1.1

IT IA 021204 introduced changes to the Property Details Application.

These changes included an amendment to the Individual Property Details function to assist users when updating Property Details during current work or in connection with CTR2007.

1.2

The ‘ Amend/Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen within the Individual Property Details function shows the full property details history for an address.

All the existing property details records are displayed in ascending effective date order and the record with the latest effective date is highlighted.

1.3

Users should always capture and view Property Details in the ‘Amend/Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen within ‘Individual Property Details’ unless the details are being captured as part of the Mass Data Capture Exercise.

1.4

Users can amend any individual detail within an existing set in the ‘ Amend/Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen.

You can also amend the effective date of an existing set of records so that the correct history of Property Details is maintained.

1.5

IT IA 091204 introduced redesigned Council Tax report working dockets (VO7453/4) and case working dockets (VO7456/7).

The new-style dockets provide additional information for the caseworker, including the three latest Property Details records for the address.

A section is also provided to enable a caseworker to record revised property details for input when the report/case is cleared.

2.1

You should not confuse the Property Details effective date with the effective date of the CT band or with the effective date of a transaction.

2.2

The effective date for each set of Property Details should relate to the actual date on which the dwelling became in the physical state described in the associated property details, ie:

• the effective date for a new dwelling should be the date of sale;
• the effective date of a set of property details for an existing dwelling should be the date the property was known to exist in that state. Where alterations have taken place the effective date for the new set(s) should be the date(s) of the alterations.

2.3

An existing Property Details effective date does not necessarily represent the actual date when a property was altered, or the actual date when the details which are recorded against them became correct, because:

• the effective date often will simply be the date when the details were input or the CT band or the property was created;
• the effective date may have been entered manually by the inputter, depending on the reason for input. The effective date is only defaulted in by the system when a default record is automatically created. When an inputter enters details, the effective date becomes a mandatory field;
• a default record with an effective date of 13 April 2002 was created for every dwelling that did not have any associated Property Details on that day. This was in readiness for Mass Data Capture and the ‘Property Details Bulk Dwellinghouse Codes’ functionality which came into existence on 13 April 2002;
• new domestic properties since that date have a default record automatically created by the system on the creation of an address. The effective date of that record is the address creation date.

2.4

So that the Council Tax AVM can apply an accurate valuation, it is essential that the Property Details associated with the most recent effective date are the most up-to-date details recorded for the address.

For AVM calibration purposes in addition, the Property Details record relevant to a sale within the two-year period 01-JUL-2003 to 30-JUN-2005 must accurately reflect the property at the effective date of the transaction (the Property Details record relevant to a sale is that with an effective date immediately prior to or equal to the effective date of the transaction).

It is therefore necessary to correct existing Property Detail effective dates when reviewing and updating Property Details during current work and in connection with CTR2007.

2.5

The most recent set of property details is not necessarily the set that is reflected in the current band.

Where the property details have been reviewed as a result of an inactivated CR10 report, the set which reflects the alterations should be the most recent set, and the set which reflects the current band should be the second most recent.

3.1

The latest set of Property Details with the effective date, together with the effective date of the alterations, forms part of the download from the central database to the Inactivated CR10 Spreadsheet.

3.2

When Property Details are reviewed and found to be out-of-date, ie physical changes have been made to the property, the caseworker must update the record by creating a new set.

The effective date of this new set should be the date of the alterations. This date will usually have been supplied by the BA when they sent the report or by an originator when an LO report was raised.

3.3

This could result in the effective date of the new and current set now being earlier than the existing set.

If this is the case, the effective date of the existing set must be amended to a date earlier than the effective date of the new set.

If the actual date when the dwelling existed in the state reflected by the existing set is unknown, the date should be amended to one day earlier than the effective date of the latest and most up-to-date set.

An example is attached as Appendix 1.

3.4

Where more than one CR10 report exists for a property, the process described above should be repeated for each alteration. In each instance, the existing Property Details effective date should be reviewed and updated as appropriate, to ensure that the correct history is retained and the record with the latest effective date is the most up-to-date set of details.

4.1

When reviewing and updating Property Details during current work, it is the caseworker’s responsibility to:

• record the correct effective date in the ‘Revised Property Details’ section on the working docket;

and, where necessary, to:

• amend the effective date in the ‘Existing Property Details’ on the working docket

in readiness for when the report/case is cleared (see paragraph 7 below).

