Do you consider council tax when choosing a new property?
When you are looking for a new home, there are a multitude of elements you consider. For most of us, the priorities are finding a property that meets our needs and that is within our budget, as well as the area in which it’s located – if you have a family, this will include exploring school catchment areas too.
However, do you ever consider the council tax in the places you’re considering moving to if they are outside of your current local authority area?
An article for The Sun recently highlighted how home movers could save hundreds of pounds a year by factoring council tax bills into their calculations – in some cases simply by choosing to live in a place just a few miles away.
The newspaper looked at the cost of council tax for the average family home – one in Band D – and compared areas. One of the biggest discrepancies was found between the London Borough of Wandsworth and the London Borough of Lambeth. Despite being just a two-minute walk away from one another, those living in Lambeth paying almost £850 a year more than those living in a similar property in Wandsworth.
While the difference isn’t quite so significant in Dorset, which part of the county you choose to live in will affect your council tax payments. For example, in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch (BCP), a Band D property pays £2,048.24 a year (in 2023/24).
However, in smaller towns around the county you’ll likely be paying much more. For example, a Band D property in Dorchester is liable for council tax of £2,477.15 per year, while in Warmwell, which is just five miles from Dorchester, Band D council tax is charged at £2,270.94 in the 2023/24 tax year.
While we can’t help you work out your council tax liabilities, we can help you move into your new home smoothly, wherever in Dorset it may be – or even further afield as we offer a nationwide removals service.
Our team of professional packers and movers knows that there is a lot for you to consider when you are moving home, which is why we are available to take care of some of the small, but important, aspects of your move itself.
At Removals Unlimited, we can do much more than simply load boxes and furniture into our removals vehicles to transport them to your new abode. We also provide a full packing service to help streamline the process of packing up all of your belongings, as well as a furniture dismantling and reassembly service.
The latter is particularly handy, because the last thing you want to do on moving day is hunt around for the tools, screws and bolts you need to put your bed back together or to reassemble a bookcase.
Wherever you’re moving to in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch or beyond, let our friendly team take some of the load. Get in touch with us today to find out more about our services and to receive a free, no-obligation quote.
