Registering for council tax

housebuyer143

scoros said:

Thanks for your reply. I’m pretty sure my father hasn’t ever claimed the 25% discount as he and my mother lived together in the same house (I moved away in my early 20s for work but returned several years ago), and obviously won’t claim it now while I’m still around. I am on the electoral roll and switched address for my bank accounts etc a long time ago. 

I understand there’s a hierarchy of liability for council tax payment and according to this my father remain solely liable as the house is in his name (I’d be regarded as a “resident licensee” i.e. I live in his home with his full permission). However I am drawing up a couple of LPAs for my father to help deal with his finances etc as he gets older, so hopefully I can assume responsibility for council tax while he’s still officially liable.

Honestly I don't think the council cares who lives there as long as someone is registered and pays the tax. They are not going over property deeds to ensure the names match up. 
They would only be interested who lives there if sole occupancy is claimed.

user1977

Is there perhaps confusion with being registered to vote? Are you on the electoral register?

lincroft1710

In the circumstances you describe, unless you are a co-owner of the property with your father, you have no council tax liability. A person will only be named on the CT bill if they are a tenant or occupying owner or non occupying owner if the property is an HMO.or empty. 

scoros

user1977 said:

Is there perhaps confusion with being registered to vote? Are you on the electoral register?

Yes, I’m on the electoral roll. I think my father may have been thinking of the poll tax (which would have applied to every adult in a household regardless of status etc). 

lincroft1710

Have given a full explanation on your other thread

lincroft1710

housebuyer143 said:

scoros said:

Thanks for your reply. I’m pretty sure my father hasn’t ever claimed the 25% discount as he and my mother lived together in the same house (I moved away in my early 20s for work but returned several years ago), and obviously won’t claim it now while I’m still around. I am on the electoral roll and switched address for my bank accounts etc a long time ago. 

I understand there’s a hierarchy of liability for council tax payment and according to this my father remain solely liable as the house is in his name (I’d be regarded as a “resident licensee” i.e. I live in his home with his full permission). However I am drawing up a couple of LPAs for my father to help deal with his finances etc as he gets older, so hopefully I can assume responsibility for council tax while he’s still officially liable.

Honestly I don't think the council cares who lives there as long as someone is registered and pays the tax. They are not going over property deeds to ensure the names match up. 
They would only be interested who lives there if sole occupancy is claimed.

The council will care as they have to be certain they are billing the person(s) liable to pay the CT. The OP is not a liable person.

scoros

eskbanker said:

As above, it's unclear what this has to do with credit cards…

My fault - didn’t realise I was on the wrong board. Thanks for the rest of your answer though - very helpful!

housebuyer143

lincroft1710 said:

housebuyer143 said:

scoros said:

Thanks for your reply. I’m pretty sure my father hasn’t ever claimed the 25% discount as he and my mother lived together in the same house (I moved away in my early 20s for work but returned several years ago), and obviously won’t claim it now while I’m still around. I am on the electoral roll and switched address for my bank accounts etc a long time ago. 

I understand there’s a hierarchy of liability for council tax payment and according to this my father remain solely liable as the house is in his name (I’d be regarded as a “resident licensee” i.e. I live in his home with his full permission). However I am drawing up a couple of LPAs for my father to help deal with his finances etc as he gets older, so hopefully I can assume responsibility for council tax while he’s still officially liable.

Honestly I don't think the council cares who lives there as long as someone is registered and pays the tax. They are not going over property deeds to ensure the names match up. 
They would only be interested who lives there if sole occupancy is claimed.

The council will care as they have to be certain they are billing the person(s) liable to pay the CT. The OP is not a liable person.

The council have bill payer for the address and bills are being paid, so they have a liable person listed.
Whenever I have registered to pay CT they literally ask me where I live and set me up - no more investigation appears to go into it.

tealady

Just make sure you are on the electoral roll. If you are not it can have an adverse effect if you apply for any sort of credit.

lincroft1710

housebuyer143 said:

lincroft1710 said:

housebuyer143 said:

scoros said:

Thanks for your reply. I’m pretty sure my father hasn’t ever claimed the 25% discount as he and my mother lived together in the same house (I moved away in my early 20s for work but returned several years ago), and obviously won’t claim it now while I’m still around. I am on the electoral roll and switched address for my bank accounts etc a long time ago. 

I understand there’s a hierarchy of liability for council tax payment and according to this my father remain solely liable as the house is in his name (I’d be regarded as a “resident licensee” i.e. I live in his home with his full permission). However I am drawing up a couple of LPAs for my father to help deal with his finances etc as he gets older, so hopefully I can assume responsibility for council tax while he’s still officially liable.

Honestly I don't think the council cares who lives there as long as someone is registered and pays the tax. They are not going over property deeds to ensure the names match up. 
They would only be interested who lives there if sole occupancy is claimed.

The council will care as they have to be certain they are billing the person(s) liable to pay the CT. The OP is not a liable person.

The council have bill payer for the address and bills are being paid, so they have a liable person listed.
Whenever I have registered to pay CT they literally ask me where I live and set me up - no more investigation appears to go into it.

A council still has a duty to ensure they are billing the correct person. If a council receives money from someone whom they later discover is/was not a liable person they are obliged to refund that money. So it is incumbent upon them to correctly identify the liable person