Request for payment of council tax when a student

ChickenLicken12

My daughter was contacted in May to say she has to pay £500 of council tax for a property she rented with a friend when they were in their final year at uni. Due to ill health she didn't finish her course until August 23 when she (and her friend) moved out of the property.

Both were full-time students, never received any council bill and were only asked for proof of being student and satisfying the criteria in May which is 17 months after moving in and 9 months after leaving the property.

They submitted any documentation they still had but had a reply from the Council today to say that it wasn't satisfactory and also would not accept any documentation with a previous address on it and was not applicable!!

It went on to say that "to view your Council Tax Account you will need your most recent bill or reminder notice" but they don't that have either so can't see it!.

May 2024 was the first time they knew anything about the issue.

They're going to get back to their unis to get specific documentation to say they were both full-time students during that period but not sure about having that address on it. 

It's causing my daughter a lot of unnecessary worry and basically, saying that my daughter and her friend are not telling the truth when they are - having vicariously lived through the stress of exams during the last year, alongside lecturers' strikes and assessments not being marked plus extortionate fees for little input think you just want someone to give kids a break ... is it that they're just easy game?   




 

swingaloo

Was everyone in the house a full time student. Did they apply for council tax exemption?

fatbelly

A fulltime student (21+ hours of study per week) or someone under 20 doing A levels for 12+ hours per week is exempt from council tax. Get a letter from the Uni showing that level of study for that period

Suzycoll

fatbelly said:

A fulltime student (I think that is 12+ hours of study per week) is exempt from council tax. Get a letter from the Uni.

I think a full time student is someone studying for at least 21 hrs a week ? 

ChickenLicken12

Hi. 

Thanks for replies. 

This is a retrospective - daughter graduated last Nov and was in the property Jan - Aug 23 but got an email about council tax (!?) this May. 

They asked for proof she was a student at that time. She sent in some evidence but they wouldn’t accept it. 

Just don’t get why it’s taken this long to ask for this. 

Both her and friend were full-time students .. 
they’d never applied for an exemption certificate in any property they’d rented. 

They’ve never had a bill nor a final reminder! 

Brie

Landlord probably named them after getting a bill s/he wasn't expecting.  Hence the delay.  Keep sending in the evidence and keep saying this isn't our issue.  Repeatedly.  Councils move at a glacial pace.

lincroft1710

What evidence did your daughter submit, which the council would not accept?

It is incumbent upon your daughter to prove she was exempt from paying CT, not for the council to prove she wasn't.