Stupid question about council tax

Fosterdog

diggingdude wrote: »

Can't agree with the rent before buying statement. Firstly that means you are lining someone else's pockets as you pay off their mortgage and secondly there are many differences between being a tenant and being a home owner , just as likely to forget council tax for example as a tenant

I have to agree with comms69 on this one, out of all the couples I know who have gone straight to buying together without ever renting first only one couple are still together more than 5 years down the line. The rest have all had problems starting within 6 months and relationships ended within 2 years. The argument of lining someone else's pockets is a bit far fetched when you consider the costs involved in buying and selling, plus sometimes solicitors costs while arguing over who owns/is entitled to what.

A number of friends have also had relationships end while renting with a partner to start with but at least it is less of a financial loss involved as well as a lot less to fight over knowing one or both can walk away at any point, more couples I know who have done it this way are still together years down the line and most are now home owners and marriage and/or children are involved for most.

That's not saying it can never work out but statistically from my own experiences it is rare for it to work out that way so it's just more sensible to put head before heart and rent for even just 6 months to a year first.

Lauralou79

Off topic but myself and partner didn't officially live together till we bought a year ago. So far so good!

We got a letter/form from the council pretty swift 'to the occupier' when we moved to fill in our details and then we rang the payment number and paid.

Craig1981

VO needs to band the property first - the council need to let them know the details of the property, and they will do what they need to from there. So make sure to contact the council as 1st point.
i have known of cases where people have not informed them for years on end. you don't want to be in receipt of a legit back-dated council tax bill!
current costs for current banding in north someset:
http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/council-tax-bands.pdf
enter post code here to check flats around your's banding
http://cti.voa.gov.uk/cti/inits.asp

hope this helps

CIS

VO needs to band the property first - the council need to let them know the details of the property, and they will do what they need to from there. So make sure to contact the council as 1st point.

It doesn't need to be via the council, the council should pass information on to the VO but there's nothing to stop the householder doing it directly.

As I mentioned in post #10 the OP needs to check if the property has been banded or not, if they can do that they know where to go next.

i have known of cases where people have not informed them for years on end. you don't want to be in receipt of a legit back-dated council tax bill!

Seen a good few over the years, not good to be on the receiving end of one.

diggingdude

Comms69 wrote: »

Do you not buy any consumer goods? - afterall you don't want to be lining someone elses pockets...


I'm not sure what's likely about 'forgetting' council tax as a tenant; but in any case it's more about not tying yourself to another person financially for year, unable to liquidate your asset without considerable expense...

There is a difference between buying consumer goods, which you buy as possessions, and renting where you are handing over significant sums of money in rent......but that's just my rant :P

TamsinC

We bought our first house together 6 months after meeting way back in 1990, as did many of my friends. None of us rented first. All of my friends and their partners are still together and happily married as am I. For me, statistical personal experience, buying first means you stay together.

Only my SIL has divorced (twice) both times she rented before buying

tunnie123

have filled in the form and emailed that one you gave me, thanks for your help. just to say also that we have been together 8 years are married and have a child, however my wife's parents own a farm with 2 houses on [one house her grandparents lived in until they sadly passed away] so to help us save money they let us live there while we saved for a deposit.

ashe

People should probably just mind their own business about how people choose to live their lives.

Comms69

diggingdude wrote: »

There is a difference between buying consumer goods, which you buy as possessions, and renting where you are handing over significant sums of money in rent......but that's just my rant :P

No, there is no difference.

You are handing over significant money in order to have somewhere to live. No different to utilities, insurance, food, drink or clothes.

( you are paying for possession of a lease... )