to say the annexe is to be rebanded to have its own council tax band. When we phoned to query this they offered to come round to have a look and are coming next week.

As I see it the utility room is just that. It is tiny, has a sink and space for a washing mc, a drier and an undersink cupboard. It has no cooking facilities, although I suppose that you could squeeze an electric oven under the counter where the washing mc or drier are. Fitting a hob would be very difficult though. Technically i suppose you could squeeze it in next to the sink but would have to remove an electrical socket behind it, or you could put it in front of the window which is the only ventilation point. I really find it hard to believe it could be classed as a kitchen though and it has never been used as one. There's no gas supply either.

We are not allowed to rent the annexe out separately under the planning permission rules and to be honest would never consider it as it is part of our home and is used daily.

mylovelymonster could I ask exactly how you convinced the VOA to reband your property as one? Does anyone else have any idea how we can make the VOA see that the whole thing is just to provide us with extra living space?

Thanks for reading and I hope someone can help.

Hi , Itwasthedog how did you get on with this?

We have a similar issue, the 'annex' can be accessed via a rear door. We wondered if bricking this up would work so access is only through the main house would work as I understand that turning kitchens into utilities etc isn't enough as its about the 'construction' not how you use it. Any thoughts anyone? Cant seem to find any incidents where people have done this.