Deceased relative and council tax

Mrs_Money

I am adminstrator for a deceased relative's estate and have received a final bill for his council tax. It all seems in order, but there is no mention of the single occupancy discount (he has always lived alone). I have queried this with them (no reply yet) but if he never claimed single occupancy should the council repay this money? He'd paid council tax to them for something like 7 years. Would they/do they have to re-imburse the estate?
I don't want to let it go as I'm responsible for winding up his financial affairs and don't want to have a problem if someone queries it later.

pmlindyloo

Mrs_Money wrote: »

I am adminstrator for a deceased relative's estate and have received a final bill for his council tax. It all seems in order, but there is no mention of the single occupancy discount (he has always lived alone). I have queried this with them (no reply yet) but if he never claimed single occupancy should the council repay this money? He'd paid council tax to them for something like 7 years. Would they/do they have to re-imburse the estate?
I don't want to let it go as I'm responsible for winding up his financial affairs and don't want to have a problem if someone queries it later.

This may help:

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-2602601/My-wife-left-2010-I-council-tax-discount-backdated.html

Mrs_Money

Thanks - on reading it seems likely I can try to get a refund but not definite that they necessarily need to give it!

Buzby

Exactly. It is the resident that makes the declaration as they remain legally accountable. If they never claimed the reduction, the council may agree to the current year being rebated, as a token of goodwill, but I really doubt whether they would extend this to other years.

Mrs_Money

I'll come back and let you know how I get on - may be some time, as last time I emailed them it took them nearly 3 weeks to reply!

g6jns_2

Mrs_Money wrote: »

I'll come back and let you know how I get on - may be some time, as last time I emailed them it took them nearly 3 weeks to reply!

Don't email or phone them. Go and see them if possible and do't let them fob you off!

Mrs_Money

g6jns wrote: »

Don't email or phone them. Go and see them if possible and do't let them fob you off!

Haha, yes - I'd really rather go and see them - pity they are 70 miles away! Even on the phone they never seem to know what they're doing!
Not easy dealing with all these people at a distance! But I'll persist!

elmer

Where I work, you would require at least a supervisor to authorise Single Person Discount for a deceased person, so I would write and expect a reasonable delay while they see if they can grant it.
You have a right of appeal to a tribunal, if you feel the decision is not right, but you would definitely need proof that your relative lived alone, which is hard to get retrospectively, if you went to a tribunal.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on

elmer

Errata

I'm fairly sure that every year the annual council tax bill is accompanied by a leaflet informing people how to apply for single occupancy discount.
If a single occupant doesn't apply for it, that's their choice and the council respects that. Long version short - no application = no discount.

g6jns_2

Errata wrote: »

I'm fairly sure that every year the annual council tax bill is accompanied by a leaflet informing people how to apply for single occupancy discount.
If a single occupant doesn't apply for it, that's their choice and the council respects that. Long version short - no application = no discount.

Within the Council Tax year the application can be made at any time and subject to satisfactory proof has to be allowed. outside that time frame some Councils do allow late application so it is well worth asking.

CIS

There is no limit built in to council tax legislation regarding the actual backdating of any discount or exemption however if the council are not satisfied and refuse to backdate it then you would need to appeal to and satisfy a valuation tribunal that the discount application is valid.