Council tax liability in a HOM - included in rent?

playabledemo

Hello I'm new here, sorry for any errors!
My young adult daughter has recently moved from a flat in North London for which she paid council tax, no problems. She moved to a HOM with higher rent, but bills and council tax included so overall cheaper. When she moved out of the flat, she informed Haringey council and told them her new address. They are now automatically billing her for her new address. She's told them that it's included in her rent and they asked her to send a copy of her rental agreement, which she did.

 They are now saying that's not good enough and her landlord must contact them to provide proof.
Her landlord is not happy with her that she's "broken her contract" by paying council tax herself. 

She is confused and upset, as she was just trying to do the right thing by telling the council she was moving. and also now struggling to make these payments. 

I've tried to read up on HOMs and it says landlords are usually liable but seems a bit of a grey area? Renting in London seems like a different (brutal!) world to me!

If anyone could offer any advice I would be very grateful, thank you. 

CSI_Yorkshire

playabledemo said:

Her landlord is not happy with her that she's "broken her contract" by paying council tax herself. 

The LL might not be happy because they didn't want the council to know they were running a HMO.  That's not your daughter's fault.

lincroft1710

What exactly is your daughter renting? If it is a room with ensuite or kitchen facilities, then she probably should have a CT band for the part she occupies and would be responsible for paying the bill.


Also if this is the case it is doubtful if there is planning or building re.gulations consents for an ensuite or kitchen.


But if it just a room with kitchen and bathroom shared with other occupiers of the house it would appear to be a CT HMO and one CT band for which the landlord is responsible

propertyrental

confused by the 3 properties:. Please clarify.

playabledemo said:

..... recently moved from a flat in North London for which she paid council tax (so property 1), no problems. She moved to a HOM (you mean HMO I assume) with higher rent, but bills and council tax included so overall cheaper.(so property 2)  When she moved out of the flat, she informed Haringey council and told them her new address.  (so property 3) 

They are now automatically billing her for her new address. (do you mean property 3?)She's told them that it's included in her rent and they asked her to send a copy of her rental agreement, which she did.

 They are now saying that's not good enough and her landlord must contact them to provide proof.
Her landlord is not happy with her that she's "broken her contract" by paying council tax herself. 

She is confused and upset, as she was just trying to do the right thing by telling the council she was moving. and also now struggling to make these payments. 

I've tried to read up on HOMs and it says landlords are usually liable but seems a bit of a grey area? Renting in London seems like a different (brutal!) world to me!

If anyone could offer any advice I would be very grateful, thank you. 

Is property 3 the one in dispute?
Is property 3 an HMO (or just property 2)?
Or is property 2 in dispute?
f property 2 is the issue, what exactly does the tenancy agreement say? And is it
a) an HMO? (how many people, family groups, floors etc)
b) registered with the council as an HMO?

lincroft1710

propertyrental said:

confused by the 3 properties:. Please clarify.

playabledemo said:

..... recently moved from a flat in North London for which she paid council tax (so property 1), no problems. She moved to a HOM (you mean HMO I assume) with higher rent, but bills and council tax included so overall cheaper.(so property 2)  When she moved out of the flat, she informed Haringey council and told them her new address.  (so property 3) 

They are now automatically billing her for her new address. (do you mean property 3?)She's told them that it's included in her rent and they asked her to send a copy of her rental agreement, which she did.

 They are now saying that's not good enough and her landlord must contact them to provide proof.
Her landlord is not happy with her that she's "broken her contract" by paying council tax herself. 

She is confused and upset, as she was just trying to do the right thing by telling the council she was moving. and also now struggling to make these payments. 

I've tried to read up on HOMs and it says landlords are usually liable but seems a bit of a grey area? Renting in London seems like a different (brutal!) world to me!

If anyone could offer any advice I would be very grateful, thank you. 

Is property 3 the one in dispute?
Is property 3 an HMO (or just property 2)?
Or is property 2 in dispute?
f property 2 is the issue, what exactly does the tenancy agreement say? And is it
a) an HMO? (how many people, family groups, floors etc)
b) registered with the council as an HMO?

I think there are only 2 properties, the flat the daughter moved out of and the HMO she moved into

playabledemo

lincroft1710 said:

propertyrental said:

confused by the 3 properties:. Please clarify.

playabledemo said:

..... recently moved from a flat in North London for which she paid council tax (so property 1), no problems. She moved to a HOM (you mean HMO I assume) with higher rent, but bills and council tax included so overall cheaper.(so property 2)  When she moved out of the flat, she informed Haringey council and told them her new address.  (so property 3) 

They are now automatically billing her for her new address. (do you mean property 3?)She's told them that it's included in her rent and they asked her to send a copy of her rental agreement, which she did.

 They are now saying that's not good enough and her landlord must contact them to provide proof.
Her landlord is not happy with her that she's "broken her contract" by paying council tax herself. 

She is confused and upset, as she was just trying to do the right thing by telling the council she was moving. and also now struggling to make these payments. 

I've tried to read up on HOMs and it says landlords are usually liable but seems a bit of a grey area? Renting in London seems like a different (brutal!) world to me!

If anyone could offer any advice I would be very grateful, thank you. 

Is property 3 the one in dispute?
Is property 3 an HMO (or just property 2)?
Or is property 2 in dispute?
f property 2 is the issue, what exactly does the tenancy agreement say? And is it
a) an HMO? (how many people, family groups, floors etc)
b) registered with the council as an HMO?

I think there are only 2 properties, the flat the daughter moved out of and the HMO she moved into

Yes correct there are 2 properties. She moved out of property 1 (flat) into property 2 (HMO). Its a room with shared bathroom and kitchen. 4 other tenants. one of those big old victorian houses with basement. 

kingstreet

Is it licenced as an HMO?

playabledemo

lincroft1710 said:

What exactly is your daughter renting? If it is a room with ensuite or kitchen facilities, then she probably should have a CT band for the part she occupies and would be responsible for paying the bill.


Also if this is the case it is doubtful if there is planning or building re.gulations consents for an ensuite or kitchen.


But if it just a room with kitchen and bathroom shared with other occupiers of the house it would appear to be a CT HMO and one CT band for which the landlord is responsible

She's renting a room with shared bathroom and kitchen. 4 other tenants in the property (they seem to come and go often though) Her rental agreement says landlord is responsible for council tax. 
Thank you all for the replies. 

playabledemo

kingstreet said:

Is it licenced as an HMO?

I dont know sorry. Is there a way to find out?
I've just looked up the council tax, its band D. The amount they are taking from her monthly is the amount for the whole property.

playabledemo

aha I've just found out there is. The property has been registered as a HMO since last month. Interesting! (She's been there 3 months).
I've told her the Licence reference number to give to the council - hopefully that might help... 

Jonboy_1984

playabledemo said:

kingstreet said:

Is it licenced as an HMO?

I dont know sorry. Is there a way to find out?

https://www.haringey.gov.uk/housing/landlords/multiple-occupants/hmo-licensing-register

Looking at this page:
https://new.haringey.gov.uk/council-tax/tell-us-about-a-council-tax-change/tell-us-youre-moving-home 

Did she follow the moving within Haringey page to move her account from one address to another? I would probably have used the moving out of Haringey page and let them contact her to query it later.