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problem with council tax and landlord
daveskey69
Posts: 39 Forumite
hey there. I really hope someone can help as I can see this situation getting ugly.
here's the deal.
In February 2005, my wife and I started to rent a property from our landlord.
It is an annexe/granny flat which is attached to the main house which he lives in. He owns the house and the flat. Our flat is totally self contained in case anyone was wondering.
Anyways, when we moved in, we were told by our landlord that we would NOT have to pay any council tax because he paid it for the whole property (including the small flat where we live). Our tenancy agreement says we are responsible, but it was just a generic agreement.
The thing is, we recently applied and were granted housing benefit. This was a huge problem because it became apparent that our landlord had never registered our granny flat as a separate property. he just assumed it was one big property.
And because of this, the small flat had never been banded, and we had of course never received a council tax bill.
So they came round, and evaluated our place, and banded the property.
Now, yesterday I receive a council tax bill from the time we started renting the property. The whole bill came to 3 and a half thousand pounds!! and they want monthly installments of just over 4 hundred pounds.
We are not arguing that we are responsible for council tax, but we feel that it;s not our fault that our landlord has not done thigns properly. He was renting it out to someone else before us, and he should have made sure as to whether it was a separate property, right? Does anyone agree with me on that part?
Would be interesting to know where people think we stand on the issue. Obviously, I am going to tell me landlord about this bill, but he could be a jerk and just say "oh well..it's in your name"
I know this is complicated, so thanks in advance for any help.
Dave
here's the deal.
In February 2005, my wife and I started to rent a property from our landlord.
It is an annexe/granny flat which is attached to the main house which he lives in. He owns the house and the flat. Our flat is totally self contained in case anyone was wondering.
Anyways, when we moved in, we were told by our landlord that we would NOT have to pay any council tax because he paid it for the whole property (including the small flat where we live). Our tenancy agreement says we are responsible, but it was just a generic agreement.
The thing is, we recently applied and were granted housing benefit. This was a huge problem because it became apparent that our landlord had never registered our granny flat as a separate property. he just assumed it was one big property.
And because of this, the small flat had never been banded, and we had of course never received a council tax bill.
So they came round, and evaluated our place, and banded the property.
Now, yesterday I receive a council tax bill from the time we started renting the property. The whole bill came to 3 and a half thousand pounds!! and they want monthly installments of just over 4 hundred pounds.
We are not arguing that we are responsible for council tax, but we feel that it;s not our fault that our landlord has not done thigns properly. He was renting it out to someone else before us, and he should have made sure as to whether it was a separate property, right? Does anyone agree with me on that part?
Would be interesting to know where people think we stand on the issue. Obviously, I am going to tell me landlord about this bill, but he could be a jerk and just say "oh well..it's in your name"
I know this is complicated, so thanks in advance for any help.
Dave
0
Comments
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Hi Dave could you possibly go to the Citizen's advice I am sure they will be able to advise you on what to do. Maybe someone will come along and have some advice for you shortly.
Good luck
ally xxOfficial DMP Mutual Support Club Member No 300 -
Have you ever had it in writing that you were not liable for the council tax? Do you think the landlord would own up to his mistake?
The fact that the contract is just a generic agreement is no defence I'm afraid, you still signed it.
Having said that, I do think it would be incredibly unfair for you to be landed with this bill.
Keep in touch with how you get on xGone ... or have I?0
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