Overcharged for part year of council tax?

gemando

So we will contact the council about this on Monday to check but have tried searching to find out what's supposed to happen in this instance and can't find anything.

We have been renting out my partners house and the tenants moved out the end of September so for this year they have been paying council tax from April to September (7 months) we assume.

We've just got the bill through to us for the rest of the year (ie 5 months) and it is saying £755.75 is owed for 30/9 to 31/03, with payments of c. 151 from Nov to March (5 payments). The 5 payments do add up to £755.75 so their maths is right there. 

However we are confused where the £755.75 remaining balance comes into it. The annual cost is £1507.38 and depending on whether the tenants opted for a 10 or 12 month period that should leave a remaining balance of either £628.04 or £452.20 (£1507.38 divided by 12 or 10 then multiple by the 7 paid months to date). 

The 10 month monthly cost would be c.151pm so it looks like they have just taken the monthly charge for the 10 month payment period and charged us for the remaining period omitting the usual Feb/March break (though they don't appear to be taking an October payment from us).

Am I missing something or are they overcharging us for the remaining 5 months of the year? Surely its just a set price for the year and we should just be paying off the remaining balance not paid by the tenants? Hopefully this all makes sense!

snootleboop

April-September is 6 months, not 7.

Assuming you became responsible for the council tax from 30/09, you will be liable for 183 days until 31/03. £1,507.38/365*183 = £755.75.

gemando

snootleboop said:

April-September is 6 months, not 7.

Assuming you became responsible for the council tax from 30/09, you will be liable for 183 days until 31/03. £1,507.38/365*183 = £755.75.

Oh so it is (reminder don't try counting after a glass of red 😅)

So does that mean the amount paid to date doesn't make a difference? I guess if they paid at the 12 month payment period rate the maths is about right for 755.75 left to pay anyway (apart from a few pence from probably the first month which is usually different) so I suppose it does.

lincroft1710

Your tenants will be charged for the number of days of their occupation. If they had overpaid (which could easily happen if payments are over a 10 month period) they will be refunded their overpayment. A new taxpayer cannot take advantage of any overpayment by the previous taxpayer.

Fergie76

You may be eligible for an exemption of discount.

My local council offer a vacant and unfurnished discount for up to 6 months from the date the property was last occupied.  This is on the property and NOT the liable party, so if the previous liable party used the whole 6 months, there is none left for the new liable party.

They also offer a 10% discount for vacant and furnished properties.  You should enquiry as to what, if an exemptions/discounts are available to you.

However, their calculation is correct.  The Council Tax is a daily charge, usually spread over 10 months.  Most people call Feb and Mar, free months, however, they are not, just that most people have usually paid them over the proceeding 10 months.

lincroft1710

Fergie76 said:

You may be eligible for an exemption of discount.

My local council offer a vacant and unfurnished discount for up to 6 months from the date the property was last occupied.  

It should b emphasised that it is up to the relevant council whether or not they offer an unoccupied  discount. Fergie 76's council is probably an exception, apparently most councils no longer offer this discount

Fergie76

lincroft1710 said:

Fergie76 said:

You may be eligible for an exemption of discount.

My local council offer a vacant and unfurnished discount for up to 6 months from the date the property was last occupied.  

It should b emphasised that it is up to the relevant council whether or not they offer an unoccupied  discount. Fergie 76's council is probably an exception, apparently most councils no longer offer this discount

I'm in Scotland.

lincroft1710

Fergie76 said:

lincroft1710 said:

Fergie76 said:

You may be eligible for an exemption of discount.

My local council offer a vacant and unfurnished discount for up to 6 months from the date the property was last occupied.  

It should b emphasised that it is up to the relevant council whether or not they offer an unoccupied  discount. Fergie 76's council is probably an exception, apparently most councils no longer offer this discount

I'm in Scotland.

The rules are the same North of the Border, it is up to the council whether or not they give empty home discount

gemando

Thanks all. No empty home discount for us! Trying to sell it asap as stuck paying the council tax in full for now. 

Understand why they do it to minimise empty properties, but surely a 3 month grace period, maybe with proof the home is on the market, wouldn't go amiss!

lincroft1710

gemando said:

Thanks all. No empty home discount for us! Trying to sell it asap as stuck paying the council tax in full for now. 

Understand why they do it to minimise empty properties, but surely a 3 month grace period, maybe with proof the home is on the market, wouldn't go amiss!

Far simpler and keeps the amounts payable per band lower for all CT payers if there is no empty home discount. Revenue lost through EHDs has to made up by other CT payers

gemando

lincroft1710 said:

gemando said:

Thanks all. No empty home discount for us! Trying to sell it asap as stuck paying the council tax in full for now. 

Understand why they do it to minimise empty properties, but surely a 3 month grace period, maybe with proof the home is on the market, wouldn't go amiss!

Far simpler and keeps the amounts payable per band lower for all CT payers if there is no empty home discount. Revenue lost through EHDs has to made up by other CT payers

In theory yes yet our council tax went up even when they got rid of EHDs