Council Tax for new (currently vacant) property

Siemo

Hi this is my first post on this site and I'm hoping to get a few replies!

We just bought a house near my parents as we want to relocate there in the summer. In the meantime we need to get jobs sorted out and sell current house so won't be moving in for a few months yet. Bought it now because it was a bargain and although it's a stretch think it's a good investment in the long run! Applied to the council for an exemption from council tax for 6 months but told that it's already been used up by previous owner (how unfair is that?!) So we have to pay 90% council tax even though we live 200 miles away! They said someone has to live there for 6 weeks to be able to qualify for the exemption again. These are my questions:
1. How can they prove that someone is/isn't living there (ie. could I say I lived there for 6 weeks even though I don't?)
2. If you pay direct debit you get Feb and Mar free from council tax - does this still apply if you have just acquired the property and could it count as part of the 6 weeks?
3. Is there any other way I can avoid paying this!?!?
As I said before having 2 properties is a stretch on finances already (thankfully other mortgage is small) so an extra £100 a month is a real pain.
Please help!
Thanks

silvercar

1. How can they prove that someone is/isn't living there (ie. could I say I lived there for 6 weeks even though I don't?)

Its easy for them to knock at the door, they are in the neighbourhood. Not worth commiting fraud IMHO.

2. If you pay direct debit you get Feb and Mar free from council tax - does this still apply if you have just acquired the property and could it count as part of the 6 weeks?

This is just the way the direct debit is set up, 10 monthly payments of a tenth the total owing and then no DDs in the last two months of the financial year. It doesn't mean you get Feb & Mar free.

3. Is there any other way I can avoid paying this!?!?

Tell them one person will be using they property (You don't need to say living there, so you won't be lying) and apply for the single person exemption. That should give you 25% discount.
Or find a friendly student and let them live there until the summer, students are exempt from council tax.

Siemo

Thanks for your quick reply silvercar. I'm still quite confused by all this!
How is saying one person lives there (and claiming 25% discount) less fraudulent than saying someone lives there for 6 weeks and then claiming the vacant exemption? Sorry if I'm being thick but I can't quite get my head around it.

BargainJunky

The same has happened to my mum and I do think its extremely unfair. She bought a bungalow on 1st December and then went away for six weeks and did not move in as it needs a lot of work done on it. We are now in the process of beginning to get the work done so I called the council only to be told that the previous owner who died some time in 2006 has used up the exemption bit. The even dafter bit is she will get the 10% discount until she moves in and then get the 25% one for living on her own.

I plan to write to the council on her behalf to say how unfair it is as the leaflet that they give you says nothing about this.

Siemo

Yes it's very frustrating isn't it, they just want to get as much money from you as they can! The man from the council said someone had to live in it for 6 weeks to reset the exemption, so if we pay the full rate for 6 weeks will that be enough to satisfy them, or are we going to have to pay it for the whole time? It doesn't seem to make any sense to me, especially the 25% discount for 1 person living there and only 10% for no-one!

Jeewhizz

rachelh81 wrote:

How is saying one person lives there (and claiming 25% discount) less fraudulent than saying someone lives there for 6 weeks and then claiming the vacant exemption?

You are going to have to pay council tax. So you have three choices:

1) Let a student live there (they are exempt)
2) Tell them that you and your partner live there - thus paying the full whack
3) Tell them that only you are planning on moving in - you'll then get a 25% discount.