Backdated Council Tax From Lanlord Question (HMO)?

by **ring** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 7:16 pm

i moved into my house 3 months ago and i am currently on benefits, my landlord applied for council tax benefits when we moved in, she got denied about a week ago after trying to esculate it and was told she was responsible due to it being a house of multiple occupancies.

Now she has came with a letter that me and my friend who shares the house to sign and pay £397 (backdated council tax that she has already paid) immediatley and £99 on the 20th of every month. can she by law make us pay the £397? in our tenancy it states we have to register and pay council tax we did register but wasent held liable also i know that landlords are allowed to charge tenants on top of there rent for the council tax which she failed to do so and also failed to add the extra charge in the tenancy agreement! i dont mind paying the £99 a month thats fine but can she charge us the £397 when we we was told they was going to deal with it, without any prior notice & when the council told her she was the person liable. i just think its really unfair for one minute tell us we wont have to pay it because of council tax benefit and now slap a £397 bill. I no she is allowed to pass on that cost to the tenant through the rent, but you cannot simply pass on the bill to the tenant, as this is assigning your liability for the tax, which is not allowed right?

by **favian** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 7:17 pm

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by **hawiovi** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 7:20 pm

You and your friend were living there at the time so you both have to pay the backdated council tax.

by **berwin** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 7:27 pm

If your tenancy agreement says you are liable for council tax, you are.

If it doesn't, the landlord can't suddenly add it!

Talk to the tenancy relations officer (in the housing dept) at your local council.

by **merla15** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 7:32 pm

nothing to do with the question but dont you believe in writing legible english, or did you not bother with english at school?

However - back to the question

She is the "responsible person" and is responsible for actually paying the council tax, but that dont mean others in the house do not have to pay their fair share of it to her.

your agreement clearly shows that you are responsible for paying your OWN council tax,

However - what IS your council tax?
How was the £397 arrived at?
How was the £99 arrived at?

YOU are only responsible for paying YOU portion of the total council tax for the house since its in multiple occupancy . Since we have no idea how many tenants there are OR what the council tax for the house is, then there is no ways to determine if the £397 and £99 are fair or not
(just cos you registered and were found not liable does NOT mean you are not responsible for paying your share of it to her)

However even if fair I dont think she has the right to demand immediate payment for the £397 rather pay it off over the rest of the year.

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