Council tax issue

youknowwho

I have been living with a "friend" And he has decided to !!!!!! off half way thru the tenancy, leaving me to foot the bills (except his half of the rent, he is claiming benefits for that, and all his stuff is still in his room) He had moved bk in with parents. I havnt paid council tax at all, and I have just had a demand thru the door for the whole year's amount. (i have been here 9 months). Now i am more than willing to pay my half, but i'll be damned if he will pay his half! The bill is in both names, but i dont want to pay half, then the other half of the bill is still owing, and still in my name! Would they accept my half, then remove my name from the bill and chase him for the rest? I am sooo annoyed, i have already paid more than i should, and i fell like selling all his stuff!!! But i could'nt do that!Any advice appreciated.

olly300

What benefits is your friend claiming? If he is claiming housing benefit which sounds like it, then he won't be liable for the council tax anyway. Instead you are liable for 75% of it. (25% single person's discount)

If he is not claiming housing benefit and he has run off you are liable for all of it as I'm afraid you are jointly and severely liable to pay it under the law. The council cannot give you any leeway.

I suggest you try and contact him and get him to inform the council that he is claiming housing benefit. So you get the 25% discount.

In the meantime contact the council in writing - google the full council name and search on their website for council tax and then email them. In the email give your reference number and tell them what you can pay now, explain that the other person is on housing benefit , ask if you get a discount and ask how you get the discount.

In future don't share with people who are students or on housing benefit if you don't want to pay 75% of the council tax bill for a property.

If you don't pay the council tax the council will just send a debt collection agency and bailiffs after you. Depending on the council they will track you down 4-5 years later. (Have a look at the debtfreewannabe board.)

Gorgeous_George

If your friend is claiming housing benefit but not living in the property then his claim for HB has ended. If he continues to claim he ill be committing an offence and it is likely that any rent improperly paid will be reclaimed. You are probably jointly liable for the rent and any other bills.

I would get out and rent elsewhere.

Good luck.

GG

Guy_Montag

Option 1: Do a runner & hope the council can't be arsed chasing you. Not really recommended unless you have a common name (John Smith) & you're leaving the county or ideally country.

Option 2:
Call the council and explain you're having problems - ask them for a few days to try to sort things out or they may send you a summons. Then follow the advice as per Olly300.

clutton_2

councils country wide now talk to each other about council tax defaulters - if you turn up elsewhere in the country, owing tax at your previous address, your old council will catch up with you much more quickly than they used to.

epz_2

clutton wrote: »

councils country wide now talk to each other about council tax defaulters - if you turn up elsewhere in the country, owing tax at your previous address, your old council will catch up with you much more quickly than they used to.

wouldnt they be better talking to the inland revenue and the dss, its easy to have someone else on the house name, its slightly harder to earn cash and/or claim benifit

pcwilkins

Is the tenancy agreement in both your names?

olly300

epz wrote: »

wouldnt they be better talking to the inland revenue and the dss, its easy to have someone else on the house name, its slightly harder to earn cash and/or claim benifit

I don't know if they are allowed to due to the Data Protection Act. The DWP states they are not allowed to give your information to other government agencies/companies unless the law states they can.

Anyway I know some councils do use debt collection agencies to chase you and bailiffs to get the money out of you. So unless you disappear completely i.e out of the country, or have a common name depending on the council they will find you.