Local Authority Request for Information.

inspectorperez

One of my adult children has recently moved back into the family home which has been owned and occupied by my wife and I for over 30 years. We have during that time paid Council Tax each year as you would expect.

 I have recently received an email from a Revenue Officer at the Council requesting details of who owns the property.

This has left me puzzled and my first inclination is not to provide a factual answer to this question and certainly not in the form of an email response.

Does anyone know if it is normal for a Local Authority to make such an enquiry, particularly when the full amount of tax has been paid from the very beginning of ownership without any form of concession or discount?

Willis75

inspectorperez said:

One of my adult children has recently moved back into the family home which has been owned and occupied by my wife and I for over 30 years. We have during that time paid Council Tax each year as you would expect.

 I have recently received an email from a Revenue Officer at the Council requesting details of who owns the property.

This has left me puzzled and my first inclination is not to provide a factual answer to this question and certainly not in the form of an email response.

Does anyone know if it is normal for a Local Authority to make such an enquiry, particularly when the full amount of tax has been paid from the very beginning of ownership without any form of concession or discount?

Did you inform the council that someone else had moved in?

inspectorperez

My son completed the relevant Council Tax form notifying that he was moving out of the rented property he was occupying. The form required details of where he was moving to and he answered this question by declaring that he was moving to parents address which happens to be in that same Local Authority.

Fergie76

Why would you not want to answer the question?

I assume you are satisfied that it has come from a genuine council email address?

inspectorperez

Fergie76 said:

Why would you not want to answer the question?

I assume you are satisfied that it has come from a genuine council email address?

Why would anyone wish to answer an unsolicited request coming in the form of an email enquiring about who owns the property they live in?

Fergie76

inspectorperez said:

Fergie76 said:

Why would you not want to answer the question?

I assume you are satisfied that it has come from a genuine council email address?

Why would anyone wish to answer an unsolicited request coming in the form of an email enquiring about who owns the property they live in?

It wasn't unsolicited though, there has been a change in your circumstances.

If you are unsure it came from your council, give them a call and confirm.

The owner of the property can affect who is liable for the council tax, so it is a pertinent question.

Silvertabby

Are you claiming council tax benefit?

inspectorperez

Silvertabby said:

Are you claiming council tax benefit?

Never ever claimed a penny.

inspectorperez

Fergie76 said:

inspectorperez said:

Fergie76 said:

Why would you not want to answer the question?

I assume you are satisfied that it has come from a genuine council email address?

Why would anyone wish to answer an unsolicited request coming in the form of an email enquiring about who owns the property they live in?

It wasn't unsolicited though, there has been a change in your circumstances.

If you are unsure it came from your council, give them a call and confirm.

The owner of the property can affect who is liable for the council tax, so it is a pertinent question.

There has been no change in circumstances that would affect my Council Tax liability.

There have been no changes in ownership since the property was first acquired over 30 years ago.

Full Council tax has been paid each year.

So far as I am concerned therefore there is nothing to notify.

Or are you suggesting that if an adult member of your family comes to live with you, there should be some form of notification even though it does not affect the quantum or parties responsible for paying the tax? Even if that were the case, why ask who owns the property after having been in receipt of the full Council tax amount for over 30 years?

Fergie76

inspectorperez said:

Fergie76 said:

inspectorperez said:

Fergie76 said:

Why would you not want to answer the question?

I assume you are satisfied that it has come from a genuine council email address?

Why would anyone wish to answer an unsolicited request coming in the form of an email enquiring about who owns the property they live in?

It wasn't unsolicited though, there has been a change in your circumstances.

If you are unsure it came from your council, give them a call and confirm.

The owner of the property can affect who is liable for the council tax, so it is a pertinent question.

There has been no change in circumstances that would affect my Council Tax liability.

There have been no changes in ownership since the property was first acquired over 30 years ago.

Full Council tax has been paid each year.

So far as I am concerned therefore there is nothing to notify.

Or are you suggesting that if an adult member of your family comes to live with you, there should be some form of notification even though it does not affect the quantum or parties responsible for paying the tax? Even if that were the case, why ask who owns the property after having been in receipt of the full Council tax amount for over 30 years?

Yes.  You have duty to notify the Council of any changes that MAY affect your Council Tax, this includes any one over the age of 18 moving in or out of your property.

The council just want to check that there had been no change in ownership, I'm sure you would be the first to complain, if the held you liable for something you weren't liable for.

MalMonroe

Sounds like they just want to do a check that you're paying the right amount, which you obviously are.

You should be able to access your own council tax account online, just register with your council online. Then you can see exactly what you're being charged and what you're paying. And also get the correct phone number to call the council because you don't trust the email (which, given the number of scams going around, is perfectly reasonable). Just phone and ask if they sent the email, if so why and what they need the information for. Or send a secure message online once you can access your council tax account.