Skip to main contentEnter
Purposeful journalism for people who care about our town
Ipswich.co.uk logoSupport our journalism
News

Council tax rebate scammers target Ipswich residents

Doorstep callers claiming to help residents get council tax rebates have been reported in Ipswich and Nacton, with fraudsters charging 35% fees for free services.

by
Our content is free to read thanks to
Our content is free to read thanks to
Our content is free to read thanks to
Want our best content delivered to your inbox every Friday?
Elderly lady being scammed

Why it matters: Residents could lose hundreds of pounds to scammers offering services they can access for free through official channels.

The details: The callers are targeting homes claiming residents are entitled to council tax rebates because the council made errors in property banding. They offer to help secure these rebates on a "no win, no fee" basis, but paperwork reveals they charge 35% of any rebate obtained.

What's legal: While charging fees for council tax appeals is not illegal, residents can challenge their council tax bands completely free of charge by contacting the valuation office agency directly.

What to do: Residents who believe their property may be in the wrong council tax band can check their banding at www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands and challenge it for free at www.gov.uk/challenge-council-tax-band.

The bottom line: Be aware that council tax band appeals are free through official channels - if you choose to pay someone else to handle the process, make sure you understand the costs involved.

It cost us ~£6 to produce this article

Our content is free to read thanks to the generous support of RSZ Accountancy, Ipswich Sports Club and Gipping Construction

RSZ accountancy team at an exhibition

RSZ Accountancy

RSZ Accountancy provides digital accountancy and bookkeeping services that save SMEs time and tax.
Mark Petchey giving a coaching masterclass at Ipswich Sports Club

Ipswich Sports Club

Ipswich Sports Club is one of Suffolk’s leading independent, competitive racket sports and hockey clubs, with a rich history spanning over a century.
Gipping Construction doing on going renovations to outside of Ipswich Museum

Gipping Construction

Based just outside Ipswich, Gipping Construction is an employee-owned construction company that operates in the private and public sectors across East Anglia.
News

Young creatives invited to design custom trainers in Ipswich

Professional sneaker artist Starline Customs and visual artist Benny Brown will mentor participants through creating their own unique footwear designs this month. Tickets are expected to sell fast so book while you can.
by
Continue reading →

RSZ Accountancy, Ipswich Sports Club and Gipping Construction

RSZ accountancy team at an exhibition

RSZ Accountancy

RSZ Accountancy provides digital accountancy and bookkeeping services that save SMEs time and tax.
Mark Petchey giving a coaching masterclass at Ipswich Sports Club

Ipswich Sports Club

Ipswich Sports Club is one of Suffolk’s leading independent, competitive racket sports and hockey clubs, with a rich history spanning over a century.
Gipping Construction doing on going renovations to outside of Ipswich Museum

Gipping Construction

Based just outside Ipswich, Gipping Construction is an employee-owned construction company that operates in the private and public sectors across East Anglia.
News

Suffolk firms demand no more tax rises as government faces budget hole

Local businesses are calling for a freeze on business taxes, with 74% of Suffolk firms worried about tax levels following recent National Insurance increases. It comes after government welfare concessions scrapped £5bn in planned savings, raising concerns that Autumn's budget will bring further tax rises.
by
Continue reading →
News

Buttermarket unveils 'Chatty Bench' to tackle loneliness

The Buttermarket has installed the "Chatty Bench" after security staff noticed people sitting alone for hours and began offering friendly conversations to combat loneliness.
by
Continue reading →

RSZ Accountancy, Ipswich Sports Club and Gipping Construction

RSZ accountancy team at an exhibition

RSZ Accountancy

RSZ Accountancy provides digital accountancy and bookkeeping services that save SMEs time and tax.
Mark Petchey giving a coaching masterclass at Ipswich Sports Club

Ipswich Sports Club

Ipswich Sports Club is one of Suffolk’s leading independent, competitive racket sports and hockey clubs, with a rich history spanning over a century.
Gipping Construction doing on going renovations to outside of Ipswich Museum

Gipping Construction

Based just outside Ipswich, Gipping Construction is an employee-owned construction company that operates in the private and public sectors across East Anglia.
Load more content

Have you subscribed to our free weekly newsletter?

If you haven’t, you really should. You’ll get our best content delivered to your inbox every Friday afternoon, just in time for the weekend. You can unsubscribe at any time, although 99.8% of people don’t.

  • Lee Walker
  • Joe Bailey of Brighten the Corners
  • Mark Hubert
3,390+ people are already loving it