Why has my council put my lodgers name first on my council tax bill?

MagWag

After my friend was made redundant from his job I said he was welcome to come and stay with me. I did have a single person reduction on my council tax, so contacted them to let them know I was taking in a lodger, no longer qualified for the discount & needed a new bill. They asked me the name of my lodger, which surprised me a little, but I gave it to them.

The new bill just arrived and my lodger opened it because he didn't realise what is was and his name was first on the address! I contacted them to ask why they had put his name on the bill and the woman I spoke to was very insistent that they 'had to'. I told her I found this surprising. When I previously had to have my bill adjusted (my student daughter finished her studies and moved back with me for a couple of months before getting a job and moving away again) I received a new bill but her name was not on it.

I like to keep things above board but my friend has had a financially dodgy past - nothing criminal, but I'm guessing there might be people out there who would like to know where he lives and he doesn't really want to have his name linked to any address. Dose anyone know...do I really need to have him named on my council tax bill?

alwaysskint96

Alphabetical perhaps?

lemontart

the name is will be as it appears on the electoral role

ohreally

MagWag wrote: »

my friend has had a financially dodgy past - nothing criminal, but I'm guessing there might be people out there who would like to know where he lives and he doesn't really want to have his name linked to any address

So why are you involving yourself with this individual then?

pmlindyloo

MagWag wrote: »

After my friend was made redundant from his job I said he was welcome to come and stay with me. I did have a single person reduction on my council tax, so contacted them to let them know I was taking in a lodger, no longer qualified for the discount & needed a new bill. They asked me the name of my lodger, which surprised me a little, but I gave it to them.

The new bill just arrived and my lodger opened it because he didn't realise what is was and his name was first on the address! I contacted them to ask why they had put his name on the bill and the woman I spoke to was very insistent that they 'had to'. I told her I found this surprising. When I previously had to have my bill adjusted (my student daughter finished her studies and moved back with me for a couple of months before getting a job and moving away again) I received a new bill but her name was not on it.

I like to keep things above board but my friend has had a financially dodgy past - nothing criminal, but I'm guessing there might be people out there who would like to know where he lives and he doesn't really want to have his name linked to any address. Dose anyone know...do I really need to have him named on my council tax bill?

I think you should query this.

I am not a council tax specialist but all my reading tells me that a lodger is not liable for council tax and therefore should not be named on the bill at all.

http://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/info/200028/council_tax/1018/who_should_be_liable_for_council_tax

MagWag

Thank you for your replies...some more helpful than others!

Pmlindyloo - yes I thought it was odd; it is my house & I pay the bills & he will pay me rent whilst he is here (rent a room scheme). Undoubtedly his name has come up first because he is 'H' & I am 'R' but why is he on there at all?

I phoned yesterday to query but all I got was 'we have to put all the names of people living at the property on the bill!'...well that can not be correct because my daughter wasn't added whilst she was staying with me.

I will try once more...but first I have contacted CAB & Shelter (by email) to see if they have any definitive advise. If all else fails I could tell them he has moved out but I do not want to claim single person rebate because I might be getting another lodger. Is it really any of the councils business who lives in my house (which I own) as long as I am paying the correct amount of council tax?

poppasmurf_bewdley

Your lodger should not be anywhere near your Council Tax bill, never mind have his name on it.

Inform the council that YOU are the owner of the property and have sole responsibility for paying the Council Tax. Don't put up with any pontificating from an office junior.

Your lodger WILL be on the Electoral Roll (different entirely from the CT) which is currently being processed, and his name will appear before yours as it is done alphabetically. Hence my son appears before me on our ER.

CIS

The lodger is not liable for council tax and shouldn't be named as liable for payment.

Usually what has happened is that someone has told the council the person has moved in but not clarified that they are only a lodger and have no legal interest as far as council tax legislation is concerned.

MagWag

Thanks poppasmurf & CIS ....armed with that info (& confidence) I just phoned the council again and asked for his name to be removed from my bill. I was speaking to a different more helpful person and this time there was no objection and they said that they would send me an amended bill! :-)

I still feel slightly irritated with the last two people I spoke to, firstly when I called to tell them I was taking in a lodger, and the second woman I got yesterday when I made it quite clear that it was my house and this was a paying lodger...she was insistent that he HAD to be named on there! I even told her that I thought she was wrong and would be looking into the matter further, but she would not budge! However I now seem to be getting somewhere, so feel a bit happier about it. Thank you.

pmlindyloo

MagWag wrote: »

Thanks poppasmurf & CIS ....armed with that info (& confidence) I just phoned the council again and asked for his name to be removed from my bill. I was speaking to a different more helpful person and this time there was no objection and they said that they would send me an amended bill! :-)

I still feel slightly irritated with the last two people I spoke to, firstly when I called to tell them I was taking in a lodger, and the second woman I got yesterday when I made it quite clear that it was my house and this was a paying lodger...she was insistent that he HAD to be named on there! I even told her that I thought she was wrong and would be looking into the matter further, but she would not budge! However I now seem to be getting somewhere, so feel a bit happier about it. Thank you.

I hope you took the name of the person you spoke to.

All calls are recorded so write a letter of compliant outlining the name of this person the date and time of the call and exactly how you were misinformed. (details of how to do this should be on your local council website)

Unless councils are aware that people are giving incorrect information then the 'retraining' of said person will have no chance of happening. (as against a small chance!)

KxMx

Are you female OP?

I've encountered several situations over the years where the male name is given preference over the female- Royal Mail addressed a mail redirection confirmation to my brother (only male in house) despite my mother being the one who paid and named first on the form!

And a neighbour's joint tenancy has the male name first even though his initial comes after hers in the alphabet.

I am sure there are those who will mock me but they are 100% genuine examples.