Flats or Houses to rent or buy in the London Borough of Hackney

For specific information on this borough, or to contact individual departments please click here to visit their website.

London Borough of Hackney: http://www.hackney.gov.uk

In General:
The London boroughs are administrative centres responsible for collecting local taxes (Council Tax and Business Rates) and then spending the funds received on local services. They are run by Borough Councils who are elected by borough residents on a four year cycle. The totals that they spend will depend on the rates of tax that they levy plus funds allocated from central government and other sources.

While many of the services (schools, roads, planning, rubbish collection and social services) are standard, levels of provision will vary according to the overall political will as expressed by the voters.

Your tax liability (as a resident) will be based on the council tax band of your home. These bands are set by Valuation Officers and there is scope for appeal. The rate bands are then used to determine the amounts of tax levied. So, while the bands will remain largely constant the levels of tax can go up and, in theory, down.

You may claim discounts or exemptions based on your circumstances. For example, as the only adult in a property you can get a 25% reduction on your bill. Other reductions are available for qualifying second adults and Council Tax Benefit claimants.

There is more information available at the HM Customs & Excise website.

Statistics don't tend to do Hackney any favours. One of the UK's most deprived areas, the borough has London's highest unemployment rate, some of the worst schools, half of its residents in council maintained property and no tube stations. Despite these obvious setbacks, today's Hackney is recognised as London's most up and coming borough with property price increases to match. Government and private investors are pouring millions into Hackney. Plans for a Chelsea tube link seem to have been put back into place by Ken Livingstone, and hopes are also very high for a direct tube link to both the Docklands and the City.

Shoreditch and Hoxton to the south of the borough sit uneasily against the wealth of the City of London. North of the Regent's Canal around Victoria Park and De Beauvoir Town, amongst the council blocks, can be found some of the best Victorian and Georgian houses in London. Stoke Newington, to the north has become the new yuppie Mecca whilst Stamford Hill and Clapton remain in favour with the Jewish community.