25% Council Tax Discount Letter!!!!!!

lemontree

Today I received a letter from my Local Council stating they have reason to believe that there is more than one adult living at my address so my 25% discount could be stopped. As I have lived alone for 16 years I rang them and they said Experian had given them this info.
I rang Experian and they said that my Daughter has an active Bank Account at my address.
I rang the Council and told them that my Daughter lives and teaches in China and uses my address for mail as it is safer. She comes to my home for about 6 weeks in Summer as a visitor.
The person I spoke to said if my daughter was a Student she could have an Exemption Certificate but she could not advise further as she is an adult.
Surely this should not effect my right to a 25% Council Tax Discount. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Anthillmob

id give them proof that your daughter lives and works in china. perhaps your daughter could ask her employers to provide a letter.

you need to proove she does not live there.

chirpy007

There is no way experian would give that info to the council !!!!!!!

LondonDiva

Aren't they allowed to share information for use in possible fraud investigations on the same basis as banks? (not that I'm suggesting that the OP is defrauding the council!)

chirpy007

There would be a major investingation first and permission has to be sought from the person invloved and through a court order.

Poppy9

chirpy007 wrote:

There is no way experian would give that info to the council !!!!!!!

Why not if they pay for it. Is it any different to a credit card company doing a search via Experian?

The council didn't know the name of the second adult supposedly living at that address, perhaps Experian just provides limited information i.e. two individuals with bank accounts registered to X address. Not breaking any DP act as they are not identifying individuals.

I have to say good on the council for taking such an intiative. One of the biggest areas of fraud is adults claiming to be living alone.

chirpy007

Its complety different because you give a CC co /bank permission to do a search, the council have no right contacting experian to obtain that info.

Im not defending anyone here becuase there should be a clamp down but you cant just get that info

Scarlett

What council was it?

LondonDiva

chirpy007 wrote:

There would be a major investingation first and permission has to be sought from the person invloved and through a court order.

No it wouldn't need permission from the suspected person. The banks etc have it in their t&cs that they will cooperate with fraud etc investigations.

Saucepot

You have to prove nothing. Tell them you live alone, if they decline to believe you cancel your direct debit and pay them nothing.

When they phone you to discuss the matter, as they will, inform them you will pay the correct amount, no more, and if they don't like it you'll let the magistrate decide.

Sooler

I’m not sure what right the Council has to withdraw the 25% discount solely on a ‘belief’, seems they may be trying to get you to do their work for them as if they withdraw it anyone truly entitled to it will complain and provide the required confirmation of the entitlement, anyone not entitled would keep quiet and pay up. Guess just sending letters out is a cheap way to weed out the offenders.


If you're entitled to it you won't be effected - as more offenders pay up next years tax will be cheaper, as if.