Hi and thanks for the in depth reply. What is a Licence Agreement? We used assured Shorthold as that's what the agents at that time gave us. And no, neither contract stipulates who is liable for council tax. Me and my mother have now changed our tenancy to a joint one and submitted this to the council. As far the CT goes I don't have a problem in being made liable as we are both exempt from it. We also had no idea about the difference in tenancies we just submitted what the agents gave us.

Hi All, my first post here wondering if anyone can help please? Me and my mother are renting a property from my father under Assured Shorthold Tenancy. I am a Carer for my mother and both of us are receiving Housing Benefit making us not liable for Council Tax. We have seperate tenancies until now. The Housing department visited us recently saying we were being paid as one bed self contained person when we should've been under 1 tenancy and a house of shared facilities - ie with one Tenancy and both our names. We've been liable for Council Tax for over 3 years and have been exempt throughout this time. Now, because of the change of status of our tenancies by the Housing dept they've informed Council Tax who have now made my father - Landlord - liable for Council Tax, backdating it 3 years with a bill of £6,000. I've contacted them and they explained that as the house was being paid as one bedroom with self contained and has now changed to shared facilities my father is now liable for all the Council Tax bills from 2009. I tried to explain we didn't know what difference it made to have seperate tenancies or one and nobody explained anything nor said anything all these years but they just ignore it. Can they backdate so far and they have admitted it was their mistake, in that, 'our claim was on their system this way' so after 3 years we now have to pay without any notice?? Anyone please help? Thanks Shane