Council Tax Liability

[Dazednconfused88]

Hi everyone!

 

A bit of background first...

 

I live in a converted 3 bed flat that shares the same door/flat number with a 1 bed flat below (let’s just say our shared door number is 3A for this example).

I share this flat with two others who are not related so I believe this qualifies for HMO.

The 1 bed flat below is a couple.

We do not have any shared facilities. 

 

I have lived in the property for over 5 years and have never had a contract in this time, neither have the various people that have been and gone in the time that I have lived there and we have all paid our rent individually to the LL.

 

When I first moved in, one of the previous tenants told me that council tax was covered which didn’t seem out of the ordinary as the flat is HMO and we never had any letters through.

 

When the couple downstairs moved in about 4 months ago, they have seemingly queried the council tax banding for their 1 bed property as it was band D.

An officer came round and was surprised to see that 3A was in fact two properties. 

My landlord (who owns both properties) is now asking me to contact the council to get this sorted.

 

I am now fearing that I am going to be asked to pay an incredible sum because it would seem that our flat upstairs has never been registered as a dwelling.

I have had a look on the gov website and it shows the council tax banding record for 3A has been deleted so I’m not sure if I am best to call up and just ask for both properties to be valued?

 

I haven’t asked my landlord if he has been paying it as I don’t want anything in writing that could be used against me before I get advice first (I am going to follow this up with CAB). 

 

Bit of a long one but any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[honeybee13]

Hi.

 

I expect people will be along to comment later. But I'm not sure why your landlord wants you to sort out the council tax issue when it's their property.

 

Also, what does your tenancy agreement say about council tax please?

 

HB

[Dazednconfused88]

Hi HB,

 

I’ve never signed a tenancy agreement. Anytime someone moves out we just let the landlord know and arrange for someone to move in ourselves. 

 

Thanks

[unclebulgaria67]

Landlord needs to resolve this, not the tenants.

 

When the house was split into 2 units, this should have been registered with Council. Council can then rate the 2 properties properly.

 

Wait until you have spoken to CAB before you do anything.