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Should I get a refund for council tax if I move out of the area
griffster
Posts: 48 Forumite
in Cutting tax
I've recently moved house out from one council tax area to another. I reported the move to the council where my old house was and they stated I may get a refund as I was moving 5 months in to the full 12 months for that tax year. I then received a letter from the old council stating I owed the remainder of the money for the full year i.e. I owe them council tax for the full year even though I was only there for 5 of those 12 months! I used to pay by direct debit at my old address for the first 10 months of the financial year.i.e. my council tax year ran from the 1st of april to the 31st of march the following year. I moved out on september 1st so had paid 5 months worth of direct debits. I think it's very unfair that I'm expected to pay for the full year's tax. In theory, what they're saying is if I moved out on april 2nd for example I would still be liable for the full year's council tax! Does anybody know whether this is true or whether I should challenge this and should only have paid 5/12ths of the full year's tax?
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I had many, many problems with my council over council tax (mainly because they're incompetent, and tried to charge me for a time I wasn't liable despite going down with proof several times) but when I finally did become liable for council tax, they needed an exact date from....to calculate the proportion of the yr (31st jan till 31st march, then 1st april to next march 31st). I would guess your new council wants part year too...so why should you pay 12 months to the old council....the new tenants/owners will be paying for remainder so why should they get double pay. If it's unoccupied, I think it's free (or maybe half price) for 6 months, but I'm not sure...but it's not your responsibility surely. Also if you pay direct debit, make sure you didn't overpay already...I don't pay by direct debit so don't know....I pay once a month (1st of each) for 10 months, so if I moved after 5 months of the new yr....I'd have paid 5/10 which is half, instead of 5/12 which is less than half
Good luck0 -
Did you own or rent the property, do you still own or have the tenancy? In simple terms, yes you should get a refund (assuming no arrears from previous years that money could have been allocated to?), but if you still have any responsibility then you maybe still have a liability, but depending on state of property you could get a discount or exemption. Get on the phone to them in the morning!
Remember it is a daily charge, so will be calculated up to day you left. Any refund will be based on total daily charge less total paid. Also remember that as you pay 12 months charge over 10 instalments that the refund may not be as much as you expect, however I would expect a small refund this time of year.
Is your new bill ok from new authority?2008 wins. DVD player together with Now quiz/Now 2008 DVDs,£25.00 Real People, pair of tickets for London Eye.0 -
I woulrk for Council Tax and what corsagirl said is correct, Council Tax is a daily charge therefore you will be charged from 1st April until 1st September which is a total of 153 days. So you'll be able to work that out based on your yearly charge and what you have already paid.
Phone and make sure they have actually updated your registration as it may be that they haven't yet done this and that the bill has crossed over.0 -
I was renting and moved out on the 1st of september. There's someone else in there now. I've moved to a new authority now. Thanks for your responses. Gonna give them $%££ now on the phone!0
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now being nice costs nothing, The person on the other end of the phone isnt to blame. Just explain calmly and you'll prbably find that youre talking to somebody who knows what theyre talking about.make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
and we will never, ever return.0 -
Great!!! They've backed down and said that was sent in error. I am due a refund based on the number of days I'd spent at the address prior to moving out against the amount I'd actually paid. Thanks all!0
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see, i told you so!!!!
well done,make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
and we will never, ever return.0
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