Please help! I'm a full time student but have to pay council tax

Elehayes

Hello,

I'm really hoping someone can offer me some good advice. I'm a full time student thus exempt from paying council tax. I'm moving into a new house in a few days with two people who work full time.

I was quite desperate when I took the place (I had already seen 8 and had just over a week to find a place). My point is anyway that I don't know the people I'm moving in with. I've only met one of them, who mentioned in passing how much the bills and council tax usually are. At the time I did not correct her and say that I'm actually exempt from paying. I suppose I was worried that if she knew I wasn't going to chip in, she wouldn't have offered me the place. If I don't pay, they will have to split it 2 ways instead of 3. This would obviously cause a lot of animosity in the house.

What should I do?

lauzjp

try not to worry too much over it; just contact the local council and your benefits office asap to start a claim for council tax benefit - you should as you say be exempt from paying council tax - therefore the council / benefits will pay it for you. Just claim it asap so it can be backdated.

Your fellow tenants may ask you to make up the shortfall in the meantime though!

DreamerV

I don't think you'd get council tax benefit. You yourself would be exempt....so let's say if it's £1000 a yr, it'll still be £1000 if you moved in, just you won't be liable for any of it. But in this kind of circumstance you would be obliged to pay, as they mentioned the costs, and you didn't correct them..and they wouldn't more money going out their own pockets for you because you never told them....it's much more in their interests to take in someone who is also liable for the amount. Is it feasible for you to move after a time?

Eager_Elephant

Hi

I'm sorry but I think lauzjp has got it wrong.

If you lived alone you would be exempt from Council Tax, if you lived with 1 other person you would get a 25% discount but if there are more then 2 over 18and not students then you do not get any discount on Council Tax.

You cannot claim Council Tax Benefit as a student unless you have children who live with you or you are disabled.

I think you need to speak to your flat mates now about this because the way I see it is that they are expecting to split the Council Tax 3 ways. People don't house share to pay lots of money for bills so they are hoping to reduce their outgoings by having a 3rd person.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

EE

CIS

As A F/T student you are disregarded for Council Tax purposes.

Prior to 01 April 2004 a student was jointly liable with non-students for council tax however this changed effective from 01 April 2004 to make any non-students the liable parties in cases like your own.

If all the occupants of a property are disregarded students then a Class N exemption is applied to exempt the property from Council Tax however when there are also non-students in the property who hold a joint tenancy with you then they will be liable for the Council Tax and you will be disregarded.

You are not legally liable for any of the Council Tax, whatever private arrangement you may come to is between yourselves but does not alter the legal standing of the other two occupiers being liable for any Council Tax due.

bandraoi

They took you on the understanding that you would contribute to the council tax, so pay it.

whitewing

I think you just need to view the council tax payments as part of your rent. If you still want the place, then go for it. If it makes it too expensive, then don't. (However, you will need to ensure any money you pay for council tax actually gets applied to the council tax, so that you don't have to pay twice if there is a problem. Maybe someone can advise on the best way to do this).

Elehayes

Most of you are saying that even though I'm not legally liable, I should pay it. I think that's the right thing to do and what I'll probably do. Was just wondering if there were any loopholes..

Another idea is offering to pay them part of it or do the household cleaning. Lame idea?

Rikki

I would get your exemption certificate from the university, show them, see what they say and take it from there.

London05

Have you House shared before? Shame you couldn't get a house share with a couple of students that way no one would be paying Council Tax

If I were you I wouldn't offer to do the housework all on your own, you'll regret it they could be really messy people and you'll feel like the House Slave. If you want to do housework get paid for it the going rate around here seems to be £7.50 hour in a domestic home!

Debt_Free_Chick

There are two different issues being muddled here. Firstly, you are not liable to the Council, for Council Tax. You will incur no CT liability in your name and the Council will not chase you for CT.

However, the current tenants are assuming that all the bills - including the CT - will be split three ways, so they are expecting you to pay one-third of the CT. To be honest, this is a private matter between you and the other tenants. I can see both sides of the story here ..... CT is "just a bill" like any other. You "consume" the same services as the other tenants do, when it comes to CT. CT is levied on the property, but payable by the occupants (or owner, if not occupied).

On the other hand, if you happened to live with two other students, there wouldn't be any CT to pay at all.

One for your conscience, I think - but bear in mind that they mentioned the CT and you chose to pursue the issue at that time. Expect them to be peeved if you try to wriggle out of it now. You can see their point if they tell you "but we told you that the bills were shared, including the CT".