I haven't been getting my 25% discount. Need an affidavit now!

Frances63

I have just discovered that I am paying full council tax despite living alone and signing a voting form every year to say only I live here. I have never claimed anyone else did and am shocked to find that I have been paying full council tax for the last 6 years.

I have pointed out to the council that all their records show and have only ever shown that I live here alone but in spite of this they are insisting I must go to a solicitor to get a sworn affidavit stating this. They don't appear to trust their own records!

Does anyone have any idea how much it costs to get this done at a solicitor's office?

I have a solicitor friend who might be able to do it for me cheaply if I can get the affidavit drawn up & printed out first. The council do not have a standard affidavit form for this purpose (why not?) so I will have to invent one. Having never done this before I have no idea where to start!

I have looked on google to see if I can download a blank generic affadavit form (and just fill in the gaps) but can't seem to find anything suitable.

Does anyone have any ideas? Has anyone else had to do this? Where do I start?

guppy

Surely its just a matter of writing a statement that you have lived alone at x address for x years, and having it witnessed by a solicitor?

Frances63

Hopefully that's all there is to it, but I don't know. Maybe there is a standard format of things to be included? Legalese? Any solicitor's out there know if there is a set way to word things?

hardpressed

Once they get an affidavit are they going to refund the overpayment for the last 6 years? If so it's worth doing.; I had to do one about 4 years ago and I think I paid about £8. All I had to do was go along to a solicitor, not the one who was acting for me, and swear on oath that I was who I said I was, than he signed it. I expect you would need a written statement saying something like you have lived alone for x number of years. I would just phone a local solicitor or speak to the one you know and ask how much it costs.
For anyone else in the same situation I think you need to write to the council when you first need to claim so that they have it in writing.