Council Tax

starM

Hi,

I have a property which is currently rented out. My property was empty from 28th Dec 09 til 8th April. Done some work in it. I have req to Council to apply 6 months exemption which they agreed in Feb. I have received another bill dated 18 May stating to pay £247 and they only applied 10% discount. I have emailed them and the reply I have received is:-

refer to your email regarding a Council Tax exemption.

I have checked our records and would advise you that the
unoccupied/unfurnished 6 months exemption was removed from your account as
it has been awarded to the previous owner.The account was amended and a
bill issued with a 10% discount for an empty property.

A revised bill has been issued on 18 May 2010 advising a balance of £247.37
is now payable.

Is this correct only 10% discount on an unoccupied and unfurnished property? Any idea what else i can do to push them to increase the discount?

MS

MrsManda

You can claim an exemption for CT for upto six months but I'm not sure whether that's 6 months in a 12 month period or over a different period of time.

By the sound of it the person who owned the house before you applied for and got a six month exemption and your council has decided that because the house has already had a six month exemption it cannot have another.

According to the Guide to Council Tax

:
16. What can I do if the council says
my property is not exempt?
If the council decides your dwelling is not exempt and
you disagree, you should write to the council saying why
you think your property should be exempt. The council
has two months to provide an answer. If you still disagree
with the council, or if it has not acted within the two
month period, you can appeal to a Valuation Tribunal.
How to appeal is explained on pages 22–24. You
should continue to pay your original bill whilst your
appeal is outstanding.

so your first option is to write to the council and ask for further information on why they turned your application down.

CIS

Is this correct only 10% discount on an unoccupied and unfurnished property? Any idea what else i can do to push them to increase the discount?

A maximum of 6 months exemption can be granted on an unoccupied and unfurnished property. If the exemption has be claimed already and there has not been at least a 6 week period of occupancy then you can claim only the balance of the 6 month not already used otherwise you are entitled to claim it again in full.

MrsManda is correct in that you need to give the authority a request to re-consider, if this is stil refused or not acknowledged then you can ultimately appeal to a valuation tribunal.

Which local authority does it come under ?

starM

CIS wrote: »

A maximum of 6 months exemption can be granted on an unoccupied and unfurnished property. If the exemption has be claimed already and there has not been at least a 6 week period of occupancy then you can claim only the balance of the 6 month not already used otherwise you are entitled to claim it again in full.

MrsManda is correct in that you need to give the authority a request to re-consider, if this is stil refused or not acknowledged then you can ultimately appeal to a valuation tribunal.

Which local authority does it come under ?

Its Birmingham. What about Council Tax - should I pay it and then ask them to re-consider - It is abit strange - they give 25% discount to just one adult living in the property and only 10% discount to an unoccupied and unfurnished.

MS

CIS

Local authorities have the power to vary a discount for an unoccupied and unfurnished property and set the rate to between 0% and 50% discount at a local level.

The idea behind this was to add an incentive for owners to ensure that a property is occupied and not standing empty long term.

I would ring them up tomorrow and ask why the exemption was not granted and see what they say, it they again confirm that the full 6 months was given to the previous owner then you have no choice, if you dont pay then a Court Summons is likely to follow.

CIS

duplicate post

starM

Thanks - I think I've got no other choice than pay it. MS