To pay or not to pay (council tax)

Former Member

I'm on a dodgy situation. I've been renting a flat out for a year now, no contract was signed, there was no tenancy agreement, I just moved in with an existing tenant who I didn't know.

The landlord lives down south (the flat I'm renting is in Manchester).

The guy I moved in with had been living here 1 month, and then went to live elsewhere after 2 months of me living here. He left with not much said. I just pay a fixed rate £400/month to the landlord and pay utilities. I'm now moving out to another apartment which is official, I've applied and there is a tenancy agreement and contract which is the way I like to do things. When I told my current landlord I was moving it he said I need to pay council tax....which I discovered is £1340 for the year.

My friend who is a student moved in on September last year and is also due to move out in a month, he didn't sign anything either. The landlord has since rang up the council and told them I am now liable to pay all the council tax.

Is this fair?

What would you do? I can't fork out £1340 just like that.

Former Member

Well yeah, because if you don't pay he will have to. Hardly fair as you are living there.
If you are on your own you will be intitiled to a 25% discount.

Former Member

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Former Member

But why didn't he say when I moved in, and what about the guy who lived here before me? The landlord wants me to pay for the entire time I was living with some other guy (infact, he put me down as being liable to pay for the past 16 months....)

Rgds

Former Member

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Former Member

aerosexual wrote:

The landlord has since rang up the council and told them I am now liable to pay all the council tax.

have you not spoken to the council then?

Former Member

Well, first off, the no contract thing works both ways. You're saying he has put you down for whatever number of months, what evidence is there as to how many of those you have actually been there for?

I guess that you have to pay for the weeks that you were there for, but you should get 25% discount for single occupancy.

Or an unscrupulous person could just leave.

Former Member

it's not that unscrupulous really, there isn't a contract so technically you're not a tenant, there's nothing to prove how long you've stayed there so how will he take you to court......? personally i'd just leave, he's being an arse by not saying anything in the first place and then trying to take the burden of responsibility away from himself and demanding the money off you.........well out of order.........i'm in a similar position atm where im renting without a contract, it's not ideal but i trust the lady, if she were to slap me with a council tax bill i'd be out the door before you can say fee fi fo fum......

Former Member

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Former Member

aerosexual wrote:

What would you do?

I would get the fuck out.

JsT

Crocidolite wrote:

I would get the fuck out.

:yes:

Former Member

girl with sharp teeth wrote:

If there is no evidence that you have ever been there (and the landlord doesn't have any signed tenancy agreement from yourself to prove your tenancy), then there is nothing that ties you to the liability for the council tax.

Guess who's just had her last day at the council?:p

Basically don't tell the council anything, and deny all responsibility for anything. Unless there is something with your name on that ties you to that property then don't pay a penny.

If the utility bills were in your name you may have some problems.