Council tax chasing me for rebanding a flat I shared in 2019

Derby21

Any advise would be grateful, I lived in a shared flat in 2019 with some randoms I payed the council tax bill as they paid other bills.
On Saturday I received a court summons in the post for that address, no previous correspondence to my forwarding address.
I now find out its because they rebranded the property and have back dated. any advice on this as I never got any other letters telling me about this and also I shared that flat.

lincroft1710

If your name was solely on the CT bill then it is irrelevant that you shared the flat. If there were other names on the CT bill, then because of "joint and several" liability a council can pursue any one of those people for the CT debt. You in turn could pursue your co-sharers for their share of the debt.


For an upward rebanding to be backdated is rare in England (but not Wales). You can check the date of rebanding by checking the CT band on the govt website. Only If the effective date of the rebanding is after you vacated the flat would you have a defence for not paying the increase. Having received no previous correspondence does not negate your liability for the debt.


The court hearing allows a council to obtain a liability order in respect of the debt. Whether or not you accept you are liable for the debt contact a Senior Revenues Officer (or similar title) at the council and discuss the matter.