Council Tax

CashMoney

Hi my friend asked me a question earlier and I wasn't sure of the answer so thought I'd ask on here. She lives with her Mum who around a year ago signed over the property into her name. The council tax is still in her mothers name. She wants to know if she needed to let the council know of the change of property ownership for the council tax or can they still be under her Mum's name?

Thanks

AdrianC

CT is in the occupier's name(s).
The local authority don't care about the ownership.

greatcrested

There is a legal hierarchy of liability for CT. Your friend appears to be at the topofthe list:

Hierarchy of liabilityA resident who owns the freeholdA resident who owns the leaseholdA resident who is an assured tenant or is a statutory or secure tenantA resident who is a licensee. This means that they are not a tenant but have permission to stay thereAny resident, for example, a squatterAn owner of the property who does not live thereThere are some properties where the owner, rather than the residents, will be responsible for payment. The hierarchy does not apply to these properties. These properties are: Houses in multiple occupation, that is where the residents do not form a single household and pay their rent separately for different parts of the property. The tenants will usually have separate tenancy agreements. Residential care or nursing homes, and some types of hostels which provide care Homes occupied by Religious communities Homes which are occasionally occupied by the owner and whose domestic staff are also resident Properties occupied by ministers of religion, as a residence from which the minister's duties of office are carried out Properties provided to asylum seekers

theartfullodger

It would be sensible, purely to be polite, to inform council of her details and contact details in case they want to contact owner.

CashMoney

I thought she would need to inform them of the change because her elderly mum gets Council Tax reduction based on her benefits and what the daughter earns. I didn't want to give her the answer without getting some clarification first. Thanks

AdrianC

CashMoney said:

I thought she would need to inform them of the change because her elderly mum gets Council Tax reduction based on her benefits and what the daughter earns. I didn't want to give her the answer without getting some clarification first. 

Sorry, the mother receives benefits and CT reductions... and gave away a very, VERY valuable asset...?

CT is the least of her problems, I suspect.

theartfullodger

AdrianC said:Sorry, the mother receives benefits and CT reductions... and gave away a very, VERY valuable asset...?

CT is the least of her problems, I suspect.

+1.  Many might think some  taxpayers might not be keen to hear benefit payments whilst giving away this large asset.

btw I speak as someone in receipt of 6 benefits (old..), so must declare an interest in this matter.

youth_leader

When my daughter came home from Uni I lost my single person CT discount, and ended up paying £700 extra as a lump sum.

AdrianC

Hmmm. Popcorn. There's a good idea.

greatcrested

youth_leader said:

When my daughter came home from Uni I lost my single person CT discount, and ended up paying £700 extra as a lump sum.

You mean after she finished her course, or dueto studying fromhome due to Covid? If the latter, as a student she'd not affect your discount eligibility.

youth_leader

When she finished her degree and came back to live at home greatcrested.  She didn't stay at home long and I was able to get the discount again, thankfully, my pension isn't stretching as it used to.