Southwark Council not responding to proof of address query.

DonC

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, I didn't spot a forum that seemed more apt.

I've had a proof of address query which I've emailed in a couple times over the last month, and aside from Southwark councils automated email saying my query would be responded to within 3 working days, I've heard nothing.

Both email addresses I've found were fairly prominently displayed on the southwark.gov.uk site.
I've emailed both estateparking@southwark.gov.uk and parking@southwark.gov.uk, how should I proceed?

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Hi guys,

I tried applying for some parking permits the other day, but despite having recent documents (All with my name and address) from HMRC, Sky, Thames water and NPower, I was told that proof of residency only extended to: a rent book, council tax bill, leaseholder documents \ tenancy agreements.

I've been at this address for 11 years, and have never had a rent book. Likewise for a council tax bill, the landlady has always dealt with council tax.
I haven't seen the tenancy agreement for years, and the landlady is currently in scotland, so getting a new one would be time consuming.
For that matter why are tenancy agreements accepted over recent bills? I'd think a tenancy agreement would be fairly easy to fake, while recent bills somewhat more difficult.

To recap, why arent recent bills with name and address accepted as proof of address?

I look forward to hearing from you.
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CIS

Likewise for a council tax bill, the landlady has always dealt with council tax.

Unless the landlord is also living at the property or the property is a House In Multiple occupation then are storing up a lot of problems with the council tax as it should be in your name.

ic

DonC wrote: »

I've emailed both estateparking@southwark.gov.uk and parking@southwark.gov.uk, how should I proceed?

Phone them?

keystone

ic wrote: »

Phone them?

Quite - bleeding obvious really. Alternatively pop in for a chat.

Cheers

DonC

Thanks for the obvious suggestion guys.

I should have mentioned that I have been into the local office and the jobsworths there couldnt say anything else but "those are the rules".

I would prefer the response in email, in case I need to show the response at the local office.

DonC

CIS wrote: »

Unless the landlord is also living at the property or the property is a House In Multiple occupation then are storing up a lot of problems with the council tax as it should be in your name.

Could you provide more info?
The landlady doesnt live here and has taken care of the council tax for the whole 11 years I've been here.

Thanks.

macman

If the house is occupied solely by you and your family then the payment of CT is nothing to do with the landlady, it's the responsibility of the occupier, regardless of whether the property is owner occupied or rented.
How do you know what you should be paying and, (if it is added to your rent) whether your landlady is actually paying it on your behalf? The fact that you don't have a rent book either makes one draw the obvious conclusion that the landlady may not be declaring the income.
Is your rent paid in cash, and what is the arrangement for CT-is is included in the rent or billed separately?

DonC

macman wrote: »

If the house is occupied solely by you and your family then the payment of CT is nothing to do with the landlady, it's the responsibility of the occupier, regardless of whether the property is owner occupied or rented.
How do you know what you should be paying and, (if it is added to your rent) whether your landlady is actually paying it on your behalf? The fact that you don't have a rent book either makes one draw the obvious conclusion that the landlady may not be declaring the income.
Is your rent paid in cash, and what is the arrangement for CT-is is included in the rent or billed separately?

Its myself and two other tenants, all of our names are on the electoral register and the landlady has no problem with this. Any council bills that come have her name on them.
The rent is paid by direct debit on the 3rd of every month.
We get on fairly well with the landlady and have no problems with the arrangement.

Considering I've been here 11 years and havent had any of those sort of problems, I think this is all pretty much a moot point.

Thanks anyway.

Any suggestions as to what I can do about the parking issue I originally posted about?
Im a tad peeved that in the month since I started sending the emails, no one has bothered to respond. (aside from the automated emails).
If possible I would like to take this further and actually get a response.

puddy

DonC wrote: »

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, I didn't spot a forum that seemed more apt.

I've had a proof of address query which I've emailed in a couple times over the last month, and aside from Southwark councils automated email saying my query would be responded to within 3 working days, I've heard nothing.

Both email addresses I've found were fairly prominently displayed on the southwark.gov.uk site.
I've emailed both estateparking@southwark.gov.uk and parking@southwark.gov.uk, how should I proceed?

################################################
Hi guys,

I tried applying for some parking permits the other day, but despite having recent documents (All with my name and address) from HMRC, Sky, Thames water and NPower, I was told that proof of residency only extended to: a rent book, council tax bill, leaseholder documents \ tenancy agreements.

I've been at this address for 11 years, and have never had a rent book. Likewise for a council tax bill, the landlady has always dealt with council tax.
I haven't seen the tenancy agreement for years, and the landlady is currently in scotland, so getting a new one would be time consuming.
For that matter why are tenancy agreements accepted over recent bills? I'd think a tenancy agreement would be fairly easy to fake, while recent bills somewhat more difficult.

To recap, why arent recent bills with name and address accepted as proof of address?

I look forward to hearing from you.
################################################################################################

i suspect that the reason the 'jobs worths' told you that they can only accept ctax bills or tenancy stuff is because you could be any old person just registering things at that address in order to get parking permits for an address which isnt yours

you say you live there and yet seem to have no proper proof that you are entitled to (not just registered with other companies) live there by way of tenancy or ctax

the others are right. if you are renting a flat or exclusive use of a property ctax is your responsiblity. if for whatever reason your landlady is paying this, when they find out that you are the liable person they should change the liability from the date of your occupation, refund her that money and then ask you for it. you had better hope that your landlady gives you her refund.

macman

DonC wrote: »

Its myself and two other tenants, all of our names are on the electoral register and the landlady has no problem with this. Any council bills that come have her name on them.
The rent is paid by direct debit on the 3rd of every month.
We get on fairly well with the landlady and have no problems with the arrangement.

Considering I've been here 11 years and havent had any of those sort of problems, I think this is all pretty much a moot point.

Thanks anyway.

Any suggestions as to what I can do about the parking issue I originally posted about?
Im a tad peeved that in the month since I started sending the emails, no one has bothered to respond. (aside from the automated emails).
If possible I would like to take this further and actually get a response.

Right, so it's an HMO, not a sole tenancy, assuming that you share facilities.

CIS

Right, so it's an HMO, not a sole tenancy, assuming that you share facilities.

Assuming they rent only part of the property and each are responsible only for their own share of the rent then its an HMO and the L/L is liable.

Considering I've been here 11 years and havent had any of those sort of problems, I think this is all pretty much a moot point.

You'd think so but I've seem hundreds of similar cases end in tears. Usually in cases where the L/L has kept in their name and it shouldn't have been - they pay quite happily for years and then turn up to the council (usually after the tenants have upset them somehow) with Tenancy Agreements and proof they have made the payments. The landlord gets their money back and the tenants get a large backdated bill.