Council Tax

jo29154

Mygrown up son of has been working in Dubai for the last 3 years, he owns his own flat which he contiues to pay council tax less 25% for 1 person, as it is still funished and a few odds things of his in.

It has been left empty as he was not sure how long the job would last, 6 months ago he let a friend stay there while looking for his own place, hes now moved out, when he left he rang the council tax to say he was moving out , not sure why, they said that they did not know he lived there. Now the council have send me a bill for full council tax from april 2009 for the extra 25% nearly £1200 . help what can I do

martinbuckley

Should this really be in the discount codes & vouchers thread?

HappyMJ

Nope....OP delete your post and repost it in another part of the forum. You'll get loads more help.

Browntoa

I have moved it to what I think is the right area

from what you say as you son was registered there and then another person then later said they were living at the address they assume that the 25% did not apply

think you will need to show that your sons not living there but in Dubai

lincroft1710

I think you will find the full Council Tax is payable only for the period your son's friend was staying at the flat. The fact that your son is living abroad, but intends to return and has personal possessions in the flat means that he is treated as a normal resident occupier for CT purposes.

There was quite a long thread about "absentee" occupiers on the Cutting Tax board

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1708565

CIS

There are two possibilities:

The council are regarding the property as usually unoccupied and as no one's 'sole or main residence' but have billed the property as a HMO whilst the friend was resident. Under HMO regulations for council tax the landlord remains liable for any council tax.

Or, the most likely:

The son looks likely to have been regarded as having the property as his 'sole or main residence' throughout this period and so should have been billed as though he was still resident. Even if there was another occupier of the property because its the sons 'sole or main residence' he is liable for council tax as the resident landlord. In this case there should only ever be a maximum of 25% single person discount, no other discounts or exemptions would apply.