Council Tax sole occupant discount removed

morg_monster

But the only way the council know who the occupier is, is by the forms filled in and sent back around this time of year, which is I guess the "registering" simpy is talking about. When your friend told them she had been living there the last two years, she presumably forgot to say /wasn't clear that she was the ONLY person was living there. If she filled in the form sent by the council, and added her name but didn't remove your name, then they would of course think 2 people were living there. If that is the case you would probably have to prove she made a mistake and you were not there. If she just told someone over the phone that she was living there, it may be easier to argue that they misunderstood and she told them it was only her living there.

Either way, a call to the council tax department should sort it out - or at least let you know what you need to do to sort it out.

shuffle2uk

having worked in a council tax office / local government for several years...

you should explain the situation in writing to the council tax dept (not a phone call.....and send recorded delivery). What you should provide is a copy of the council tax bill of your main residence during this time (or proof) to show you were residing at a different address during this time. A letter from your friend (or lease) with signature confirming the situation.

Basically, you must prove you were residing elsewhere and provide proof for this, and should have a lease (or letter with friends signature). Give all available info (ie dates, addresses, residents) that you can.

If the above fails, then simply keep pursuing the matter - simply get the name of the person in charge (not a team leader, but the head honcho ie Director of Finance). In fact, it may be worth sending the above details to the head honcho first - this should save a lot of waiting, and more than likely get a positive resolution. The bosses dont like any form of negative press or hassle, and are likely just to sort it in your favour. Unfortunately, as in life, those who shout loudest tend to get seen to first.

If the public knew how Councils really worked then they would be extremely angry....I found £750K in overpaid Council Tax in 'closed' accounts, and my bosses wanted to leave it as is, simply because it would involve so much manpower to fix. They eventually relented when I pushed the issue, but it will take around 5 years at this rate to put right. Government / Civil Service = waste of taxpayers money.

By the way, there are many money-saving 'methods' within Council Tax practices and rules, especially within larger areas - most folk dont know about them. Unfortuantely I wouldnt get away with them, being a Council employee!!

Cheers

Dave_®f©

shuffle2uk wrote: »

By the way, there are many money-saving 'methods' within Council Tax practices and rules, especially within larger areas - most folk dont know about them. Unfortuantely I wouldnt get away with them, being a Council employee!!

Cheers

Please tell.......

shuffle2uk

well for example...when I say 'methods' , some are actually scams which I dont condone at all and could have serious repurcusions, but are worth sharing to highlight the lengths some people could go to in these difficult times...before I left the council I never came across the dodgy aspects below, but have doubt they must have happened. You cannot go and check every property or reference every student exemption, although if you stayed in a village etc, then word would soon get out! Anyway..

*you could claim exemption/2nd home discount if you register at another address - ie a person states they are getting renovations and are moving in with their parents for a few months - show photos showing property is unfurnished - just register at the parents address and claim up to 6 months exemption!! Dodgy, but highly likely to work.

*another 'dodgy' method is to draw up a basic false lease, stating a student from abroad is taking over your property for 6 months lease while you are working abroad, but stating your mail is still to be delivered to this address and is being redirected. Put a peice of paper on your door with the 'student' name on i they will be liable - then 6 months later state the student absconded without a forwarding address and that you have moved back in. Dodgy again, yes, but these are tough times we live in!!

* if you work in a hospital or university, then you could easily get access to an official stamp in order toclaim a student/nurse exemption... very very rarely checked out with the organisation.

*if you are a landlord, there is a 'difficult to let' exemption, ie if you cant find a tenant - hardly anyone knows about this. This is a genuine exemption and not dodgy in any way as above!!

Again, I do not condone any illicit dealings - most folk would be too nervous to try these anyway!

real1314

shuffle2uk wrote: »

well for example...when I say 'methods' , some are actually scams which I dont condone at all and could have serious repurcusions, but are worth sharing to highlight the lengths some people could go to in these difficult times...before I left the council I never came across the dodgy aspects below, but have doubt they must have happened. You cannot go and check every property or reference every student exemption, although if you stayed in a village etc, then word would soon get out! Anyway..

*you could claim exemption/2nd home discount if you register at another address - ie a person states they are getting renovations and are moving in with their parents for a few months - show photos showing property is unfurnished - just register at the parents address and claim up to 6 months exemption!! Dodgy, but highly likely to work.

*another 'dodgy' method is to draw up a basic false lease, stating a student from abroad is taking over your property for 6 months lease while you are working abroad, but stating your mail is still to be delivered to this address and is being redirected. Put a peice of paper on your door with the 'student' name on i they will be liable - then 6 months later state the student absconded without a forwarding address and that you have moved back in. Dodgy again, yes, but these are tough times we live in!!

* if you work in a hospital or university, then you could easily get access to an official stamp in order toclaim a student/nurse exemption... very very rarely checked out with the organisation.

*if you are a landlord, there is a 'difficult to let' exemption, ie if you cant find a tenant - hardly anyone knows about this. This is a genuine exemption and not dodgy in any way as above!!

Again, I do not condone any illicit dealings - most folk would be too nervous to try these anyway!

And with all of these you could eventually get completely free accomodation and food.
Courtesy of HMP.:money:

Now that's real moneysaving

shuffle2uk

"
And with all of these you could eventually get completely free accomodation and food.
Courtesy of HMP"

- yep that is true! At least you could then legit claim your 'in detention' exemption...:p

olly300

morg_monster wrote: »

But the only way the council know who the occupier is, is by the forms filled in and sent back around this time of year, which is I guess the "registering" simpy is talking about.

The majority of councils actually don't use the electoral roll to cross check with the council tax unlike with the Poll Tax.

I've lived in a property with one council and have not been on the council tax form but on the electoral role and I have also lived in a further two council locations where people who no longer lived in the property where on the electoral role form but not on the council tax.

What can occur is that your friend who is living in your property, needed proof of paying the council tax to use a council facility and so contacted the council.

Next time give clear written instructions to anyone who you allow to live in your property about how all bills are handled.

simpywimpy

I told her not to mention it to the council as I had paid in full for the whole year and as I wasn't at the address myself it would be more hassle than it's worth to keep changing it over.

Unfortunately she decided to put in a claim for council tax benefit when she went on jobseekers, hence the council being informed of her being there.

Because I've been abroad in my caravan, I don't have another council address I could give. She's now moved on, won't speak to me at all(unrelated to this matter) so I just backed down and paid.

To be honest, the council frighten me. The once made my life a misery for 6 months thinking I was claiming for a single parent when I was actually living with someone, this wasn't the case but ever since the thought of dealing with them terrifies me. When I try to query something they always mention the connection with my ex so I back down straight away.

Bogof_Babe

I wonder if our expert could give me their view on this. My husband and I have recently bought a small flat as well as our main house, and at the moment I am spending over half my time in it (in order to see more of my 93 year old mum who lives in the area). We pay full c/tax on our original house, and I get a 10% second home discount on the flat.

I've been wondering whether it would be allowable to put the house down as my husband's main residence and the flat as mine, thus qualifying for 25% discount on both. It seems logical that as there are only the two of us and two properties we should not have to pay 190% c/tax as we can't be using services in two places at once.

I suppose if we were separated this would be perfectly okay, but as we are still a couple it is a grey area. Any clarification would be most welcome.

poppysarah

You own two properties so pay the council tax.