Council Tax Confusion

Fiddlestick

Marisco wrote: »

Hi Fiddlestick, I think Sara's problem is solved, but for future reference, if 4 (or whatever number) people share a house and one leaves and pays his/her share of the council tax - to the council - and the others don't pay, does that mean he/she can still be hounded to pay again? Unless I've misunderstood your post:o

Yes, they will be liable for the outstanding amount unless they tell the council that they have moved.

The bill is jointly and several and everyone is fully liable for the entire amount.

Marisco

Sorry to sound a bit thick here, but I like to get things straight in my mind:o So if someone tells the council they have moved they are "off the hook"? Whether they have paid or not when they leave? So someone could just say to the council, "I don't live there anymore" and leave their "mates" to pick up the whole bill and the council would not pursue them? I'm not thinking of doing that I hasten to add:rotfl:but it just seems so unfair to those left!!

RAS

If four people are in a house and one leaves without telling the council, the fourth person remains liable for the whole council tax, as are the other three.

If the person who leaves tells the council, they remain laible for the whole council tax due before their departure date, and the three remaining people remain liable for the whole amount after that date.

There are regular nightmare posts where shared householders have allocated and paid one person to sort out the CT, who has then run off with all the money. Or all the tenants bar one has made their contribution and the remaining tenants find out after they left that they are liable for the debt.

Marisco

Cheers RAS, I've got it now;)

Fiddlestick

Marisco wrote: »

So someone could just say to the council, "I don't live there anymore" and leave their "mates" to pick up the whole bill and the council would not pursue them? I'm not thinking of doing that I hasten to add:rotfl:but it just seems so unfair to those left!!

Well, a new demand notice would be sent out with the names of all the residents EXCEPT the one that had informed the council they had moved out.

That would generally set the alarm bells ringing