Flatmate refusing to pay council tax

Fatbadger_2

Baldytyke88 said:

Fatbadger_2 said:

Thanks all. Looks like I have to pay a debt owed 50% by another and it's sanctioned in law. I can see why this might be right in some circumstances, but for sharing rental accommodation it's a very unfair situation. I'm not going to waste money chasing the waster who moved out, but I might find his car 🤔😎

Since you got a 25% discount by fraudulently not declaring your flatmate, they could pursue you for the other 25%

I haven't got a discount. But i can imagine why someone might state that to the council if the chances of getting a flatmate to pay up is so tricky...

Fatbadger_2

Does anyone know what the best way would be in future to ensure a housemate doesn't disappear without paying? Is a written agreement worth the paper it's written on? Is there a template contract I could use? Or ask the agent to write it into the tenancy?

Many thanks 

Fatbadger_2

Hypothetical Q: If a council knows both flatmates addresses, will the council pursue both for 50% each or do they tend to choose one person for 100%? How do they decide who to go after for a joint debt?

Thanks for all the info, all very helpful 👍

BarelySentientAI

Fatbadger_2 said:

Hypothetical Q: If a council knows both flatmates addresses, will the council pursue both for 50% each or do they tend to choose one person for 100%? How do they decide who to go after for a joint debt?

Thanks for all the info, all very helpful 👍

They'll try and pursue both for 100%.  Starting with the one who's named on the original bill.

Just like they didn't send each of you a bill for 50% of the CT at the time. 

Again, this hypothetical is because you are still seeing it as a 50/50 debt.  To the council, and legally, it isn't.

Fatbadger_2 said:

Does anyone know what the best way would be in future to ensure a housemate doesn't disappear without paying? Is a written agreement worth the paper it's written on? Is there a template contract I could use? Or ask the agent to write it into the tenancy?

Many thanks 

If someone's going to ignore a legal debt to the council, which they know will certainly be chased by someone with deep pockets for lawyers, then I doubt they'll care too much about a private written agreement.

Would putting the CT in their name originally help at all? Possibly not much.

It's just like someone not paying their share of the utility bill or grocery bill - what can you really do?

lookbook

So did you pay it in full?

prowla

Oh, I missed the bit about only declaring single residency and getting a 25% discount. In telling the council that there were in fact two people there, they might come back for the extra 25% too.

lincroft1710

Look at it another way.


You are having to pay 100% of the CT bill, but when you were living on your own you were paying 75%, so you are only paying 33.33% extra 

Fatbadger_2

lincroft1710 said:

Look at it another way.


You are having to pay 100% of the CT bill, but when you were living on your own you were paying 75%, so you are only paying 33.33% extra 

Very funny Lin.
Hope it makes you feel a little better trolling people who rent and have been ripped off by a flatmate 👍

Fatbadger_2

prowla said:

Oh, I missed the bit about only declaring single residency and getting a 25% discount. In telling the council that there were in fact two people there, they might come back for the extra 25% too.

You've misread. Thanks for your input, no more required, cheers

Fatbadger_2

lookbook said:

So did you pay it in full?

No i am about to but wanted to know if there was any way to get the other tenant to pay their half... Seems virtually impossible without deep pockets for legal advice