Council Tax on purchased property 300%.

Vixmag82

_shel said:

 Yes its fair. Government cuts mean the council is having to cut jobs and services everywhere. 

 Empty homes are a blight on the city and cost the council revenue. Have you been to liverpool to see just how many are standing empty? 

I live in Liverpool so yes I see this. Shouldn’t new owners be given the benefit of the doubt that they are going to make a property fit to live in which is helping the problem. Then if left empty start charging them

Vixmag82

Carl2510 said:

Never heard someone say someone is doing the council a favour by buying a property doing it up and then selling it presumably for profit! 🧐

My parents are taking a run down property and fixing it up to make a small profit so someone can buy an affordable home.  My dad is an out of work musician and my mum is a nurse who has worked her butt off the last 40 odd years. They have taken the money left to them by my Nan to try and make a bit of money before my mum retires on !!!!!! pension. Thanks for the helpful reply though. 

Vixmag82

macman said:

Hannimal said:

They are wealthy enough to own two properties at once. Yes, that comes with a cost

But not much of a cost. Lots of properties in Liverpool are available from £15,000, and if you buy for renovation at auction, probably for much less. You can buy half the street for a modest BTL investment. Hence the popular Kop refrain "We all live in a Robbie Fowler house".

No they are not rich. my dad is an out of work musician and my mum is a nurse who has worked her but off the last 40 odd years. They have taken the money left to them by my Nan to try and make a bit of money before she retires on !!!!!! pension. Thanks though. 

[Deleted User]

Vixmag82 said:

Carl2510 said:

Never heard someone say someone is doing the council a favour by buying a property doing it up and then selling it presumably for profit! 🧐

My parents are taking a run down property and fixing it up to make a small profit so someone can buy an affordable home.  My dad is an out of work musician and my mum is a nurse who has worked her butt off the last 40 odd years. They have taken the money left to them by my Nan to try and make a bit of money before my mum retires on !!!!!! pension. Thanks for the helpful reply though. 

 Fair enough. Maybe try haggling with the council. No idea about wendy simon but joe anderson would reply to mail, twitter etc and would be helpful 

Vixmag82

Crashy_Time said:

Vixmag82 said:

Hi all. 

My parents just bought a house to do up and contacted Liverpool city council to set up the council tax account. They need to do work on it before they can sell it. They were informed that as the previous owner left the property empty for 8 years they have to pay 300% council tax adding up to almost £400 per month. Plus the council tax on their own property which is £150. They are doing the council a favour surely by doing up a property so it doesn’t rot away. We figured once they bought the property and spent 6 months doing it up that the account would start as new so paying 100% for first year it is empty. Is there a way around this? Surely this isn’t right? Almost £5000 a year! 

Thanks 

Yes sounds strange that the clock doesn`t start again when a new owner tales over, very unfair IMO, but the key is to do the research before you buy? Why do they want to keep an empty property though?

Thank you. It does seem unfair. It will only be empty until they do the work needed and it is either sold or rented out. They will do this as quickly as possible. 

Vixmag82

_shel said:

Vixmag82 said:

Carl2510 said:

Never heard someone say someone is doing the council a favour by buying a property doing it up and then selling it presumably for profit! 🧐

My parents are taking a run down property and fixing it up to make a small profit so someone can buy an affordable home.  My dad is an out of work musician and my mum is a nurse who has worked her butt off the last 40 odd years. They have taken the money left to them by my Nan to try and make a bit of money before my mum retires on !!!!!! pension. Thanks for the helpful reply though. 

 Fair enough. Maybe try haggling with the council. No idea about wendy simon but joe anderson would reply to mail, twitter etc and would be helpful 

Thank you. I will look into it. 

AdrianC

...but the key is to do the research before you buy? Why do they want to keep an empty property though?

Thank you. It does seem unfair. It will only be empty until they do the work needed and it is either sold or rented out. They will do this as quickly as possible. 

It's one of the perfectly predictable costs of doing a project like this, and it really is something they should have picked up on doing their homework before taking the project on...

It's a bit like forgetting to take the cost of the plasterer into account.

DoctorStrange

What's to stop one parent registering to live at the new home, and the other at the current home?

Would both not get the 25% single person discount so in effect they'd pay 150% instead of 400%?

[Deleted User]

DoctorStrange said:

What's to stop one parent registering to live at the new home, and the other at the current home?

Would both not get the 25% single person discount so in effect they'd pay 150% instead of 400%?

Other than the fact neither parent will be occupying the property? 

davidmcn

DoctorStrange said:

What's to stop one parent registering to live at the new home, and the other at the current home?

Would both not get the 25% single person discount so in effect they'd pay 150% instead of 400%?

The fact that it would be fraud? And that the council are probably going to query whether a couple have suddenly decided to reside in that fashion over the two properties they (presumably) jointly own.