Council Tax - What if my partner moves into the annexe?

Zweitaktmotor

In short, our house has a furnished annexe, with a separate kitchen and bathroom and (which may be important) a separate entrance door but which is only one step away from our main door.

Both me and my husband are registered as owners of the house and the annexe. We have always received two council tax bills, for each part of the house separately. My husband uses the annexe as an office space and often stays there overnight if he has a stressful work project.

Our local authority now decided to slam us with a 100% second home council tax premium, as they have been allowed to do since last year. However, government advice says that such annexes should be excempt and we intend to appeal the council tax bill.

But here is my question: Would it be possible for my husband to "move out" and declare the annexe his main home? He has lots of personal possessions there anyway.

This would not only remove the second home premium, it would actually entitle each of us to claim a single person discount!!!

Is this at all possible? Is there a difference between a couple being married or merely living together? (Hence me saying "partner" in the subject line.)

Many thanks for your thoughts.

Emmia

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6660395/council-tax-what-if-my-partner-moves-into-the-annexe

Is he legally your husband (married) or your partner (unmarried)?

Zweitaktmotor

We are married. (We do not intend to separate for having a divorce, but for some couples, this may be a consideration.)

marcia_

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6660395/council-tax-what-if-my-partner-moves-into-the-annexe

will he actually be living there full time rather than using it temporarily as he is doing? If not actually living there ie you have separated the council tax would be correct

Zweitaktmotor

What evidence would we have to provide? If anyone came round, even unannounced, they would find food in the fridge, toiletries in the bathroom, single bed being used, work desk covered in papers etc.

Emmia

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81929097#Comment_81929097

If discovered, what you're doing/proposing doing would probably be seen by the Council as fraud.

You'd be pretending to be separated/living separately, but you're actually living together, in a relationship etc.

I think living like this, and claiming 2x single person discount on a property and an associated annex is likely to attract the attention of the council, especially if they want you to pay a higher rate - your address will be on a list for checking.

WIAWSNB

I think the OP knows this.

They are asking if it would be legitimate for each of them to make each property their 'main residence' for CT purposes?

I suspect 'no'.

itsthelittlethings

Just claim the exemption for the annex.

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81929092#Comment_81929092

A married couple with two properties is discussed here

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6596304/married-couple-planning-to-live-separately-what-are-the-council-tax-implications-please

The OP and their partner will have to truly live separately to achieve the CT savings they desire. Anything else (just saying live separately but actually sharing the main house) would be fraud

Zweitaktmotor

Thanks for the separate link. Very inforrmativve.

Yes, we actually only want the premium to be removed, but with previous experience we learned that the council can be difficult to deal with, so we are looking at alternative options.

We understand that the second home premium is intended to bring empty properties back to the market, to stop holiday village decline etc. But applying this to an annexe such as ours seems to be rather unfair.

We cannot sell it separately from our main home, it does not even have separate bills, everything is provided through the main house. And even taking a tenant would be rather difficult, not least due to restricted parking and to the fact that we need this space for ourselves as described in my original post.

The council may agree to our request, but we wanted to be prepared what to do if not.

Keep_pedalling

Is the annex on the same deeds as the main property or are there seperate deeds for each?