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Council Tax Registration

20SmthngSver
20SmthngSver Posts: 512 Forumite
100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
in Cutting tax
At which point during the house buying process/completion do you register for council tax?
«1

Comments

  • TheCyclingProgrammer
    TheCyclingProgrammer Posts: 3,702 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic
    On completion, although if you aren't moving in immediately you may be eligible for a discount on the empty property until you do move in. Check with your new local council.
  • 20SmthngSver
    20SmthngSver Posts: 512 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 14 November 2019 at 12:11PM
    Thank you. Unfortunately , where I am moving to, the council doesn't provide any discounts for empty homes for a few months.
  • General_Grant
    General_Grant Posts: 5,404 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    20SmthngSver wrote: »
    Thank you. Unfortauntely where I am moving to, the council doesn't provide any discounts for empty homes for a few months.

    Single occupancy discount?
  • 20SmthngSver
    20SmthngSver Posts: 512 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    They do that yes, but they don't offer any Unfurnished/Unoccupied discounts like a lot of councisl do, ranging from 1-6 months. It's full rate from day one.
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    20SmthngSver wrote: »
    They do that yes, but they don't offer any Unfurnished/Unoccupied discounts like a lot of councisl do, ranging from 1-6 months. It's full rate from day one.


    Legally they have to still offer the discount as it's not been removed from legislation, they can just set it to 0%.
    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.
  • 20SmthngSver
    20SmthngSver Posts: 512 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    I did email and ask, they said they don't do it anymore.

    It's not that fair because some it's half price for 2, 3 or 6 months. I think some are for even longer.

    I saw one in Scotland it was free for two months, then staircased for months 3-6 back up to 100%.
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Scotland is slightly different on the legislation front but in England they delegated some of the the discount rates to the local authority (as a 'compensation' to help offset budget cuts).
    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.
  • diggingdude
    diggingdude Posts: 2,501 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    20SmthngSver wrote: »
    I did email and ask, they said they don't do it anymore.

    It's not that fair because some it's half price for 2, 3 or 6 months. I think some are for even longer.

    I saw one in Scotland it was free for two months, then staircased for months 3-6 back up to 100%.
    Don't blame councils though blame the government who have stopped the cash supply for councils yet pushed many costs onto them
    An answer isn't spam just because you don't like it......
  • 20SmthngSver
    20SmthngSver Posts: 512 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    I mean it's not fair in the sense that it should be the same for everyone. Bedfordshire has one of the highest rates of council tax in the UK yet has some of the fewest reductions. New developments have to pay a community charge for lighting, roads and green areas, yet the council tax still goes up for services they won't provide.
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 19,276 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Council Tax is not a payment for services, it is a tax on the occupation of property which goes towards funding local council(s) spending. Education, and adult social care are apparently where most of the money is spent
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
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