Council tax when moving out, parents are landlord

TheCyclingProgrammer

We are about to complete on the purchase of our first house. We currently rent my parents house; they live abroad.

As I pay the council tax by DD over 10 months, we're already fully paid up for 2014/15.

Once we move out my parents will be selling the house, so I assume council tax liability will revert to them from the date we leave? Can I put down the same address when I enter my landlord details rather than their foreign address? One of them will be returning here anyway to prepare the house for selling.

We are due to complete on the 9th so if I would be due a pro-rata refund for the last 22 days of March and I guess my parents would receive a bill for the last 22 days and then a bill for 2015/16.

My Dad has proposed to make things easier that I put in a leaving date of 31 March, he refunds me the pro-rata amount himself and then takes over the bill from 1 April. Will this be OK? I'm happy to do it myself. I assume it won't matter that we will be registering for council tax on 9 March in our new LA? It does seem less faff and means not having to wait for the council tax refund.

Foxy-Stoat_3

Just confirm the date you are leaving and your new address, they will issue you a letter asking if you want the refund to be credited against the new property (if its in the same council) or a refund direct into your bank account.

TheCyclingProgrammer

Foxy-Stoat wrote: »

Just confirm the date you are leaving and your new address, they will issue you a letter asking if you want the refund to be credited against the new property (if its in the same council) or a refund direct into your bank account.

No, it's a different council.

It just seems less hassle to give them a moving date of the end of March (council tax bill runs from 1 April to 31 March), eliminating the need for them to refund me and for them to send my Dad a pro-rata bill for the last 22 days of the year.

They can then send my Dad a bill for the new year from 1 April and he can give me the money back personally.

agrinnall

[STRIKE]I think you would be wrong to do this, because for 22 days you'll be living in your new house but not paying the council tax that is due. You may not get found out, but if you lie about when you have moved in and you are found out I can't see the end result being good. Simpler just to follow the correct procedures and pay what you owe in the correct place.[/STRIKE]

Ignore all that, misread the OP.

jjlandlord

agrinnall wrote: »

I think you would be wrong to do this, because for 22 days you'll be living in your new house but not paying the council tax that is due.

Nothing wrong or illegal in paying council tax on 2 properties.

If OP doesn't tell the council that he has moved out of his current property, they will continue to hold him liable and to charge him (in fact they already have), and will not care.

G_M

The date you Complete on your purchase you become liable for CT on nw property.

The curreent property is unrelated. You can give the current council the same date, and they'll refund the number of advance days you've already paid, or you can tell them 31 March (and come to whatever agreement you want with your parents).

TheCyclingProgrammer

agrinnall wrote: »

I think you would be wrong to do this, because for 22 days you'll be living in your new house but not paying the council tax that is due.

Where did I say that?

I intended to register for council tax at our new house from the day we complete. I expect to receive a pro-rata bill for the remainder of March at the new house and then get a bill for the 2015/16 year shortly after.

I'm fully paid up in the current property up to the end of March.

TheCyclingProgrammer

G_M wrote: »

The date you Complete on your purchase you become liable for CT on nw property.

The curreent property is unrelated. You can give the current council the same date, and they'll refund the number of advance days you've already paid, or you can tell them 31 March (and come to whatever agreement you want with your parents).

Thanks. This is what I will do. It just seems less hassle to get some money back from my parents than wait for the council to refund me and less hassle for my parents. It was my Dad's suggestion, I'm happy to accommodate him.

The money I get back from my parents will go straight towards the council tax for March at our new place (its marginally higher).

jenny54321

the date your tenancy agreement ends will be the end of your council tax liability.
your parents will start the libabilty form that date - be it empty it will get a 100 percent for the first few months then it will revert to full liability ( i think ) the rules have recently been changed.

agrinnall

TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »

Where did I say that?

I intended to register for council tax at our new house from the day we complete. I expect to receive a pro-rata bill for the remainder of March at the new house and then get a bill for the 2015/16 year shortly after.

I'm fully paid up in the current property up to the end of March.

Yes, sorry, I missed the bit where you said that you would register when you move in, so there's not really an issue with your plan.

TheCyclingProgrammer

jenny54321 wrote: »

the date your tenancy agreement ends will be the end of your council tax liability.
your parents will start the libabilty form that date - be it empty it will get a 100 percent for the first few months then it will revert to full liability ( i think ) the rules have recently been changed.

I don't have a formal tenancy agreement. There is no discount for unoccupied homes in this LA unfortunately.