I am currently contracted into a room in a three bed house until the end of June. I am employed, there is one other employed person and one student in the house. Under this contract I am contracted to pay half of the council tax bill until the end of my tenancy (i.e. June). Currently we pay the landlord our shares of the council tax and then the landlord pays the council.

I am moving out this month (April). I have notified the landlord. I have asked him to notify the council that I will be moving out on the 10th April and that therefore there will be one student and one employed person living in the house. I said that there would be a 25% reduction and that therefore the money that we pay to him for the council tax will be reduced.

He is refusing to do this and has stated that he would be lying to the council if he told them I had moved out. Very confusing. He has yet to give a reason why this would be a lie!

I have spoken to the council about this on a no names basis and they agree with my opinion. I have moved out of other properties prior to my tenancy ending and ending the council tax in one and starting it in the other has never been a problem before.

The landlord is very stubborn and I have had a number of problems over contractual issues with him before. I have also been informed by my new letting agents that he has withdrawn his "good" reference as "I won't comply with the contract". I am sure this is not an acceptable move when we are still in discussions.

Can anyone give me any advice on what to do to make my landlord see sense? Or what I can do if the landlord refuses to tell the council? Could I ring the council and tell them that I have moved out and then amend my payments to the landlord as a result? This is all a bit ridiculous and a lot of hassle over something that is fairly simple.

You don't need the L/L to tell the council, you can notify them yourself.