Council tax/electoral register

adelburn

Hi all,

I have been living with mates/in hotels and basically all over the world/country for the last 5 years or so and have never payed council tax or been on the electoral register previously.

Now I think its time for me to settle down and get myself a flat, but would the council ask for 5 years worth of council tax or fine me as I have never been on the electoral register and can I leave the previous address in the electoral register blank as I have never been registered before.

I have been told that you are classed as living in a property if you stay there for more than 3 days a week over a prolonged period of time, is this true? because there was a stage when I stopped at my Parents for about 6 months.

Any help appreciated, I m kinda worried that I'm gonna get shafted for unpaid debts e.t.c.

Melissa177

As long as council tax has been paid on the properties you're living in, there is no problem at all.

For example, if you sofa-surfed with friends, and they were all paying the council tax, then there is no need to pay any tax on the property (whether you feel you owe something to your friends is another matter). With your parents, were they paying council tax? There might be an issue if they were on benefits and paid no council tax.

In answer to your second question, if you've never registered before, there is no need to disclose previous addresses. The only watch out if your credit record - it's likely to be poor because you won't have any credit history.

Good luck with your "new" life

peter999

If you haven't been liable & registered before, there's nothing to worry about.

Leave previous address blank, none of their business, tell any nosey type you were living abroad.

peter999

adelburn

Cheers guys and gals.

Your putting my mind at rest, one problem would be that my mom was on benefits, so I suppose that I'll have to pay council tax for them 6 months, would this still count if it was about 3 years ago.

Also when notifying council of moving into a new flat, do they ask for a list of previous addresses,or some sort of life history since I was 18 or something. Also I had bank accounts e.t.c set up that were all registerd at my parents, I take it this would have no inpact on council tax/electoral register i.e. they wouldnt try and say "youve had a bank account there for 5 years so you must have been living there"

It's quite shocking what I dont know actually, after travelling for 5 years I never had to worry about rental agreements and the like and now it seems to all be worry, worry, worry:rolleyes:

Melissa177

Some people will whine at me for saying this, but if this government takes too much damn tax from us - if your parents weren't paying council tax and you were living there, I really wouldn't worry for those 6 months.