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How much LHA will I get (Studio or Flat)

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  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    The only way you'll really know is to ask the authorities. One of the complications is that your bills are included - so they'll have a specific lookup table to deduct from any LHA what they decide the value of those bills is.

    Your case is quite unusual and not easily answered in a forum.
  • Jowo_2
    Jowo_2 Posts: 8,308 Forumite
    It is very complicated, because when I looked into whether bills were factored in or ignored for the purposes of LHA, I got the impression that under HB, they were deducted and under LHA they are ignored and the LHA can cover them.

    I didn't find out one way or the other for definate, only that it requires an expert to figure out the OPs entitlement...
  • NoNoDrama
    NoNoDrama Posts: 237 Forumite
    Thanks.

    I find asking on the forums can often be more useful as phoning them can be such hard-work especially with cases such as this so much misadvise is given by the phone operators. It's only water-rates anyway and council tax but obviously I won't be claiming for that. I did say elec on OP but actually on a pay-meter for that.
  • foreversomeday
    foreversomeday Posts: 1,011 Forumite
    I have always found them very helpful when I have gone in in person - over the phone can be a bit harder to explain things. Our council offices are open plan though and I have seen on occasion that when people have got aggressive at them they have suddenly become very unhelpful indeed! :p So keep calm and polite (politely exasperated seems acceptable...) and you should be able to find the information that you need.
    I don't believe and I never did that two wrongs make a right
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Will they class this as shared (LHA rate 285) or a 1 bed flat (395 LHA rate) obviously I don't want a big shortfall, and my tenancy agreement says it includes all the bills including council tax.
    Unless the property falls as an HMO for council tax purposes or one of the other classes where the owner is liable in law then the council tax liability always falls on the occupier (you cant alter this by signing a contract or making an agreement with the L/L).

    If you are unsure as to to who should be the libale person you need to speak to the council. Ive dealt with many, may cases similar to yours (I workin in council tax recovery) werer tenants have thought the L/L was paying and the L/L hasn't so the tenant ends up with a large backdated demand for payment.

    You can check at https://www.voa.gov.uk to see if the property is banded seperately for council tax purposes and then speak to the council regarding the liability if it is banded as property.
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • NoNoDrama
    NoNoDrama Posts: 237 Forumite
    Hi,

    It is banded (A) and it does state in tenancy agreement l/lord pays the council tax (even though it's not an HMO!) so really I am responsible for the c/tax but the l/lord has packaged it with the rent - why would he do this ?
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