Council tax for new build property

Kent_FTB

Hello everyone, hope someone can help.

Before anyone mentions it, yes I can speak to my local council (and will do so after work - just wondering if I can get an answer beforehand )

I am moving into a new build property next week - it was built back in february but i will be the first owner of it.

I have checked council tax bandings online, and the address doesn't appear on there - i assume because it's new build and had no occupier yet?

Can anyone explain to me how the council tax will work - i understand that normally its paid off in 10 monthly payments, and this ends around april. seen as i would be moving in mid-december, will the payments be pro rata'd? and would my first payment probably be due now, on the day i move in, at the end of the month..?

Thank you

pandaspot

Your liability will be from the date of occ. the first payment will be 1/1/13 and your bill will cover the date you moved in till the end of financial year 31/3/13.

The bill will be spread over three months.

They will also inspect the property to award the correct banding.

bni

Yes, you can pay in 10 installments. Our council also allows us to pay monthly by direct debit or you could of course pay the entire year in advance when the bill is sent in April.

If you move in during the year, after you let the council know that you have moved in you will get a bill pro-rated for the remainder of the tax year from your move in date and information about the payment options.

However, your first bill will probably be delayed by a month or more by the fact that your property is a new-build and not yet in the database with a council tax band. I guess it depends on the council how quickly they get on top of that, ours was struggling to register us initially because they didn't have our address in their computer system.

Kent_FTB

Thanks to you both.

I have spoken to the council and they will send me out documentation and inspect the property. From similar houses on the road, they think it will be band D which is £1330 per year.

IF this is correct then I presume I would be paying £133 x 3 (for January, February, March), and then half of that again for the period I'm living there in December. So £133 + £133 + £133 + £66.50, over three payments, so £465.50 / 3 = £155 approx for 3 installments.

bni

3.5 months, 3.5/12 * £1330 = £388 pro-rata

Kent_FTB

Oh right thanks! Then this would be divided by 3? for payment on 01/01, 01/02 and 01/03.

thanks for your help.

bni

I'm not sure how many installments it would be, I guess it would depend on how quickly they actually send you a bil. But under the 10 installment plan there are no payments in February or March, so you could get a bill with three installments (£388 / 3 = £129) or you might have to pay the full amount in January, unless you opt for the Direct Debit option (which is monthly).

Council will be able to tell you.

pandaspot

If you don't move into the property till end of December you may only have two months to pay the bill feb and march. However you can spread it into next years bill if you find it too much to pay straight away. It normally takes 14 days to get the dd up and running

I work in revenues and benefits for a council.

Kent_FTB

that's great, thank you for your help.

we move in 13th december, i should be receiving a letter from the council around then confirming how much is due/when to pay it.

i was just looking for a rough guide of how it all works, and you have all provided this

Red_dog_Sam

The council won't be able to send you your bill until the Valuation Office Agency has notified them of the band for the property - but the bill will still run from the date you moved in. This is just a word of caution because sometimes banding takes longer than you'd like to come through. For example - a delay until April and then you'd get a bill for a large lump sum for December to March on top of the new year payments - so budget for paying it when it arrives. Whatever date your first instalment is set at, you can expect at least 14 days notice.

CIS

As red_dog_dog_sam has pointed the council are under obligation to offer more than 1 instalment at this time of year however many council's will give you instalments if you ask nicely (no obligation for them to do so though).