Annex Council Tax/ Landlord Dilemma

Jeepers_Creepers

Hi GG.

Who knows what the true situation is with this 'annex'. It could be perfectly legit, or the need for PP and BC conformity may have long since expired, the LL could be paying an appropriate level of CC on its behalf....

Ok, I suspect that ain't the case, for the same reasons you do. But you started renting this place out and were seemingly accepting of the situation as being 'normal' and legit - until, tsk tsk, you started reading threads on this forum. What are you like!

Do as you feel you should, but I'd lay odds that should you bring this to the LL's attention with a request to know "What's going on?" or bring it to the council's attention, you will almost certainly be homeless.

I don't mean that in a retaliatory way, but from a good number of other reasons; the annex's energy rating is too low so he cannot rent it out, the cost of making the annex conform to building regs is prohibitive, PP enforcement action is taken by the council, BCO comes in and reckons some elements are unsafe, whatever.

Your call.

Alan2020

I think you will need to keep all the CT aside, it is not maybe but the council will come for its money years down the line.  Happened to a friend, you never get away from CT so make sure you are getting value for money.
You are better off finding an alternative place, eventually a council drone flight with IR scanner will reveal people in sheds - which will result in most cases a raid by HM Border services, where you will be taken into custody in a humiliating manner, asked to prove if you are British, whilst all the neigbours look at you.  How do I know this happens, almost regularly in certain parts of Kent where illegal immigrants are housed in remote villages in slave like conditions.
Also report her, do you want a vulnerable person to be exploited by someone like this?  Also when the council eventually send you a CT demand and you move out - how will you know they sent it to you, you will end up with a CCJ for non payment affecting your life.  You cannot plead ignorance.  Its landlords like this that make it awful for people who rent.

Niv

Deleted_User said:

Niv said:

I have had so many issues with houses in the past and have finally found somewhere I like and feel settled.
Sounds like you are about to self destruct the above statement if you report your LL. It is of course your right to do so but I would expect to get evicted in due course. You also risk destroying your relationship with your landlord and depending on how they react you could find things like post going missing etc. until you leave.

Personally I would save an amount equal to the council tax potentially due so it can be paid if the issue arises. If you feel that uncomfortable about the situation I would look for somewhere else to live and move out. If you then chose to report the landlord once you have left is up to you.

Thank you. I certainly don't want to report the LL, I don't feel it's up to me to do so. She has been operating this way for years and that's her responsibility - I wouldn't want to affect her life like that. However, I just want to do the right thing and the situation makes that pretty difficult! I am overly conscientious and that is causing a bit of angst. I agree that putting some money aside in the eventuality the council get in touch is a good idea. 

Then for the sake of your own wellbeing and feeling settled I would just save the money you suspect may be owed and continue as you are. If after a few months its really bothering you then I would consider moving.

Of course there are morals and what's right and wrong. I could easily say you should report her, you should move out etc etc but real world, we only live once and if you are otherwise happy and settled there after a period of previous housing issues I would let sleeping dogs lie on this one.

[Deleted User]

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Hi GG.

Who knows what the true situation is with this 'annex'. It could be perfectly legit, or the need for PP and BC conformity may have long since expired, the LL could be paying an appropriate level of CC on its behalf....

Ok, I suspect that ain't the case, for the same reasons you do. But you started renting this place out and were seemingly accepting of the situation as being 'normal' and legit - until, tsk tsk, you started reading threads on this forum. What are you like!

Do as you feel you should, but I'd lay odds that should you bring this to the LL's attention with a request to know "What's going on?" or bring it to the council's attention, you will almost certainly be homeless.

I don't mean that in a retaliatory way, but from a good number of other reasons; the annex's energy rating is too low so he cannot rent it out, the cost of making the annex conform to building regs is prohibitive, PP enforcement action is taken by the council, BCO comes in and reckons some elements are unsafe, whatever.

Your call.

Thank you JC. I have rented similar properties in the past and the rent has been 'all in'. I didn't really question it until I read about CT for a self contained unit mentioned on this forum, which I wish I'd never done! 

Hence, my quandary. I don't want to land the LL in it, nor bring it to her attention (she almost certainly knows what she's doing and as someone mentioned above, I doubt it would be well-received). I just don't want to get into trouble or feel like I'm being dishonest now I am aware of this (I certainly wouldn't have willingly chosen to evade CT), but there is no alternative that realistically means I get to stay here.

[Deleted User]

Niv said:

Deleted_User said:

Niv said:

I have had so many issues with houses in the past and have finally found somewhere I like and feel settled.
Sounds like you are about to self destruct the above statement if you report your LL. It is of course your right to do so but I would expect to get evicted in due course. You also risk destroying your relationship with your landlord and depending on how they react you could find things like post going missing etc. until you leave.

Personally I would save an amount equal to the council tax potentially due so it can be paid if the issue arises. If you feel that uncomfortable about the situation I would look for somewhere else to live and move out. If you then chose to report the landlord once you have left is up to you.

Thank you. I certainly don't want to report the LL, I don't feel it's up to me to do so. She has been operating this way for years and that's her responsibility - I wouldn't want to affect her life like that. However, I just want to do the right thing and the situation makes that pretty difficult! I am overly conscientious and that is causing a bit of angst. I agree that putting some money aside in the eventuality the council get in touch is a good idea. 

Then for the sake of your own wellbeing and feeling settled I would just save the money you suspect may be owed and continue as you are. If after a few months its really bothering you then I would consider moving.

Of course there are morals and what's right and wrong. I could easily say you should report her, you should move out etc etc but real world, we only live once and if you are otherwise happy and settled there after a period of previous housing issues I would let sleeping dogs lie on this one.

Thank you, really appreciate your balanced response! Yes, I think it's all to easy to say 'report her' etc but don't want to impact her life in this way. I'm just concerned about my own role in this really.

[Deleted User]

I'm just wondering if it might be worth offering to contribute to her council tax (the 25% that would mean she's not paying the single person's discount) since there clearly isn't only one adult living on her property, but I also don't live in the main house. Just worried.

Slithery

Deleted_User said:

I'm just wondering if it might be worth offering to contribute to her council tax

A terrible idea. If the council do find out it will be you that's liable for the backdated council tax, not your LL. So you would have just given the money away instead of saving it yourself to pay off the amount owed.

[Deleted User]

Slithery said:

Deleted_User said:

I'm just wondering if it might be worth offering to contribute to her council tax

A terrible idea. If the council do find out it will be you that's liable for the backdated council tax, not your LL. So you would have just given the money away instead of saving it yourself to pay off the amount owed.

Ok, thank you for such a firm response. I feel like there's no solution other than to put the money aside with the possibility I might need to pay up eventually, which I'm fine with but would rather do so upfront. 

Skiddaw1

I'm with the majority concensus. Keep the money aside in case and leave it at that. I honestly don't think there's a viable alternative (other than deciding your concience dictates you have to move on). If I were you I'd stay, certainly for the time being.

[Deleted User]

Skiddaw1 said:

I'm with the majority concensus. Keep the money aside in case and leave it at that. I honestly don't think there's a viable alternative (other than deciding your concience dictates you have to move on). If I were you I'd stay, certainly for the time being.

Thank you Skiddaw. I suffer from anxiety and struggling to determine at the moment what is just my anxiety out of control or whether it is a legitimate concern. Certainly not a situation I would have chosen to find myself in (I naively thought that my 'bills included' rent would cover CT too), but as you say, there doesn't seem to be a viable alternative that will result in me being able to remain here.