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Council Tax - What if my partner moves into the annexe?
Comments
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Do remember OP, that probably everyone on this thread including me has no more experience of this than you do unless they declare their professional expertise (and even then it could be false).
My suspicion is there are plenty of folk who might be envious of someone who owns a property large enough to contain an annex.
If you have all the evidence as you described that you are living apart, how the heck is anyone to know ? Council resources are stretched and they are hardly going to waste even more funds paying for someone to spy on you and check whether or not you really are living separately. The double taxation is outrageous and in my view you should carry on living "separately"… Anyone telling you it is fraud possibly has other motives such as jealousy.
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Nothing to do with "jealousy". Saying you are living apart in order to get a reduced CT bill, when you are not living apart is CT fraud. It is something councils will check upon as it is probably the oldest trick in the book. Also suggesting someone do something unlawful is against Forum rules
As I have said in a previous post I believe the council are not correct in charging double CT on an annex as it is not a second home.
If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales8 -
Council resources are stretched, however an address where they believe that double CT is due which suddenly has a couple who are claiming to live separately is absolutely ripe for checks - if they're not separated it is fraud.
Whether double CT is appropriate is a different question entirely. I'm not personally jealous of someone who has a big house with an annex, more maintenance, heating costs... And I'm happy with my current spot.
Personally, I'd look at whether there are things that could be done to the annex to make it more difficult to classify it as a separate property.
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"Personally, I'd look at whether there are things that could be done to the annex to make it more difficult to classify it as a separate property."
Wouldn't that be bordering on fraud as well? What is the difference between me claiming someone suddenly moved in and me suddenly ripping out a toilet etc.? In both cases I would take desparate measures to avoid the level of CT they claim we have to pay.
And whatever next? Are they going to pass legislation prescribing how many bedrooms a home can have? For instance, if there are more bedrooms than occupants, they could slap on some extra CT to "nugde" us towards downsizing? - Honestly, I don't think this is very far fetched.
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Well what’s stopping you from incorporating the annexe into the rest of the house, if you don’t seem to have any need or intention to use it as an annexe?
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No. The OP and their husband live in the property as though it is one place, they aren't separated and presumably also have no plans to divorce.
However because there are two kitchens/bathrooms two lots of CT are due - do they need a cooker in the annexe? Would removal change how they live in the property?
If I understand the issue, the annexe is used a bit like a separate garden room that many people put in during the pandemic - but these don't usually attract separate CT. So how can the OP get to that position with the annexe they are using in the same way, legitimately and without making false claims about their marriage.
Alternatively if they don't want to pay 2X CT then they should sell and buy somewhere without this difficulty.
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A physical change to a property so it ceases to be 2 dwellings for CT purposes is most definitely NOT fraud!
If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales3 -
Neither would be fraud in my view and therefore not against forum rules as someone suggested. However, being unfriendly is against forum rules. 😁
As you point out, some of these rules are ridiculous and almost deserve to be followed in an unexpected way. Folk make up and break up all the time. The details of their relationship should not affect the amount of council tax they pay. Or will the council employ private detectives to snoop on couples in the bedroom ?
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yes that is what they do. They investigate when they believe they are being lied to such as look at joint benefits claims, shared bank accounts, speak to neighbours etc
2026 wins - Parker Pen, American Sweets bundle, dish magic bundle, NEU shots & a NEU training T-shirt
3 -
Presumably at some point it was a granny flat but it's no longer needed as such and could be modified to become part of the main house.
Removing an unused kitchen wouldn't be fraudulent. Neither would, for example, fitting an internal door so you don't need to go outside to move between rooms.
@OP - can you elaborate on why they can't be joined for CT reasons?0
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