COUNCIL TAX FOR A RENTED ROOM IN AN HMO (House in Multiple Occupation)

JulieDH

I thought she had the only room with en suite but apparently they all do and they have all been billed individually.  I am having trouble understanding how this change occurred on 23rd January when she has lived there since August 2021 but I guess, at the end of the day, she will have to pay the bill.  Thank you for all your comments.

in_my_wellies

JulieDH said:

I thought she had the only room with en suite but apparently they all do and they have all been billed individually.  I am having trouble understanding how this change occurred on 23rd January when she has lived there since August 2021 but I guess, at the end of the day, she will have to pay the bill.  Thank you for all your comments.

Seems the council are on to a good thing. If there are five occupants all paying Band A I suspect that adds up to more than when the house was billed as a normal dwelling 

macman

She must speak to the LL, and find out what has triggered this, and seek an immediate rent reduction to reflect the proportion of CT that he was charging on top of the rent.

macman

in_my_wellies said:

JulieDH said:

I thought she had the only room with en suite but apparently they all do and they have all been billed individually.  I am having trouble understanding how this change occurred on 23rd January when she has lived there since August 2021 but I guess, at the end of the day, she will have to pay the bill.  Thank you for all your comments.

Seems the council are on to a good thing. If there are five occupants all paying Band A I suspect that adds up to more than when the house was billed as a normal dwelling 

It's the VOA who decide what the classification is, nothing to do with the council. Their only role is to bill it and collect it.

lincroft1710

macman said:

She must speak to the LL, and find out what has triggered this, and seek an immediate rent reduction to reflect the proportion of CT that he was charging on top of the rent.

As there was apparently no mention of CT in the tenancy agreement, I would put money on the LL saying that the rent did not include an element for CT.  

in_my_wellies

macman said:

in_my_wellies said:

JulieDH said:

I thought she had the only room with en suite but apparently they all do and they have all been billed individually.  I am having trouble understanding how this change occurred on 23rd January when she has lived there since August 2021 but I guess, at the end of the day, she will have to pay the bill.  Thank you for all your comments.

Seems the council are on to a good thing. If there are five occupants all paying Band A I suspect that adds up to more than when the house was billed as a normal dwelling 

It's the VOA who decide what the classification is, nothing to do with the council. Their only role is to bill it and collect it.

OK, I understand your point. Do the council spend the money? Someone is onto a good thing

macman

in_my_wellies said:

macman said:

in_my_wellies said:

JulieDH said:

I thought she had the only room with en suite but apparently they all do and they have all been billed individually.  I am having trouble understanding how this change occurred on 23rd January when she has lived there since August 2021 but I guess, at the end of the day, she will have to pay the bill.  Thank you for all your comments.

Seems the council are on to a good thing. If there are five occupants all paying Band A I suspect that adds up to more than when the house was billed as a normal dwelling 

It's the VOA who decide what the classification is, nothing to do with the council. Their only role is to bill it and collect it.

OK, I understand your point. Do the council spend the money? Someone is onto a good thing

Yes, obviously the council gain with more properties liable, but my point was that they have no way to influence the VOA to list or delist a property: they get what the VOA decides.

macman

lincroft1710 said:

macman said:

She must speak to the LL, and find out what has triggered this, and seek an immediate rent reduction to reflect the proportion of CT that he was charging on top of the rent.

As there was apparently no mention of CT in the tenancy agreement, I would put money on the LL saying that the rent did not include an element for CT.  

Very likely, but the tenants have nothing to lose by asking.

JulieDH

macman said:

lincroft1710 said:

macman said:

She must speak to the LL, and find out what has triggered this, and seek an immediate rent reduction to reflect the proportion of CT that he was charging on top of the rent.

As there was apparently no mention of CT in the tenancy agreement, I would put money on the LL saying that the rent did not include an element for CT.  

Very likely, but the tenants have nothing to lose by asking.

Thank you for all your comments.  My daughter contacted the landlord and, despite there being no mention of council tax in her tenancy agreement, he has agreed to lower her rent by £50 per month.  This means that, if she gets the SPD, she will be paying £25 per month more than she is at the moment.  She is happy with that as she didn't expect the landlord to do anything about it.  Thank you everyone for all your input.  It just shows it is always worth asking.

lincroft1710

JulieDH said:

macman said:

lincroft1710 said:

macman said:

She must speak to the LL, and find out what has triggered this, and seek an immediate rent reduction to reflect the proportion of CT that he was charging on top of the rent.

As there was apparently no mention of CT in the tenancy agreement, I would put money on the LL saying that the rent did not include an element for CT.  

Very likely, but the tenants have nothing to lose by asking.

Thank you for all your comments.  My daughter contacted the landlord and, despite there being no mention of council tax in her tenancy agreement, he has agreed to lower her rent by £50 per month.  This means that, if she gets the SPD, she will be paying £25 per month more than she is at the moment.  She is happy with that as she didn't expect the landlord to do anything about it.  Thank you everyone for all your input.  It just shows it is always worth asking.

That has restored my faith in humanity! Is he backdating the rent decrease?