Council Tax Single Person Allowance

Miss_Yell_2

For the last 15 months my husband and I have been living separately. This is because we were relocating and I went on ahead of him. We bought the second house while we were in this gradual move situation. I moved ion June 2007 and my husband finally moved out of the old house just this last month. I have now phoned the Council tax at the local council for the new house and told them I am no longer a single adult (living with 2 kids) and that my husband has now moved in.

They instantly turned nasty and asked me for my old address and council tax authority. They said I had been falsely claiming single persons tax allowance and that I actually had a second property. They have now said I shall be investigated and that I can expect to repay 15% of the discount I had been given as I should have only been given a 10% discount. The woman refused to discuss it with me anymore saying it was a matter for investigation, and made me feel really awful and upset about it. She then did add that she was not calling in fraudulent yet but that it needed investigating! I only phoned up to add my husbands name to the bill to stop the discount!

My stomach is in knots! I am so financially strapped we cannot afford this! Certainly this is different information to what I was given when I moved in to the property!

The question is, is she right? What is the difference between a second home and me having lived effectively as a single parent for 15 moths despite still being married to a husband I only saw every 10 days or so who lived 100 miles away!

Any input would be really appreciated. Thanks

Airwolf1

Basically they are doing checks - obviously some people do do fraudulent things (not saying you do though!).

Have you been paying Council Tax on the 2 properties? You still need to pay Council Tax on the 2 properties.

Can you prove (bank statements, anything else) that you have lived alone for the last 15 months?

I would ring up, or go in and see them as soon as you can and ask to speak with a manager about the situation. If you do have to pay anymore, ask if it can be spread over a few months.

Miss_Yell_2

Yes! We have paid council tax on both properties. Full council tax on the old house (whilst my husband, 18 year old and 20 year old children lived there) and just the single persons tax on the second as it was just me and two 10 year old kids living in it. The worst thing is; it was the council themselves that originally told me it would be the single persons tax allowance I would get on the property. Trouble is, they said it on the phone, not in writing! I still can't believe the unpleasant response the woman at the council gave me! She would not discuss it any further with me, she told me it was just matter for investigation and she had nothing else I could discuss!

Thanks a million for your input!