forgot to notify council about council tax changes - advice!

single_bloke

Last year my girlfriend went travelling for two months, i changed my council tax to single person allowance. she has come back now and it has been six months now in the house and i've realised i haven't changed it back to multiple persons.

i am worried if i phone up and add her name back they will open a case.

we want to pay the right amount but have heard stories of being treated badly and prosecutions. maybe an expert knows what is likely to happen....

should i:

1. call the council add her name to my account again from todays date (are they gonna ask me stuff?)
2. tell them i forgot to add her name (for 6 months) and suggest i backfdate some pay
3. say nothing
4. move!
5. other ....advice please?

i am willing to pay this oversight but don't want a jobsworth from the council getting arsey.

McKneff

Did you partner just go off travelling/holiday or did she just leave you/dump you.

If the former is the case, you shouldnt have changed your ct anyway. It would still be her main home.

To be honest, I would just ring the council up, explain it all and they will guide you through it. If you do the 'honest' thing, which you obviously want to do, things will be okay.

single_bloke

Hi, She went travelling, it was originally for 6 months so i was advised by a mate to claim 25% discount, but it turned out she was only away 2 months, and then spent a time between my house and her parents 9dont think she registered there), i don't want to get them involved if possible.

All i want to do is be sure the council are okay with her name being added back to my bill and won't think things are fishy. they say let them know within 21 days and because its a bout 6 months down the line, i don't know what will happen if i phoen the council up. just want to ge this sorted.

we are two honest decent people who overlooked this

Skinto_7

Single Bloke,

I would phone them up, or do it online if possible and just tell them your girlfriend has moved in as of today and you no longer want to claim the the single person discount.

Im guessing they will not look to closely into this and just change their records from this date on.

Their might be some people on here who will have a pop for not being honest and back dating your payment blah blah blah.... but quite honestly id have little sympathy for the majority of council's who's council tax charges are a rip off for what they do!!!!

CIS

Hi, She went travelling, it was originally for 6 months so i was advised by a mate to claim 25% discount,

If she was living with you before she went traveling then you aren't entitled to the single person discount. Was she registered with you before she went traveling ?

single_bloke

Hi, thanks for replies.

to clarify - we lived together for a year in the house before the chages and both names were on the council tax list, as mentioned i only changed the tax because the trip was meant to be for 6 months, and i was technically living on my own for the two months she was away.

i agree the services i recieve are next to nothing adn it's very expensive, but this is not about fleecing a council, it's about being lax getting things put right and not being hauled through interviews / etc. (i have paid two installaments already this year - does this affect antything?)

There seems to be little info on my predicament, plenty on dole scroungers who have been doing this for years, etc, this is a few months oversight.

Question: is everything over 21 days classed the same severity by the council? is there likely to be a fine / hassle / etc..

my main worry is if i re-register her name it sets alarm bells ringing for jobsworth officers or the council are fine with my honesty.

should i go to citizens advice and aske them?

amiehall

What we're saying is that regardless of whether your gf was away for 2 or 6 months. If she was temporarily traveling, her main home remained your home while she was away and you shouldn't have claimed single person discount for any of the period. Bear this in mind when deciding what to do.

Randvegeta

Just tell them she's moved back as of today. So the council lose out on 25% for those 6 months. Not a big deal. At least you want to right a wrong. No point in taking any risks.

If you are really THAT worried, move :-).

Randvegeta

amiehall wrote: »

What we're saying is that regardless of whether your gf was away for 2 or 6 months. If she was temporarily traveling, her main home remained your home while she was away and you shouldn't have claimed single person discount for any of the period. Bear this in mind when deciding what to do.

I would disagree. If you left the country for 6 months, you may well consider not continuing to pay that unnecessary rent while you are away. 6 months rent is no small pick nick. If the OP was paying full rent for those 2 months, I would consider that as the GF moving out for that time and therefore the OP would be entitled to the 25% discount.

CIS

If the OP was paying full rent for those 2 months, I would consider that as the GF moving out for that time and therefore the OP would be entitled to the 25% discount.

The rent the OP paid is irrespective. Going abroad (even long term) with an intention to return means that your 'sole or main residence' remains in the UK at the address to which you will return.

Until the OP answers my previous question about where she was living before traveling the point cannot be clarified.

single_bloke

you see how confusing it is!

i am in so many minds....

1. just phone and add the name back... open to how the council feel on the day

2. offer to backpay ... again some jobsworth might want to make an example of us

3. say nothing until the knock on the door... what is the worst that can happen. i pay on time every month since moving in, just havent knocked the discount off for the last few months


i appreciate the responce relating to the travelling angle not cutting any ice. i cannot expect her parents to say she was there, not if the council don't accept my willingness to put the situation right and we are interviewd under oath as i have heard about. aaarrrgh