Flatmate not paying council tax

Former Member

Ever since I found a council tax letter addressed to my flatmate on the stairs, open but discarded, so I grabbed it and brought it in. Since then ive been a bit para shes purposely dodging it.

Today I found an outstanding council tax bill addressed to her and it sounds serious. Will me and my bf be liable for this (he stops being a student in a few weeks. I dont want to get caught up in this. We've only lived here 2 months and both been students the whole time, im just worried now the OH is not a student soon.

Is there anything I can do short of moving out to make sure me and my bf dont get lumped with this debt. Or will we be fine cause the letter is specifically for her, and I would guess its old non payment as shes been a student the last two years. Can anyone help me out?

Former Member

I would open it, see what it says.

Former Member

I would think, if your name(s) aren't on the bill, you're not liable.

Former Member

Each council tax account has one name or if its a couple two names. They pay and get the money off other occupiers according to a share.

Has your flatmate got her own account for paying council tax? if so you're not liable. Sometimes with houseshare people renting get separate council tax accounts

One account- one bill, two accounts- two bills

Former Member

see i was told that whoever lived in the house was liable regardless of whoevers name was on the bill. That said, if it got as far as court you could obviously prove that you had only been living in the house a specific length of time so only responsible for a certain percentage of it. council tax is as normal in a houseshare unless there is two or more students living in it AFAIK.

when me and my TWO HOUSEMATES lived in a shared house with one of them as a student we were told the council tax stands, and if two of us had been students it wouldve only have been a 25% discount off the full amount.

If your housemate is working she has to pay it. If she is a student she doesn't. if you are working you would be required to pay it. if you are all students you dont need to pay it but you need to make sure that all your exemption forms have got in or you may be issued with ccjs/court demands etc.

Did you not talk about council tax when you moved in?

Former Member

Hey there,

Council tax has us all a bit confused at times; even those that may have been paying it for years!

You might like to read the Citizen Advice Bureau's guidance on Council Tax for more information. You can jump straight to the section 'Who has to pay council tax' if you like.

As well as knowing the rules about Council Tax and your rights, it might also be a good idea to talk to your flatmate about the letter she has received and if she has been paying her share. Voicing your concerns at this stage may prevent this situation turning into a complicated mess.

If you have further concerns about this or you receive letters from the courts or the council, then you can contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau for further help.

Hope this helps.

Former Member

Sorry to drag this up but its progressed. Shes just got the final notice and legal actions are being taken, what does this mean for us. The letter acknowlegdes were not liable, but its being passed to the sheriffs, does this mean people are gonna come in to the flat and take stuff up to the value of her debt? Will they be able to touch our stuff? We dont have a lockable door on our room, and we've got quite alot of moderately expensive technology and stuff. Can anyone help me, im stressing like mad?

Former Member

You are best to contact your local CAB for advice. Scotland has slightly different rules when it comes to debt collection frm England. I don't think anyone needs to tell you that this is starting to get very serious, so knowing your exact legal position is advantagous.

Former Member

Hi again AThiefAWhoreAndALiar,

I'm sorry I can't answer your questions specifically.

However, just like Avizandum said this problem is getting more serious and it is best if you seek advice from someone who knows what they are talking about.

You can ask your local council for further information. Most councils have some tenancy relation officer's who may be able to help, so ask to speak to them.

Also like I said in my last post, you can contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau for advice.

I hope it gets resolved soon!

Former Member

im a student and i had to do some research for my bf because he was living with a non-student.

if you are a student and you live with a non-student you are just as liable for council tax. if all of you are student, the house is exempt. NOT the individuals. if there is students living there with non-students then the tax amount is reduced but still it will be around 75% of original amount.

you need to talk to the flatmate and find out whats going on because if you are living there then you are liable as well.
have you signed the tenancy agreement? if you have you are just as liable.

Former Member

kirsty06 wrote: »

im a student and i had to do some research for my bf because he was living with a non-student.

if you are a student and you live with a non-student you are just as liable for council tax. if all of you are student, the house is exempt. NOT the individuals. if there is students living there with non-students then the tax amount is reduced but still it will be around 75% of original amount.

you need to talk to the flatmate and find out whats going on because if you are living there then you are liable as well.
have you signed the tenancy agreement? if you have you are just as liable.

Is your bf getting screwed out of council tax then?

Everyone I know who shares with a non student pays the entirety of the council tax themselves. Sounds like your boyfriends flatmate was a bit clever and said 'the council tax is for the HOUSE, you have to pay half . . .'.

Former Member

Who is responsible for paying the bill?
While households can decide among themselves who contributes what, the law sets out who is actually responsible for paying the bill.

Members of a household are divided into categories - owner-occupier, tenant and so on - and for most households the person responsible is the one who appears nearest the top of the list which you can find in ‘Council Tax - who pays and how much’.

If there are two or more household members who fall into the same category, they’re usually jointly responsible for paying the whole bill.

But the rules are different if you’re considered a full-time student or not ‘counted’ because you’re in education or training. In these circumstances, you can only be held responsible if you - and only you - are in a category that’s higher up the list than all other members of your household (for example, you’re an owner-occupier and everyone else is a tenant).


From here http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/LifeAtUniversityOrCollege/DG_071488

Former Member

ShyBoy wrote: »

Is your bf getting screwed out of council tax then?

Everyone I know who shares with a non student pays the entirety of the council tax themselves. Sounds like your boyfriends flatmate was a bit clever and said 'the council tax is for the HOUSE, you have to pay half . . .'.

well thats the way bournemouth work. full time student are 'disreguarded persons' meaning they arent counted when calculating council tax. and therefore a discount can be recieved.
http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Residents/CouncilTax/Council_tax/Discounts_Exemptions/Single_Person_Discount_and_Status_Discounts.asp

Former Member

Hey there AThiefAWhoreAndALiar,

Have you found the answers you were looking for? Has this issue been sorted yet?