Council tax arrears

Posie_Rose · 9 March 2018 at 5:16PM

Hi there,

I’m new so not sure if this is the right place !!!129335;!!!127995;!!!8205;!!!9792;!!!65039;

Basically, I lived in shared rental accommodation when I was a student nurse. I shared with a student doctor and a guy that worked full time.

I qualified 4 yrs ago and moved out. Whilst I lived in this accommodation myself and the other student didn’t pay council tax (we both had exemption certificates) however the other guy sharing unbeknown to us wasn’t paying his council tax. It all came to light when this guy started drinking heavily and lost his job, he then went on the dole and started claiming benefits, shortly after the council got in touch asking for thousands of pounds in arrears that this guy hadn’t been paying during 3 yes of working full time.

I got in touch with the council and explained the situation (that I was a full time student nurse with an exemption certificate) but they insisted it was a household debt and I had to pay up. There was no way I could afford this, plus it was his debt to pay. I looked for a new place to live as I had just qualified plus the situation with the guy on the dole drinking all day was becoming really unpleasant. I was in the property til Oct, I moved out 2 months after qualifying. I spoke to my bank manager about the situation and she helped me pay a recorded sum of 2 months council tax for when I was in the property and had qualified. I still got dozens of demanding letters from the council trying to get me to pay up the other guys debt.

Over the last 4 years since qualifying I’ve lived in 2 other rental properties (both monthly rent with all bills inc) and have been travelling.

I’m now thinking about starting up a business and maybe applying for a mortgage but I’m really anxious this debt is going to rear it’s ugly head.

If anyone has any advice would be so appreciated- thank you - Rosie !!!128522;

In the

CIS · 9 March 2018 at 6:04PM

I qualified 4 yrs ago and moved out. Whilst I lived in this accommodation myself and the other student didn!!!8217;t pay council tax (we both had exemption certificates) however the other guy sharing unbeknown to us wasn!!!8217;t paying his council tax. It all came to light when this guy started drinking heavily and lost his job, he then went on the dole and started claiming benefits, shortly after the council got in touch asking for thousands of pounds in arrears that this guy hadn!!!8217;t been paying during 3 yes of working full time.

Where you all joint tenants and did the non-student have his 'sole or main residence' in the property (did you and the other student also have your 'sole or main residence' in the property ?)

Posie_Rose · 9 March 2018 at 9:05PM

I!!!8217;m sorry I don!!!8217;t really know what any of those things are.

It was 4 yrs ago that I left and I started living there for 3 years before that (so 7 years ago that I moved in)

I vaguely remember signing something but can!!!8217;t temember what (tenancy agreement !!!55358;!!!56631;!!!55356;!!!57339;!!!8205;!!!9792;!!!65039;) I was stressed and exhausted with exams and my nursing placements as well as working part time.m and living with a difficult alcoholic flat mate. Once I qualified I just wanted gone ASAP. I lost any bits of paper over the last 7 years as lived in 2 different places and went travelling.

I!!!8217;d put it all behind me and it!!!8217;s only now it!!!8217;s all coming back !!!55358;!!!56614;!!!55356;!!!57339;!!!8205;!!!9792;!!!65039;

CIS · 9 March 2018 at 9:37PM

If we work on the general assumption that you were all resident and all joint tenants then a student tenant cannot be held liable with a non-student tenant. You would not therefore be liable for the council tax charge as you were a full time student ( as per s6 and schedule 1 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992).

I wouldn't worry in respect of the mortgage application. If the council have wrongly obtained a liability order in your name, these orders do not show on a credit record anyway (they are not CCJ's).

agrinnall · 10 March 2018 at 10:28AM

Posie_Rose wrote: »

I!!!8217;m sorry I don!!!8217;t really know what any of those things are.

It was 4 yrs ago that I left and I started living there for 3 years before that (so 7 years ago that I moved in)

I vaguely remember signing something but can!!!8217;t temember what (tenancy agreement !!!55358;!!!56631;!!!55356;!!!57339;!!!8205;!!!9792;!!!65039;) I was stressed and exhausted with exams and my nursing placements as well as working part time.m and living with a difficult alcoholic flat mate. Once I qualified I just wanted gone ASAP. I lost any bits of paper over the last 7 years as lived in 2 different places and went travelling.

I!!!8217;d put it all behind me and it!!!8217;s only now it!!!8217;s all coming back !!!55358;!!!56614;!!!55356;!!!57339;!!!8205;!!!9792;!!!65039;

If you post again I strongly recommend that you use much less (unnecessary) punctuation, as it will make your posts much easier to read during this period of technical problems on the forum.

Posie_Rose · 10 March 2018 at 3:58PM

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply, really quite reassuring.

Yes I noticed my posts were littered with odd numbers and exclamations when I didn’t use any.
Making it quite difficult to comfortably read.

I’m using my mobile phone to type this so perhaps this is why. Looking at what I’m typing now all looks fine but as soon as I post all of these bizarre exclamations and numbers appear?

I’ll look into it.

Once again thank you for the advice, most helpful

agrinnall · 10 March 2018 at 8:20PM

It's not your problem, it's a forum-wide issue, although it seems to affect Apple devices more than others (but not exclusively). As I said, using less punctuation seems to be the best option.

Council tax arrears

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