Back in the 1960’s the local council Rating Officer surveyed houses and flats to determine the Rateable Value of the property’s and the tax the occupiers had to pay to the council.


There was a notional basic standard, anything extra was considered luxury items and increased the Rateable Value.


For example more than two rows of six inch tiles around the bath was considered a luxury and increased the tax that had to be paid by those who lived in the houses.


More than one single socket in bedrooms was a luxury as was additional sockets in kitchens and living rooms, I live in a road with 1960’s three and four bedroom houses, however when they were built the four bed houses they were actually sold as three bedroom houses with a box room that did not have a plug socket in the box room or on the landing. Quite a few of these houses still only have three single sockets upstairs with a small bedroom that does not have a plug socket.


 Generally I cannot imagine anyone would install a single socket these days, but back in the 1960’s the reverse was true as no one wanted the additional tax burden of having additional sockets.


The outcome was lots of DIY home improvements in the 1970’s and 80’s to improve the houses without telling the tax man, then Maggie introduced the Poll Tax, we had a few riots and it was changed to the Council Tax and estate agents were paid to drive along roads valuing houses without getting out of their cars and definitely without counting plug sockets.


Some politicians want to go back yo the old system and value homes individually with a council official going to every home to work out the tax bill, others want a general review of the bands that homes are currently in because there are now so many anomalies.


If USB sockets and LED down lights are counted individually to calculate the tax bills some people will go into meltdown ?


Andy Betteridge

Back in the 1960’s the local council Rating Officer surveyed houses and flats to determine the Rateable Value of the property’s and the tax the occupiers had to pay to the council.


There was a notional basic standard, anything extra was considered luxury items and increased the Rateable Value.


For example more than two rows of six inch tiles around the bath was considered a luxury and increased the tax that had to be paid by those who lived in the houses.


More than one single socket in bedrooms was a luxury as was additional sockets in kitchens and living rooms, I live in a road with 1960’s three and four bedroom houses, however when they were built the four bed houses they were actually sold as three bedroom houses with a box room that did not have a plug socket in the box room or on the landing. Quite a few of these houses still only have three single sockets upstairs with a small bedroom that does not have a plug socket.


 Generally I cannot imagine anyone would install a single socket these days, but back in the 1960’s the reverse was true as no one wanted the additional tax burden of having additional sockets.


The outcome was lots of DIY home improvements in the 1970’s and 80’s to improve the houses without telling the tax man, then Maggie introduced the Poll Tax, we had a few riots and it was changed to the Council Tax and estate agents were paid to drive along roads valuing houses without getting out of their cars and definitely without counting plug sockets.


Some politicians want to go back yo the old system and value homes individually with a council official going to every home to work out the tax bill, others want a general review of the bands that homes are currently in because there are now so many anomalies.


If USB sockets and LED down lights are counted individually to calculate the tax bills some people will go into meltdown ?


Andy Betteridge