We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide
Landlord withholding rent until we have a zero outstanding balance council tax letter
Comments
-
Being rude to the folk on here offering advice isn't going to get you very far. Were you guys students and therefore exempt from council tax? And did you get in touch with the council when you moved in? Also was it in your tenancy agreement that the landlord paid the council tax?0
-
Unless it's a property that never been banded then there is a council tax account - the council seem to confirm that one exists, along with the agents.
The account is most likely in the landlord's name with an unpaid balance and, probably, enforcement action. The council will not be a) be keen to disclose any details to someone who is not named, for data protection and b) if there's recovery action they want to make sure nothing is changed to try and frustrate this.
What you need to do is contact the council either in person or in writing with all the details of the property and your occupancy, along with a copy of the tenancy aggrievement. The council may ask for further proof but it's a daily event in council tax departments, I saw similar things happen almost every day and it's not an issue providing all the information has been provided.I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0 -
The Council really doesn't care who pay CT. They will send a bill to the person who declares to be living there. If they don't, they will automatically send it to the LL.
In this case, it sounds like you fail to contact the Council when you moved in. That is your and your fault only. Why wait until March to contact them, or did you think you were in luck?
As per above, when they realised and had no detail for you, they would have billed the LL and the LL is probably in dispute with them right now to prove that you are liable. As you've said, sending a copy of the contract, however, in the same way the Council was slow to do anything about it in the first place, they are now probably being slow to accept that liability lies with you.
Hence why the LL wants the deposit to remain until they can be assured you've paid your bill. None of this would have happened if you'd contacted the Council, as you should have done, when you moved. The problem is your own doing.
What does your contract says about unpaid bills and deposit? I made sure that the ast I give my tenants stipulate that the deposit can be held for damage, unpaid rent AND unpaid bills that are then bills to myself.0 -
Me too ! My spellcheck obviously thought ahead.I like the idea of tenancy aggrievements!I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0 -
Be like any honest person and pay your own bills.
When you've been on the other side as a landlord and an ex-tenant tries to stuff you for what they should have paid for, you will understand the hardship, stress and worry it causes.
Believe me, I've had it done to me and it's horrible.0 -
Unless the tenancy agreement (I like aggrievement better) specifically states the rent includes council tax or you were exempt from paying it for some reason, you can either arrange with the council now to pay it off or be prepared to have a CCJ on your file and debt collectors hunting you down in the future. I imagine, if you do nothing the LL/LA will give your name(s) to the council. If you are exempt, all it will cost you is a little time to obtain this letter.
The only other possibility I can think of is there is an outstanding CT amount owed by a previous tenant which the LL/LA is trying to get you to pay but, if you have never registered for CT, that seems very unlikely.0 -
Clauses re payment do not affect the liability for payment of council tax, he would have to take that issue up with the landlord but in the meantime the council would still pursue the liable parties.Unless the tenancy agreement (I like aggrievement better) specifically states the rent includes council tax
There are no CCJ's for council tax, it works by way of a liability order via the magistrates' court.or be prepared to have a CCJ on your file and debt collectors hunting you down in the futureI no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0 -
Was the property classed as an HMO and if so, was the LL himself liable to pay the CT as a result, given that 4 unrelated people appear to have shared it?
Could this be why the council are saying that you are not going to be billed for CT (if you were not students)?0 -
Student exemption requires the tenants to make contact with the LA and to supply documentation proving their full time student status. It's not a case of 'students don't pay, so they don't need to register'.
OP has not confirmed if all the tenants were students, or if the property was an HMO, so all is speculation without that basic info.No free lunch, and no free laptop
0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 354.6K Banking & Borrowing
- 254.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 455.5K Spending & Discounts
- 247.5K Work, Benefits & Business
- 604.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 178.6K Life & Family
- 261.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards