Council tax - will they get me?

StevenP_2

TBeckett100 wrote: »

i left CT unpaid in a few properties for a few years. what happened?

i complained about something unrelated, they ran a search and sent me all the bills.

LOL

Dont mean to laugh mate but it`s the candid way you said it:D

tbs624

chappers wrote: »

In my opinion you would have a moral obligation to your housemates to pay your share just like the other bills, student or not would it be fair to not pay it just because you couldn't get taken to court for it.

Chappers - it's not just that a student cannot be taken to court for it, they actually have exemption from paying Council Tax provided that they get their certificate from their college or university confirming that they are registered.

For example if one non-student shares a house with 3 students, then the one non-student would qualify for a discount , as if s/he lived alone.

crispsandwich

Thanks for all the replies.

It's a bit of a strange situation. Although I am still in contact with the University (and can still log into my Uni email and web account), I am still required to re-enroll and have a letter saying I'm 'taking a break'. I've had to join another cohort of Nursing students.

So I think I may be liable. The thing that has annoyed me (apart from having to find the cash) is that the other female is a student and she could have just said nothing. I think she just wants revenge for me nagging her to pay gas and electric like everyone else does (we pay on a meter and she hardly ever puts money on, we all pay more than her).

It's a HMO with no council tax liability as we were all students when we moved in. 1 of us has been a non-student since October and I took a break from my course at the start of January. I start back in the first few days of May. Wonder how much I'll owe?

Thanks for the replies. Always helpful

tbs624

Lavendyr wrote: »

Yes, you should be paying council tax, and yes they could ask you for 4 months' worth. .................................so just pay it, you know you owe it.

That may not be the case so perhaps should have been tempered with "my understanding is" or "IMO"??

LittleTinker wrote: »

Dont you think you ought to pay what you owe?

Yes - people should pay what they owe, but my suggestion would be that he doesn't pay anything until it's been properly established whether he qualifies for exemption under the intercalation period rule.

CB1979 wrote: »

tax dodger!!

I think that's a bit harsh and unnecessary IMO when the OP hasn't given all the details that would allow any of us to arrive at that conclusion.

lismarie wrote: »

I used to work in CT years ago, for my sins!!! I would have to check the legislation about your student status

Unfortunately, in my experience there are people *currently* working within some Council Tax departments who do not know
the full rules relating to students, and it can often take several phone calls, letters and visits before they will admit that they got it wrong.:)

pinkshoes

crispsandwich wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies.

It's a bit of a strange situation. Although I am still in contact with the University (and can still log into my Uni email and web account), I am still required to re-enroll and have a letter saying I'm 'taking a break'. I've had to join another cohort of Nursing students.

So I think I may be liable. The thing that has annoyed me (apart from having to find the cash) is that the other female is a student and she could have just said nothing. I think she just wants revenge for me nagging her to pay gas and electric like everyone else does (we pay on a meter and she hardly ever puts money on, we all pay more than her).

It's a HMO with no council tax liability as we were all students when we moved in. 1 of us has been a non-student since October and I took a break from my course at the start of January. I start back in the first few days of May. Wonder how much I'll owe?

Thanks for the replies. Always helpful

If I were you, I'd just work out how much you owe for that 4 months, send a cheque to the council (detailing the months you were employed, your name, address etc...), then tell your housemates you've spoken to the council and have sorted your share of the bill.

I'd also move out. I used to live with someone who wouldn't pay council tax. She was doing a gap year in the middle of her course to learn english and get some work experience. She was paid the same as the rest of us, but didn't think council tax was fair, so refused to pay it, and then when they said she was liable, she somehow got her french uni to write a letter saying she was a student here!

I really can't stand people who treat their "friends" like sh*t over money matters. If you're liable, then pay!!

tbs624

pinkshoes wrote: »

She was doing a gap year in the middle of her course to learn english and get some work experience. She was paid the same as the rest of us, but didn't think council tax was fair, so refused to pay it, and then when they said she was liable, she somehow got her french uni to write a letter saying she was a student here!

That will be because students completing that sort of year as part of their degree *are* still classed as students. Again some Council Tax workers don't always understand that one. The student remains registered with the University and they even get to pay their University tuition fees for that year even though they're not physically at the University - maybe just in case there is an administrative crisis that requires Uni intervention.

pinkshoes wrote: »

I really can't stand people who treat their "friends" like sh*t over money matters. If you're liable, then pay!!

I'd agree with that, with the emphasis on the "if".

chappers

tbs624 wrote: »

Chappers - it's not just that a student cannot be taken to court for it, they actually have exemption from paying Council Tax provided that they get their certificate from their college or university confirming that they are registered.

For example if one non-student shares a house with 3 students, then the one non-student would qualify for a discount , as if s/he lived alone.

I am fully aware of how the system works, and as I said a moral duty.
If I was sharing with a student friend and was left to pay the whole(75%) of the council tax on my own I wouldn't be very happy. How about if say an electricity bill was in your name and I said as I cannot be found liable for that bill I'm not going to pay my share.

If you can't afford to pay your share of the bills move in with another load of students so the property will become exempt.

tbs624

Crisp Sandwich - please see PM.

tbs624

chappers wrote: »

I am fully aware of how the system works, and as I said a moral duty.
If I was sharing with a student friend and was left to pay the whole(75%) of the council tax on my own I wouldn't be very happy. How about if say an electricity bill was in your name and I said as I cannot be found liable for that bill I'm not going to pay my share.

If you can't afford to pay your share of the bills move in with another load of students so the property will become exempt.

Think we may have to agree to disagree on this one.

The electricity bill is a different issue entirely IMO, and if tenants are wise they have the utilities put into the names of all those on the Tenancy Agreement. The electricity bill is charged for all electricity used at the property, presumably used by all occupants therefore it is right that its a shared cost. Council Tax is levied only on the non-student occupant(s), and whilst the student occupants may indeed want to volunteer to share it my view is that there is no obligation upon them, moral or legal. If all the occupants were originally students, perhaps the solution is the other way around, ie if you are classed officially as a non-student and are working then move out to share with other working people?

pinkshoes

tbs624 wrote: »

That will be because students completing that sort of year as part of their degree *are* still classed as students. Again some Council Tax workers don't always understand that one. The student remains registered with the University and they even get to pay their University tuition fees for that year even though they're not physically at the University - maybe just in case there is an administrative crisis that requires Uni intervention.

Really? Well her "gap year" was nothing to do with the university. It was her idea to take the year out, so she wasn't a student. I did the same inbetween my 2nd and 3rd year, and was liable for council tax! So does that mean I can claim it all back?!?! (or does it depend on different local authorities???)