I moved out of my flat to provide full time care for Mum - am I exempt from Council Tax?

duvet_day666

I moved out of my flat in 2021, and moved in with my Mum to provide full time care for her.

She started claiming Attendance Allowance in Feb 2023, and I started claiming Carer's Allowance at the same time. 

The property was rented out between March 2022 and Nov 2023, and the Council Tax was being paid by the tenants. I was making no profit, and not even able to cover the mortgage. 

The flat was unsellable due to cladding issues.

The tenants moved out in Nov 2023 and the property has been vacant since then. 

I rang the Local Authority to ask whether I was eligible for Council Tax exemption since Nov 2023, as a person who has moved out to provide care - one advisor told me outright no, and two other advisors said yes you might be "it looks like you are, according to our website". I made an application but am waiting to hear back from them. It seems that even the advisors aren't sure. 

I was wondering what people on here think.

Bookworm105

your property is unoccupied and is no longer your main home because you are living at your mother's in order to provide full time care at mother's

that is the Class J exemption for CT on your own property (provided it remains unoccupied) 
I have yet to see a council's website which does not explain each class of CT exemption/discount - go look on yours.

The issue in your case would appear to be proving the date your claim can start from.
The fact one person at the council gave you wrong info should be a cause for a formal complaint to the council because council staff should not answer if they don't know as these are facts based on statute law   

DE_612183

I think it depends on whether it's furnished or not as well - if furnished it gets treated as a second home and here in Wales that mean DOUBLE council tax!

Where is the property?

duvet_day666

Thank you so much for your comment! That is very reassuring. 

Yes, I will have to prove the tenants moved out on Nov 2nd and transferred the CT back to my name. 

Hopefully the CT officers will agree to an exemption, and then I will file definitely a complaint - to stop other people from going through what I did. That advisor seemed so cruel and said things like "well the senior back office haven't offered you exemption, and they know best so you are not exempt." And then I started talking about offering token payments of £30 per month, because their next step is a Court Order. And the advisor said "Can you not offer more, like £100?". It was really awful. 

Anyway, thanks a lot for your comment.

duvet_day666

DE_612183 said:

I think it depends on whether it's furnished or not as well - if furnished it gets treated as a second home and here in Wales that mean DOUBLE council tax!

Where is the property?

Hmm, it's got a bed, a sofa and a fridge in it. And it's in the borough of Slough. 

DE_612183

as Bookworm says - you need to speak to them and tell them it's a Class J exemption: 

https://www.slough.gov.uk/council-tax-reductions-exemptions/exemptions/4

Have you filled out this form?

https://www.slough.gov.uk/xfp/form/310

duvet_day666

Hi DE_612183, yes I have filled out that form online.

I have also emailed them a letter outlining the history of the property (when it was tenanted, when the tenants moved out, the fact that it's under the process of being sold to a buyer etc) and sent them all the photographic evidence of my Mum's and my benefits from the DWP. But I haven't heard back yet. The bed, sofa and fridge are part of the sale, and the house is basically clear of all my other belongings - I've changed my correspondence address on bank statements etc.  I haven't actually set foot in it since September 2021.

DE_612183

Have you had a confirmation that the form has been received?

If not print one out and take it to your local office or hub and get a receipt for it.

duvet_day666

DE_612183 said:

Have you had a confirmation that the form has been received?

If not print one out and take it to your local office or hub and get a receipt for it.

Well, after filling in the form, I was sent an automated response, which contained an auto generated receipt in the form as an attachment. 

And then I posted an email about the Class J exemption to the CT officer that I had been emailing back in April. I haven't had any acknowledgement though that human being has actually seen anything that I've sent. 

Thing is, I'm in a completely different borough from Slough - I cant get there because of caring duties (actually I'm in Wales!).

duvet_day666

I'll phone up and ask whether a human has seen the email.

Thank you very much for your comments and advice. 

DE_612183

Is your flat in Wales, or your parent house?