Scary council tax letter!

RAS

DanielleR wrote: »

Thanks for all the comments and apologies to the people who were confused. I was confused to as the dates were for 2010/2011 and they wouldn't give me a breakdown at first.

Ask them for a copy of the liability order (the order that was issued by the magistrates court) if that has been issued

dancingfairy

Have you written to the council setting out all the facts?
Ie I moved in on such and such a date.
My tenancy agreement is here:
My contact details for the landlord were:
I rented through an agency/gumtree/notice at uni etc etc.
I was a student from such and such a date to such and such a date: also include the relevant student certificates.
My tenancy ran out on blah date... I attempted to contact the landlord but couldn't but as per the original contract the landlord had agreed to pay the rent.
I moved out on x date and contacted you on y date in person/by phone/by letter/email etc and spoke to x.
The house was an HMO at the time I rented room x, and rooms were x,y,z were also rented out to people I didn't know on a room by room basis.
I have also contacted the council regarding this on x date and y date.

When you moved out did you register for council tax anywhere? did you register on the electoral role anywhere?

If you haven't already written to them I would wait and find out whose names are on the liability order before taking your next step.
df

DanielleR

Hiya,

Yep they've got all that information and the liability order is in my name and my name alone as they think I was the only person in the building.

Spoke to my dad about the C tax when I moved back in with him and he thinks he put me on around February time which is a bit useless really, however I've sent bank statement copies to the council showing that I had changed my address in the December 2008.

RAS

So exactly what period of time does the liability order cover?

DanielleR

April 2008 to December 2008 with an exemption made for the time I was a student. The full amount is from 1st July 2008 to 1st January 2009. The liabilty order was issued in September 2008.... didn't get any notice about this either :mad:

RAS

So can you retrospectively claim single person's allowance or where the other tentants also non-students after July 1 2008?

You could provide the Council with details of the other tenants if so?

lincroft1710

I don't think the council can retrospectively treat the house as an HMO. If they have a liability order, then in law you owe them the money from the day you ceased being a student (day after last day of uni) until either you moved out or your tenancy ended (whichever is the later date). Providing there were no other liable occupiers (i.e. non FT students over 18), then you should be entitled to 25% discount if this has not already been incorporated into the bill.

CIS

I don't think the council can retrospectively treat the house as an HMO. I

If evidence can be provided to prove it was an HMO then the council has no choice about backdating it - the regs merely cover the situations for which the landlord is always liable, they don't put any time limits on the period.

DanielleR

Hiya,

I got an email from the council last night after I submitted a complaint about the way I had been treated.

They have dropped all the charges, they have said that the responsibility is with the owner. In addition there is £40 on account where I must have panicked paid a couple of years ago and that is being returned to me by cheque.

:T

Yay!

Moglet

Well done, good result. Glad that's all behind you now.