Council Tax

ashleyj722

I just contacted Bedfordshire council about getting a discount on my council tax bill as myself and my wife are leaving to go to Denmark at the end of the month and we will be leaving the property empty until we can get a tenant in.
They said that they no longer give discounts for empty properties yet they give a discount for single occupancy. How does that work? Should I tell them that my wife has moved out completely and that I am applying for the single occupancy while I'm away?

Alice_Walker

If you're not living there then it doesn't matter where your wife is - you're still not entitled to a discount.

On a positive, in some areas you would be charged an additional premium for the empty property.

HappyMJ

ashleyj722 wrote: »

I just contacted Bedfordshire council about getting a discount on my council tax bill as myself and my wife are leaving to go to Denmark at the end of the month and we will be leaving the property empty until we can get a tenant in.
They said that they no longer give discounts for empty properties yet they give a discount for single occupancy. How does that work? Should I tell them that my wife has moved out completely and that I am applying for the single occupancy while I'm away?

My council would give you one month at a 100% discount if you left the property unfurnished and unoccupied.

Every council is different. If you do not return as you have just stated to the council and put the property on the rental market they will find out when the tenant/letting agent informs them and they'll readjust your bill so you get no discount.

discat11

I would do as you suggest and get the 25% discount for one occupant -after all it's better than nothing and more accurately represents the situation -i.e. 1 person rather than 0. :-)

The tenant is then responsible for the CT when they take on the property anyway.

The problem is where CT is spent as a proportion of the bill most recipient sectors of CT are not directly caused by occupancy -i.e. vulnerable adults, looking after children, children education, coroners courts, arts & leisure, buses, homelessness,flood defences etc etc.

If CT was an opt in/opt out system I reckon I'd be paying around £200 a year (if that) rather than the £1500+ now since I don't have kids, don't have any vulnerable adults, don't use buses, don't live in a flood risk area etc.
Unfortunately CT cannot be like that as most would opt out leaving the council no money for anything but the most urgent stuff, like paying their expenses :-))

As an aside the average 7p in the £1 they are supposed to pay for road repairs hasn't been spent on my own for a very long time and I intend to do something about that tout suite you can bet!

Bluebirdman_of_Alcathays

discat11 wrote: »

I would do as you suggest and get the 25% discount for one occupant -after all it's better than nothing and more accurately represents the situation -i.e. 1 person rather than 0. :-) !

Considering that is fraud, I wouldn't recommend it

HappyMJ

discat11 wrote: »

I would do as you suggest and get the 25% discount for one occupant -after all it's better than nothing and more accurately represents the situation -i.e. 1 person rather than 0. :-)

If the OP does as he says and leaves the property to go to Denmark the number of occupants is zero.

Saying the property has one occupant to gain a financial advantage (the 25% discount) when it does not would be a serious offence of fraud.

discat11

ho hum.
Although it's fair to point out if its an offence of course.

It's unfair to be charged the full rate for more than 1 person if the property is empty and so I'm surprised such rulings have not been challenged -why should the default position be to charge the full rate and why then should the councils offer a discount for single occupancy?

ashleyj722

This is exactly my point.
It's not fraud to say that my wife has moved out because: a, the house is in my name only, b, We are going to be abroad for more than 3 months, c, The council would have to proof that my wife still lives there which would be impossible as we will be outside the country but we can proof that we are outside the country through visas.

HappyMJ

ashleyj722 wrote: »

This is exactly my point.
It's not fraud to say that my wife has moved out because: a, the house is in my name only, b, We are going to be abroad for more than 3 months, c, The council would have to proof that my wife still lives there which would be impossible as we will be outside the country but we can proof that we are outside the country through visas.

You are no longer going to be living there. You stated that in your first post. Your home will be in Denmark.

It doesn't take long to get a tenant so get it on the market now and get a tenant in as soon as you can and your council tax cost will be minimal. What are we talking about anyway? The difference between £75 and £100 is only £25 for 4 weeks. That's not really much.

If you do say you still live there but don't really the penalty in court will be much higher than £25. Is it worth the risk?

lincroft1710

CT legislation is drafted to encourage occupation of all housing stock. So it logically follows that a single person can have a discount, whereas a long term empty property will not.

Tribunals do not have the power to rule other than in line with the legislation and the legislation allows councils the discretion to charge full CT if the property is empty or up to 150% if it is empty for over 2 years.

antrobus

HappyMJ wrote: »

You are no longer going to be living there. You stated that in your first post. Your home will be in Denmark.

It doesn't take long to get a tenant so get it on the market now and get a tenant in as soon as you can and your council tax cost will be minimal. What are we talking about anyway? The difference between £75 and £100 is only £25 for 4 weeks. That's not really much.

If you do say you still live there but don't really the penalty in court will be much higher than £25. Is it worth the risk?

Plus it could be argued that the £100 in question is pre-letting expenditure and can be offset against the rent that will be received for IT purposes.

P.S. The OP needs to register as a non-resident landlord.