Tenant council tax con

Thumbell_2

mlz1413
My council tax for the year was £900 and I paid £580 over 6 months (not half) and my new place is £1,100 and has been split over a 10 month period again.

clutton
I did not mean to imply this, I merely assumed (rather cynically I admit) that this was not an isolated incident but standard practice for tenants. Judging by the response on this thread however I realise this is not the case. I therefore retract my ‘con’ remark.

mx5huggy
The bands are not the same but think I will apply for rebanding anyway as the value of the properties are about the same.

pinksleepybear
I told the Council when I moved in that I would only be there for 6 months and could they split the payment over 12 months but they said no, that it was split over 10 months and I would receive a rebate at the end. Not a problem, apart from the fact that I have now been told that I am not entitled to a rebate.

jayencee/ sooz

I did not mean to imply this, I merely assumed (rather cynically I admit) that this was not an isolated incident but standard practice for tenants. Judging by the response on this thread however I realise this is not the case. I therefore retract my ‘con’ remark.

simone83

hi,

sorry to be the bearer of more bad new, but you need to own the property to ask for a rebanding in my area. being a tenant you do not have an 'interest' in the property.

lincroft1710

simone83 - if tenant is taxpayer, then he/she has an "interest".

simone83

No, it would have to be the owner that requests this.

You have to think about it from the VOs side. What if the tenant applied for a rebanding, the banding went up - so he moved out and left the new hight council tax for the owner to pay?

this is why the owner must request a rebanding.

Otherwise they would have owners stating they didnt want a rebanding etc!

minefield isnt it!

littlemissmoney

simone83 wrote: »

No, it would have to be the owner that requests this.

You have to think about it from the VOs side. What if the tenant applied for a rebanding, the banding went up - so he moved out and left the new hight council tax for the owner to pay?

this is why the owner must request a rebanding.

Untrue.

Q. Can I do it if I rent/am a tenant?
A. You pay council tax if you live somewhere, regardless of whether you are the tenant or owner. Which means if you rent it’s certainly worth going through the system to see. However before you challenge your band, courtesy dictates it's worth discussing it with your landlord first.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/council-tax-bands-change#rebanding

Sharon87

Thumbell wrote: »

pinksleepybear
I told the Council when I moved in that I would only be there for 6 months and could they split the payment over 12 months but they said no, that it was split over 10 months and I would receive a rebate at the end. Not a problem, apart from the fact that I have now been told that I am not entitled to a rebate.

Be persistant. Write them a letter stating that you have lived in the property for 6 months and therefore you only need to pay £450 for that time. I'm sure it's just a mistake.

mlz1413

Thumbell were you told verbally or in writing that no refund was due, was a breakdown given?

If you have not had a response in writing I would ensure you get one, on your simple figures you are owed a refund.

Write to the council giving them your property ref at the old address and the dates you lived there say that you are due a refund as you have paid £580 but only £450 is due. Please use excate dates and excate figures

Thumbell_2

Thanks mlz1413 and sharon85. I have now asked for a breakdown in writing. Simon83 and missmoney I did not intend to create another rebanding thread but i should point out there is absolutely no problem with applying for rebanding as a tenant, i have done it twice before online and discussed it with the vo and local council and been successful within the month both times.

simone83

I may have been conned myself by my landlord then as I asked him and he told me that I wasnt allowed to ask for a rebanding as it was his house - this was over 12 months ago now - you live and learn eh!

lincroft1710

simone83 - I'm ex VOA and for last 12 yrs of my time there dealt with CT appeals. It is the occupier rather than owner who is responsible for paying CT, thus tenant is entitled to apply for rebanding.