Council tax problems, any experts?

Jayjay84

Hi there,

I joined my English partner from abroad in 2008 and our rental agreement started in April 2008.My partner had an agreement with the landlady that he would get in touch with the council about council tax.

However, back then, we never heard from the council again and didn't get any council tax notices, reminders. Ever since then we have effectively not paid any council tax and our landlady just got a letter about who's living in the property etc and that we have to pay council tax. Our rental agreement does not mention council tax. This whole thing is my fault too, I know, but I knew very little about things like council tax as I had never lived in the UK.

Now, my partner has written to the council again, telling them the truth about when we moved in etc.

I am willing to pay up, no doubt, but 1.5 years or so of council tax at once would hit quite hard and I could definately not pay that in one go. Do you think I have lost my entitlement to installments etc?

Can the council even charge us for all this time?

I am just really worried about this.Thanks for your help.

Jowo_2

Here is some info from Citizens Advice about who should pay CT, presumably in the absence of any supporting documentation between landlord/tenant that details who is responsible.

If only one person lives in a property they will be the liable person. If more than one person lives there, a system called the hierarchy of liability is used to work out who is the liable person. The person at the top, or nearest to the top, of the hierarchy is the liable person. Two people at the same point of the hierarchy will both be liable.

1. a resident owner-occupier who owns either the leasehold or freehold of all or part of the property
2. a resident tenant
3. a resident who lives in the property and who is a licensee. This means that they are not a tenant, but have permission to stay there
4. any resident living in the property, for example, a squatter
5. an owner of the property where no one is resident.

MissMoneypenny

Jayjay84 wrote: »

I am willing to pay up, no doubt, but 1.5 years or so of council tax at once would hit quite hard and I could definately not pay that in one go. Do you think I have lost my entitlement to installments etc?

Can the council even charge us for all this time?

Yes, they can charge you for all that time. You should be able to pay the current year in installments I would have thought, although the council tax year starts in April. I think you will need to contact your local council about a repayment plan for the money you owe them and see what they will allow you to do.

Fire_Fox

You are very unclear about what happened right at the start of the tenancy, did your partner contact the council at all? You just say he agreed to with the landlady, then never heard from the council.

You will not be able to avoid paying the full amount, but you be more likely to be able to pay by installments if you can demonstrate that you have previously contacted the council and not had a response.