4.2

Old-style working dockets did not show existing Property Details and, depending on the numbers involved, Groups and locations may wish to consider reprinting working dockets for outstanding reports and cases, as reprints will be in the new-style.

5.1

The Property Details effective date shown in the ‘Existing Property Details’ section on the working docket for a new dwelling will default to the date the report was registered.

This date must not be adopted as the Property Details effective date. The entry as shown must be overwritten with the details discovered during the banding process.

5.2

The effective date for Property Details of a new dwelling should reflect its physical state as at the date of sale.

The effective date of a new dwelling should therefore be the effective date of the transaction, but see paragraph 5.6 below for exceptions.

5.3

Where a transaction has been recorded in the PT Application before a CT report has been registered, details of that transaction will be output on the working docket in the section headed ‘Transaction History’.

When recording details in the ‘Revised Property Details’ section on the CT working docket the caseworker should adopt the pertinent date of the transaction as the effective date of the set of Property Details.

5.4

Where a transaction has not been recorded in PT but the BA has supplied a copy of a Completion Notice, the caseworker should adopt the date of completion as the effective date for Property Details purposes.

5.5

Where neither a date of transaction nor a date of completion is known, the caseworker should adopt the effective date of the band as the effective date for Property Details purposes.

5.6

Where a ‘shell’ is sold for conversion into a dwelling or a plot of land is sold for a self-build or a similar project, the effective date of the transaction must not be adopted as the Property Details Effective Date. Instead the effective date of the band must be adopted as the effective date for Property Details purposes.

6.1

The existing set of Property Details must always be checked as part of CT maintenance and appeal work. Although the current CT band may not be changing, the Property Details may need updating.

6.2

The caseworker should record updated any Property Details in the ‘Revised Property Details’ section of the working docket.

The caseworker should adopt the date from when the property existed in its present state, eg the date of the alterations, as the effective date for Property Details purposes.

6.3

There will be occasions when the actual date of the alterations is unknown.

For example, when visiting to discuss an appeal, the caseworker may discover that the existing property details are out-of-date because of alterations made by a previous occupier. In such circumstances, the caseworker should adopt the date of transaction as the effective date for revised Property Details purposes.

6.4

The effective date of the revised set of Property Details may be earlier than the existing set If so the caseworker should:

• record the latest set in the ‘Revised Property Details’ section on the working docket with an effective date which reflects the associated property details, eg in the case of an activated CR10 report, the date of the alterations;
• amend in manuscript the existing set’s effective date in the ‘Existing Property Details’ section on the working docket, to a date earlier than the effective date of the latest set.

An example is attached as Appendix 2.

6.5

Where a CR10 report has been activated because of a relevant transaction, the working docket may indicate that the Property Details have already been reviewed as part of the ‘Inactivated CR10 Review’ in readiness for CTR2007. Where they have been updated, Reason Code ‘P’ will be shown in the ‘Existing Property Details’ section.

The caseworker should:

• check, and amend if necessary, the effective date to ensure it is correctly shown as the date of the alterations;
• amend the Reason Code to ‘R’.

There is no need to create a revised set.

6.6

Whilst reviewing Property Details, the caseworker may find that, although there has been no change to the area or the accommodation, one or more of the ‘Group’, ‘Type and ‘Age’ codes are incorrect.

The caseworker should amend the details in the ‘Existing Property Details’ section on the Working Docket. The effective date should not be amended unless it is known to be wrong.

There is no need to create a revised set.

7.1

Property Details, including effective dates, should always be input in the ‘Amend/Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen. This is accessed by pressing <Ctrl F4> from the ‘Individual Property Details’ screen in the ‘Property Details’ application. Inputters can also access it directly from the Council Tax or Property Transactions Applications.

7.2

On accessing the ‘Amend/Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen for an identified property, all existing records for the address will be displayed in ascending order. The record with the latest effective date will be shown in bold.

7.3

Inputters should take care to ensure that Property Details effective dates are input accurately including those which will act as corrections, and that the most up-to-date set of Property Details is shown as the set with the most recent effective date.

7.4

Revised Property Details must be input in the ‘Create New Details’ section of the ‘Amend/Delete Existing Details or Create New Details’ screen. <F10> must be pressed to commit the new details.

7.5

Where the caseworker has indicated that the effective date must be corrected for an existing set of property details, the inputter should delete the existing effective date and input the correct effective date in the ‘Amend/Delete Existing Details’ section. <F10> must be pressed to commit the changes.

7.6

When a new set of property details is created and an existing set is corrected for the same property, <F10> must be pressed after each action.