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Registering for council tax

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  • housebuyer143
    housebuyer143 Posts: 4,257 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited 9 January 2024 at 2:15PM
    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
    user1977 Posts: 17,783 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Is there perhaps confusion with being registered to vote? Are you on the electoral register?
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 18,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 9 January 2024 at 4:46PM
    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. 
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • scoros
    scoros Posts: 11 Forumite
    First Post
    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
    lincroft1710 Posts: 18,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Have given a full explanation on your other thread
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 18,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    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.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • scoros
    scoros Posts: 11 Forumite
    First Post
    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
    housebuyer143 Posts: 4,257 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    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
    tealady Posts: 3,850 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Mortgage-free Glee!
    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.
    Find out who you are and do that on purpose (thanks to Owain Wyn Jones quoting Dolly Parton)
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 18,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    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
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
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