Re single person council tax discount

Atidi

katejo wrote: »

You have missed the point 100%

I am saying that the council should accept my statement that I have sole occupancy. ...

I know what you mean.

They should presumably also accept the fact that when someone rents a council flat and claims to be living there and in no way subletting it to anyone else they should accept that too.

It;s like the police state, innit? Checking up on is all; not believing what we tell them.

It's not as though anyone would lie is it? I mean, do they actually ever catch anyone with all these checks? :cool:

Atidi

Errata wrote: »

Have you asekd the council why it's insisting on the new address?

Presumably, if the lodger's new address is in the same council district, the council want to update their records and send him a bill.

Disgraceful! :cool:

(and presumably if he's no longer in the area, the council won't be getting the government subsidy for him in the future)

molerat

katejo wrote: »

Yes I have seen this but I am not a current claimant. My lodger has not quite moved out. I have also looked at the form for new applications. It demands the name and new address of anyone who is moving out and threatens prosecution if I give incorrect information. How does any landlord know for sure that the lodger has given a correct address. At least one of my past lodgers has failed to do this. So in effect, in their view, I should always have to pay the full rate. Guilty until proven innocent.

Just not sure who to contact next.

http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/pages/services/complaints-procedure.aspx

katejo

Errata wrote: »

Have you asekd the council why it's insisting on the new address?

Yes but no reply

katejo

Atidi wrote: »

I know what you mean.

They should presumably also accept the fact that when someone rents a council flat and claims to be living there and in no way subletting it to anyone else they should accept that too.

It;s like the police state, innit? Checking up on is all; not believing what we tell them.

It's not as though anyone would lie is it? I mean, do they actually ever catch anyone with all these checks? :cool:

I have pointed out to them that I have never failed to pay my council tax and have also always informed them in the past whenever lodgers have left or moved in. My current one has been with me for 3 years so it seems that they have changed their policy in that time.
Refusing to believe honest citizens will just drive more to be dishonest.

katejo

molerat wrote: »

http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/pages/services/complaints-procedure.aspx

I will try a complaint using this but first I will chase up the Revenue team to respond to my last email about the reason for requiring the name and address. I doubt that they will reply.

katejo

Freecall wrote: »

Says who?

Ask the council to quote the legal basis of their position that receiving the single occupancy benefit is conditional on you providing this (or any other) information.

I have now received another reply from the council which says the following

The website also states, at the top of the form to apply for the discount, that 'We will then make a number of data accuracy checks to verify the information that you provide.' Part of this process involves us requiring the forwarding address of persons who have or will vacate a property.
!
Please supply your lodger's forwarding address.
!

I have completed their online complaint form and have used the wording which you suggested above about the legal basis of their position.

System

katejo wrote: »

Please supply your lodger's forwarding address.

A forwarding address is the address he wants any post sent to. It isn't necessarily where he lives.

Tell them it's PO Box 99, London W1

katejo

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

A forwarding address is the address he wants any post sent to. It isn't necessarily where he lives.

Tell them it's PO Box 99, London W1

Except that you have to sign to say that it is a correct address. Other wise you could invent any random address anywhere

agrinnall

This is why I asked how far you're prepared to take it. I cannot believe that an absolute requirement to provide the address of somebody who no longer resides in your house would be a winnable position in a court of law, but are you willing to take the council to court if you don't give the address and they remove your discount? It would be good if somebody did it, but is it worth the stress?