Help Self contained unit tax?

BobDolenot

Does a self contained unit have to be using a separate water, gas electrity from the main house?
For example the property has a Bathroom, bedroom kitchen and living space but the upstairs and downstairs are both accessible directly from the main building by doorways which aren't locked or blocked, it uses the same water. gas. heating oil and electrity not separate and would cost a lot of money to do so (infact the junction box for the whole house is on that side)all billed together. would it still be classed as a self contained unit, or could you argue that it is all one building that are reliant on each other?


Hope you understand that.
Regards

AlexMac

https://www.gov.uk/definitions-of-general-housing-terms
might help- but it might depend on why you're asking

martinsurrey

My guess is the OP mean for council tax

http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/Publications/selfContainedUnits.html

sharing services does not mean they cannot be separate for council tax purposes.

The doors giving access also do not mean they are not separate, as these could easily be locked.

In short, from what you have said, they are 2 units for CT purposes.

BobDolenot

martinsurrey wrote: »

My guess is the OP mean for council tax

sharing services does not mean they cannot be separate for council tax purposes.

The doors giving access also do not mean they are not separate, as these could easily be locked.

In short, from what you have said, they are 2 units for CT purposes.

Yes that is It basically.

Access: a self-contained unit does not need to have its own access to be regarded as self-contained. For example, separate living accommodation with a shared hallway and stairs would be classed as self contained. However, if the only access to the separate living accommodation is via a living room – such as a reception room or bedroom – of the main house it will not be regarded as self-contained.

Does this mean that if the only way to get to the area in question was through my study and our bedroom would that mean it would still be a self contained unit.

Sorry if stating the obvious all new to this and happening quite fast and out of the blue.

00ec25

BobDolenot wrote: »

Yes that is It basically.
Does this mean that if the only way to get to the area in question was through my study and our bedroom would that mean it would still be a self contained unit.

Sorry if stating the obvious all new to this and happening quite fast and out of the blue.

on the basis of what you say then no it is not self contained, however, if the "unit" has a separate external door then yes it would be since the only way in would not be by your bedroom

would help if you explain the context, are you moving a member of your family in ("granny annex") or are you letting to a stranger ("lodger" / "tenant")

BobDolenot

00ec25 wrote: »

on the basis of what you say then no it is not self contained, however, if the "unit" has a separate external door then yes it would be since the only way in would not be by your bedroom

would help if you explain the context, are you moving a member of your family in ("granny annex") or are you letting to a stranger ("lodger" / "tenant")

No it doesn't have a usable external door, well at the moment my son is renting form us at bog as he is saving up for going abroad, and then we may consider renting it as I not to fuse of strangers going through study and change bedroom into a gym. But that will not be an idea for at least another year.

Would the main differences be if I decided to let it to a stranger from a tax band point of view.

Cissi

AFAIK for Council Tax purposes it doesn't matter if the unit is actually rented out or not. Once it's classed as a separate unit and has received its own banding, then I'm pretty sure that you'll have to pay Council Tax on it in future, whether or not it's let out. So unless the Council have contacted you then it may be best to let sleeping dogs lie??? I'm not sure if you're legally obliged to let them know that you have a granny annexe - anyone else more knowledgeable?

00ec25

a special exmeption is made if the occupant is a dependent relative - ie its a "granny annex"

your plan is to let to a stranger so that can't apply. Although the ocupants legal status does not affect the CT liability it does help to clarify the intention

if you let under a lodger agreement then the expectation is you will share basic facilties such as bathroom and kitchen, however it appears your intention is not to share such facilties and presuamably the occupant would be expected to stay in their "area", as such you will have a tenant not a lodger and therefore its a very grey area to say that it is not a separate self contained dwelling which should have its own CT notwithstanding the fact that it is only accessible by coming through a part of the main house in the first place

lets wait and see if Lincroft replies as he is ex VOA and it is the VOA who decide CT assessment not your local council

BobDolenot

Thenks for the help so far starting to get a clearer picture now.

As you same it does seem a bit of a grey area as they would have own facilities just not there own access which means going through a bedroom and my study.

I mean I don't know what I could do to prove the access point more our if there are other factors in it. Other than that i guess it could bewait and see, I guess.

lincroft1710

Case law has determined that if the sole access to the annex is through rooms of the main house, for CT purposes the annex is not a separate dwelling and will not have its own CT band. Shared utilities are irrelevant when considering if an annex is a separate dwelling.

However the OP states it "doesn't have a usable external door" which implies there maybe a door but it is not usable.

rrtt

I had similar situation with letting top floor of my house - local council stated that if one of the rooms up there contained a cooker, it was deemed a kitchen making it a separate unit, and therefore liable for a 2nd lot of council tax