Student House - being made to pay council tax

popularfurball

I have been living away from home at University for the past two years - the first year in halls the second in a student house.

Our contract for the house was July 07 - 30th June 08, and we recently got billed for council tax - despite having sent our exemption certificates to the council.

Is it correct that we have to pay council tax for July/August? None of my friends from home or from uni have been billed for this, but the two advisors I spoke to insisted that we have to pay CT for this period as we were not technically students as the courses finsih June and restart in September....

Oldernotwiser

Is this the summer between years 2 and 3 or between finishing your degree and starting a post grad?

popularfurball

Between years one and two... Im going into year three now, but landlord pays bills in this property so I don't need to worry about it (I'm not living with students now apart from me).

*is sulking because no one else seems to have to pay it*

Oldernotwiser

popularfurball wrote: »

Between years one and two... Im going into year three now, but landlord pays bills in this property so I don't need to worry about it (I'm not living with students now apart from me).

*is sulking because no one else seems to have to pay it*

If you're sharing with non students then you'll have to pay council tax all the time, not just in holidays. Have I misunderstood you?

popularfurball

Yeah.... Lol. XD

I'm being charged council tax for the July/August when living with three other students. The council says we have to pay tax as we aren't students during July/August although we were all in between first and second year uni...

pinkshoes

popularfurball wrote: »

Yeah.... Lol. XD

I'm being charged council tax for the July/August when living with three other students. The council says we have to pay tax as we aren't students during July/August although we were all in between first and second year uni...

If you're on a 3 year course, and this was the summer between your first and second, or second and third year, then you won't pay council tax, and whoever told you you did have to pay it is a muppet.

Just return the form with a copy of your student status again.

popularfurball

The exemption form states Sept - July... I guess this is then the uni's fault? It's £186 I could do without giving away!!

Gingernutmeg

I'd go to the student services at uni and explain the problem. For the first to second and second to third year summers, my exemption certificates went from September to September. As long as you had passed everything and pre-registered for the next year there wasn't an issue. The only one that didn't was the third year one. Sounds like your uni is assuming that everyone goes home over the summer.

Wiggynut

but you are still a student through the holidays!
you can't claim benefits during summer breaks because you are still classed as a student - that's why you get more loans etc during the summer (mine works out as £50 extra, lol! I'll be working anyway!)

you are a student until you finish your course or drop out of studying!
I've lived in shared houses before with half students/half non students.. the students didn't pay council tax! only the non students did.

I did a temp job with a council tax office once... they got things wrong all the time!

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/LifeAtUniversityOrCollege/DG_071488
If you live in with someone who’s not a full-time student

Council Tax is charged per ‘dwelling’ or household, and each household gets a single Council Tax bill.
If there’s someone in the household who’s not a full-time student the household will get a bill, but may qualify for a discount on the full amount.

the site doesn't say you have to pay council tax during holidays!

polesana

Some councils claim that student status ends when you finish in June and restarts in September, however most unis will provide you with a letter as proof of student status. (try student services or your uni's equivalent). Obviously this only applies in summers between your first and second year etc and not the summer after you graduate!

popularfurball

Dopey didn't think to ring the uni... I have just rung and they were like oh well...we'll just make you up another certificate... what dates would you like it from!!! haha.

Now queing for the council... They are argueing something rotten with me. I hate call centre people with no can do attitudes (I've worked in a call centre...there is no need for it...i'm being nice ) lol.