Council Tax on New Build

JennyCoSec

Can anyone advise at what point council tax is payable on a new build? We thought that it was after the build had been signed off, but the assessor has been round and has deemed the property "habitable". Have the rules now changed I wonder, or are they trying it on?
The planning approval for the new build specified that the garage and exterior landscaping works had to be completed before the house was inhabited and due to problems with adjacent property, the garage is still not yet built. Consequently I have no desire to move in before this work is finished and paying council tax at this stage would take money away from the garage project.

keystone

Normally the bill is issued once the completion certificate has been issued. Ask your council.

Cheers

Doozergirl

If it is empty and unfurnished then it gets a Class C exemption for six months after they've decided the build is complete - it follows a completion notice, not a completion certificate. It shouldn't be based on the completion certificate because Building Control aren't pro-active and you could therefore leave it hanging.

An empty home without a garage is still an empty home.