No longer entitled to single person 25% council tax discount, but still single!!

CIS

If the property is occupied or furnished for 6 weeks and the appropriate charge paid then the 6 months Class C exemption can be claimed again in full.

Jauqq

CIS wrote: »

The 50% discount for a second home can now be changed, the councils now have the power to vary the discount to between 50% and 10% discount.

If your not living in the property as a single person then you can't claim a SPD, you will pay the zero occupancy charge which again can vary between councils from 50% to 0% discount. In my dept we are changing from 50% to 0% discount in april.

I think i've already used this........... ?
I moved out the flat end of April, so informed my council the flat was empty, unfurnished, and unoccupied. They then gave me 6 months exemption from the council tax, which has now elapsed. Now I have to start up my council tax payments again.
Is this the "zero occupancy charge" that you're speaking of?

CIS

The 6 month Class C can be claimed again in full once their has been a period of at least 6 weeks of occupation where the full applicable charge has been paid or the property has been furnished and the applicable charge paid for 6 weeks. You could run on a period of 6 month exemption - 6 week paid repeatedly as its specifically stated in Council Tax legislation

http://www.england-legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19920558_en_1.htm

Not a lot of people realise that this can happen - I only know because I was given legislation training as part of my job and this point was raised ( I work in Council Tax)

Jauqq

CIS wrote: »

The 6 month Class C can be claimed again in full once their has been a period of at least 6 weeks of occupation where the full applicable charge has been paid or the property has been furnished and the applicable charge paid for 6 weeks. You could run on a period of 6 month exemption - 6 week paid repeatedly as its specifically stated in Council Tax legislation

http://www.england-legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19920558_en_1.htm

Not a lot of people realise that this can happen - I only know because I was given legislation training as part of my job and this point was raised ( I work in Council Tax)

I won't really be able to move back to my flat as I have no furniture etc. I had to sell it all when I moved back to my parents house.
I'm still a little confused over the "zero occupancy rate" you mention..
I quote from one councils website here "Zero Occupancy: If a property is unfurnished and unoccupied for a period of MORE than 6 months, you can claim a 50% discount. It will be necessary for the charge payer to contact the council in order to claim this discount."
I've had a six month exemption from paying any council tax as the property was both unoccupied and unfurnished, but as i've finished this 6 months exemption and the property is still unfurnished and unoccupied, should I now be paying council tax at "zero occupancy rate"?

olly300

Jauqq best thing to do is to contact the council and ask for it. Do it in writing and send the letter by recorded delivery. Keep the letter brief and don't give too much detail.

Jauqq

Here's what i've found out..
You used to be able to get 50% discount on your council tax if your property remained unfurnished and unoccupied after your initial 6 months council tax exemption....however my council opted out of this 2 years ago :rolleyes:
I could say its my second home, and receive 10% discount. I was awarded this rate for the month of April, while I lived at my parents BUT while my furniture remained in my flat (until I sold it all end of april) To get this rate now, i'd have to refurnish the flat..... not really an option.
So unless I move back to my unfurnished flat, sleep and sit on the floor, listen to the radio as i've no TV, and eat take aways for the next 6 weeks, until I move out again, it looks like there's no way out of this...
Good old council!!!! :rolleyes:

beingjdc

Jauqq wrote: »

Good old council!!!! :rolleyes:

Well yeah, sorry. I mean I know it's harsh for you, but definitely good old council. There's a real shortage of houses in this country, and anything we can do to discourage people from keeping empty ones, we should!

1-bed flat prices are falling across a lot of the country, so if it's in one of those areas I'd worry more about the money you're losing by holding on to it than the money you're shelling out in tax...

Jauqq

beingjdc wrote: »

Well yeah, sorry. I mean I know it's harsh for you, but definitely good old council. There's a real shortage of houses in this country, and anything we can do to discourage people from keeping empty ones, we should!

1-bed flat prices are falling across a lot of the country, so if it's in one of those areas I'd worry more about the money you're losing by holding on to it than the money you're shelling out in tax...

The flat isn't some second home i'm keeping empty or anything..it is my home!!! If you'd read the thread, you'd find i'm living with parents whilst i've been trying to sell it... have been since May of this year!! I don't actually want to keep an empty house as you put it.
First estate agent did nothing for two months. Second one, we got an offer and after 16 weeks of taking that offer and close to exchange of contracts, the buyer declares they've no money/deposit. I've wasted money I have to pay to my solicitor for work they've carried out on this waste of time buyer, I wasted money on survey of another flat I was going to buy, I've wasted setup fees on my next mortgage, I've wasted deposit money given to my solicitor to act on my purchase of my next flat...
About £1500 total i've wasted...
and now i'm stuck with a flat i'm trying to sell at a bad time of year!!!!
So i'm not holding onto it... I want rid of the thing!!!!!
Anyway i'm in London so its not loosing money, just prices holding steady at the moment. It will still rise in value, but at a very much reduced rate than before.

silvercar

It may be worth reducing the price slightly in order to sell it. That way you won't have to leave it empty for another few months until you find a buyer.

I hope you have told the insurance people its been empty for so long; they can get iffy about empty properties.

Jauqq

CIS, Can I ask you to clarify something with regards to the document you linked to earlier please?
http://www.england-legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19920558_en_1.htm

You mention that Class C exemption can roll on a six week living period, followed by 6 month exemption from the CT.
I've looked at the document linked to above, but I can see no mention of a minimum of 6 weeks occupancy being needed to then claim exemption in the Class C bracket.
I can see it mentioned in Class A, but not Class C.
Could you just clear this up for me please CIS?
Also would a council have the option to opt out, or refuse to respect this loophole?