Received a summons for council tax, HELP!

DazzaMc

Not sure this is the right place for this thread, please can someone moved it if not..

Anyway. Received a summons through the post yesterday for unpaid council tax. Trouble is, it's for a property I was a lodger at and the guy I lodged with has put me down as jointly responsible for the council tax The flat was in his name and everything , I just paid him so much a week . What do I do? Also, they have the amount wrong. I don't know how to prove my case as the guy in question is proving very difficult to contact. He's ignoring my texts and has deleted me on facebook after I tried to contact him that way. Help!

Thanks

Gwhiz

Call the council and talk to them.

DazzaMc

I was going to but just wondered if there was anything illegal about being a lodger?

googler

DazzaMc wrote: »

I was going to but just wondered if there was anything illegal about being a lodger?

If there is, it's more likely to be your 'landlord' that flouted the law..... by not upgrading heating systems, providing smoke alarms, that sorta thing.

pararct

DazzaMc wrote: »

I was going to but just wondered if there was anything illegal about being a lodger?

Nothing illegal!!

Did you have any sort of written agreement to lodge there?

How do you know they have got the figure wrong?

Call the council and tell them you were lodging at the address. There will be a number on the letter and do it today.

edit to add

Only thing I can think of is the chap was claiming a single occupant discount and the council have discovered he was not a single occupant. He is trying to pass the additional charge onto you...

DazzaMc

pararct wrote: »

Nothing illegal!!

Did you have any sort of written agreement to lodge there?

How do you know they have got the figure wrong?

Call the council and tell them you were lodging at the address. There will be a number on the letter and do it today.

edit to add

Only thing I can think of is the chap was claiming a single occupant discount and the council have discovered he was not a single occupant. He is trying to pass the additional charge onto you...

The figure is wrong because it's £130 plus £40 summons fee and we only lived there for a month. And no written agreement but the tenancy was solely in his name...

evoke

OP: read this:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/YourlocalcouncilandCouncilTax/CouncilTax/DG_10037383

Who is responsible for paying the bill?

There's one Council Tax bill for each home. Usually the person living in the property has to pay the bill. Spouses and partners who live together are both responsible for paying the bill.
The person at the top or nearest to the top of the following list has to pay the bill:
• lives in the property and owns it
• lives in the property and has a lease (this includes 'assured tenants' under the Housing Act 1988)
• lives in the property and is a 'statutory' or 'secure' tenant
• lives in the property and isn't a tenant but has permission to live there
• lives in the property (for example a squatter)
• has a lease of six months or more on the property, but doesn't live there
• owns the property but doesn't live there
You can't be responsible for paying the bill if you're under age 18. There are also exemptions and discounts available, including those if you are a student. Read our articles 'Council Tax exemptions, discounts and financial help' and 'Students and Council Tax' to find out if you qualify.
If you're still unsure about who is responsible for paying the bill, you can contact your local council and they'll be able to help.

king100

DazzaMc wrote: »

Not sure this is the right place for this thread, please can someone moved it if not..

Anyway. Received a summons through the post yesterday for unpaid council tax. Trouble is, it's for a property I was a lodger at and the guy I lodged with has put me down as jointly responsible for the council tax The flat was in his name and everything , I just paid him so much a week . What do I do? Also, they have the amount wrong. I don't know how to prove my case as the guy in question is proving very difficult to contact. He's ignoring my texts and has deleted me on facebook after I tried to contact him that way. Help!

Thanks

Do you have anything in writing concerning bills, ie

Does it state that any monies paid to him covers any and all bills?

DazzaMc

No afraid not

DazzaMc

Thanks for your help guys, just rang the council. They contacted the landlord who confirmed that I was not a joint tenant and I have been removed from the summons. Justice is served

theartfullodger

DazzaMc wrote: »

Thanks for your help guys, just rang the council. They contacted the landlord who confirmed that I was not a joint tenant and I have been removed from the summons. Justice is served

Excellent! See you are in Donnie - and I'd kept on reading about the (alledged,.. perhaps wrongly..) incompetence/corruption in that area (in Private Eye for quite some time now, very detailed stuff. Well, whichever council it was, well done Council!!