Hi, moved house (and city) a couple of months ago, to a new rented flat. The council in my new place have sent me a "liability enquiry form". They have my name, but actually it's addressed to the wrong flat.

At the bottom of the form, they state if I am not the owner, then I have to give them details, not only of all of the occupiers, but also the landlord's name and address, my previous address. I've never had to give that before.

Are they entitled to this by law? If not, then they are being nosey, and chancing their arm, and I have no intention of returning this form.

Can anyone advise me. I know that by law they have a right to ask for information about occupiers. The rest seems dubious to me.

subbing

You can tell them that under the dpa you are entitled to make a charge for the information. They charge so do it back.

Really? I've never heard of somebody doing this. Can anyone elaborate on the legal basis for this?

So - what I should do - I will tell them I live there but should withhold the landlord information and previous address and explain to them I will charge for this?

Your legally obliged under reg 3 of the council tax (adminstration and enforcement regs) 1992.

Information from residents, etc.

3.—(1) A person who appears to a billing authority to be a resident, owner or managing agent of a particular dwelling shall supply to the authority such information as fulfils the following conditions—

(a) it is in the possession or control of the person concerned;

(b) the authority requests (by notice given in writing) the person concerned to supply it; and

© it is requested by the authority for the purposes of identifying the person who, in respect of any period specified in the notice, is the liable person in relation to the dwelling.

 

(2) A person on whom such a notice as is mentioned in paragraph (1) is served shall supply the information so requested—

(a) within the period of 21 days beginning on the day on which the notice was served; and

(b) if the authority so requires, in the form specified in the request.

 

(3) In paragraph (1)—

(a) "managing agent" means any person authorised to arrange lettings of the dwelling concerned; and

(b) the reference to the liable person is a reference to a person who is liable (whether solely or jointly and severally) to pay to a billing authority, in respect of a particular dwelling, an amount in respect of council tax; and includes a reference to a person who in the opinion of the authority will be so liable