Student Council Tax Question.

[Renya]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm a university student, during my second year I rented a house with a friend (boy) from my course and someone he had previously lived with who was a third year student (girl), we lived there between September-July and we were all full-time so we claimed an exemption for council tax. Today my friend received a letter from a bailiff at his parent's house addressed to both him and me, but not the third person, saying that we owe about £250 in unpaid council tax, we then realised that the third person had finished university in June, and was therefore no longer classed as a student for the final month we lived there, whilst both of us had another year to complete.

 

We contacted the council and they asked for an address to contact the third person, as the boy was the lead tenant on the TA only his address is on there, we managed to contact the third person and she told us she was on holiday and won't be back until the end of the month, she refused to give her address but we've managed to get her name added onto the bill.

 

I've done some research and it seems that we are not liable as we are still students (the council website states that the exemption lasts for as long as we are students) and that the third person will have to pay, is this true? If so, how do we go about making sure she pays if she refuses to give any information? Obviously we don't want to disturb her whilst she is on holiday but we are both keen that my friend's parents do not get any trouble for something that has nothing to do with them.

 

Thanks in advance.

[id6052]

you mention that the boy was the lead tenant

 

what type of tenancy agreement(s) did you have?

 

1. did you have a joint tenancy agreement with everybody names on one agreement?
   
2. were only some of you named on tenancy agreement? if so, who?
   
3. did you have individual agreements?
   

£250 sounds like a very high council tax if it has been calculated for one month (with a 25% discount)

[Renya]

Hi,

 

We were on a Joint Tenancy, we all signed it but only the boy's address was on it, it reads something like

 

"This is an agreement between:

Landlord, his address

and

Our names, the boy's address"

 

I originally thought that as we were all on the same agreement then we'd all be liable, but I've found some information on the NUS website which says that in our situation only the person who is liable for the tax has to pay. I agree that £250 is a lot, but I haven't yet seen the bill (I've asked him to forward me a copy) and he mentioned that some bailiff fees had been added on, I should also add that the flat was in London, in a fairly expensive area (Blackheath), although the rent was £500pcm.

[id6052]

as it was a joint tenancy, the only person liable to pay council tax on the property is the non-student

 

i would suggest contacting the council and requesting that your name and the boy's name be removed from the bill

[Renya]

Brilliant, thanks very much for your help, I will be ringing the council first thing tomorrow .

 

Any ideas on how to chase the girl for the money? We don't know her address (have tried 192, BT, the letting agent etc with no luck) and it looks like she won't give it to us, or is it the council's problem?

 

Thanks again.

[id6052]

really it is the council's problem

 

i suspect they might be a bit funny/reluctant about removing your names without knowing her address, but stick to your guns

[Renya]

Excellent, thanks again.

[Dotty50]

Hi Renya, my son was a student in London and had a similar problem.

 

I just happened to be at his house one day and answered the door to Bailiff's and I got the impression the they were preparing to clamp my car which was on the drive!

 

I told them in no uncertain terms that the bill related to previous tenants and the present occupants (all students) were not liable and they went away without any problem.

 

I thought I would warn you just in case so ensure that the council get your names removed. It took my son a while to get it sorted but he didn't have any more knocks on the door.

[Renya]

Hi Dotty,

 

Sounds scary! Funnily enough whilst we were living at the flat we got a note through the door in the from a bailiff in the previous tenant's names saying we owed them £600 worth of Council Tax, we phoned them and told them it was nothing to do with us but they still visited once more, we showed them our agreement and didn't hear anything else, here's hoping this won't take too much time.

[Dotty50]

Sounds as though you are very prepared Renya, good luck with the rest of your course.

 

Students and tenancies, what a nightmare they can be.

 

Second son finishes this year, thank goodness!

[revshelp]

According to Section 9(2) Local Government Finance Act 1992 (amended by Section 74 Local Government Act 2003 ) joint and several liability will not apply where a person is disregarded as a student.