Advice needed please

ch70

I'll try and keep this short! I currently have no fixed address, last June I had to sell my House during a divorce. My best friends mother allowed to me to stay with her which I have on and off, in addition I have stayed with friends, B&B and hotels and at my partners in Norfolk. I had hoped my divorce would be over and done with soon after the house sale and I could make some decision about where I wanted to try and setup a new home. Sadly my ex-wife wasn't in a hurry and dragged out the divorce, it finally completed in May this year! In the mean time my mail and various things have been registered at my friends mothers as I had no fixed address I could use. Now I finally have the little money my wife didn't fleece from the divorce I can make that decision and settle somewhere.


However my friends mother has been sent a council tax renewal and a query as to whether I live there, I guess due to my various postal items and things being registered there. Now the problem is I don't want her being stung for additional council tax payments but since I have no fixed residence at the moment how do I handle the situation? If the council insists she is liable because I have stayed there on and off then of course I'll pay any outstanding amount, I'm not trying to avoid any payments that are due, just neither of us realised me staying there short term was going to be an issue. I don't pay any rent, I cover my costs when I am there.


How best do we approach the council to resolve this? No one has wilfully tried to avoid any tax payments and I just want to get things resolved. Having lost both parents in the last four years, gone through a bitter divorce and had to deal with a mountain of problems with my health and family I really need something good to happen for once! Thanks

ampersand

Show this Thread to the relevant issuing Council office, after you have been to the CAB.

pmlindyloo

What is your friend's mother's situation?

Is she claiming single person's discount? Or council tax reduction?

If she is claiming either of these then her discount/benefits could be affected.

The council would investigate, in the first place, whether you could be deemed as being resident there.

Obviously the fact that you use her address for correspondence would be one factor. Others would be are you registered on the electoral role there? Are your belongings there? Do you visit other places and then return?

Please answer the first questions about her circumstances and we may be able to help further.

ch70

I believe she gets a discount on her council tax but she is retired also. I am not on the electoral role anywhere as I am no a UK citizen, I have lived here since 1972, mother was English etc.. had me abroad and brought me back when she returned, but don't have UK passport so can not vote. I have a couple of boxes of sentimental things in her spare room but most of my belongings are in a lockup which I have been renting since last year. I stay with other friends and go back there now and then. I will from this month hopefully have a permanent address but I need to deal with this situation in the mean time. Neither of us realised having people stay over when in need would impact her tax. I am happy to pay the difference between her discount and the full bill if required, she's in her mid to late 60's and I don't want her getting any stress over this. Thanks

pmlindyloo

ch70 wrote: »

I believe she gets a discount on her council tax but she is retired also. I am not on the electoral role anywhere as I am no a UK citizen, I have lived here since 1972, mother was English etc.. had me abroad and brought me back when she returned, but don't have UK passport so can not vote. I have a couple of boxes of sentimental things in her spare room but most of my belongings are in a lockup which I have been renting since last year. I stay with other friends and go back there now and then. I will from this month hopefully have a permanent address but I need to deal with this situation in the mean time. Neither of us realised having people stay over when in need would impact her tax. I am happy to pay the difference between her discount and the full bill if required, she's in her mid to late 60's and I don't want her getting any stress over this. Thanks

So it sounds as if she is only getting single person's discount (but do check)

In all honesty no one is going to be answer as to whether they would find you as being resident there or not. Only a decision maker can make that call if you disagree with their claiming back the single discount overpayment.

Basically she needs to speak to the council and tell them about the situation. It is unlikely that they would speak to you but CAB could speak on her behalf.

In view of what you have said about not wishing her to stress out then personally I would ask her to phone them and say she didn't realise that she needed to report this as she thought the stay was just temporary etc etc and see what the council says.