Council Tax

[TheApprentice2011]

I don't understand how you have to pay to loads of council tax when you weren't using any of the services. Right the back story is that in July we moved into a new house, at the previous house we had been paying council tax until the date we moved. We took about 2 month's to register and was told we had back payment we said yeah as it was our fault. Today we got a letter saying that the direct debit hadn't been recieved even though we posted it with the check for the 2 month's back payment. So went down there and they told us we have to pay double for the next 4 month's so we have paid the year. Why the hell do we have to pay the whole year when we have only been using the council service's since July. It seem's totaly unfair that you have paid your previous council tax for what you have used and then be charged a whole year for something you have only used for 5 month's so far. By the it is two different councils.

[dave.m]

Council tax runs fro April to the following March so you are paying tax from July to March which will be 8 months plus the part month of July that you lived in your new house.

As for what you actually use and don't use, schools are there, street lighting throughout the area, road surfacing, subsidised bus services, refuse collection, just to name a few. Don't think that you don't pay for what you don't use, because the total costs have to be shared amongst each household, and the bigger and more expensive the house, the more you pay.

dave

[dewaltdisney]

Council Tax consists of two parts 50% for the property and 50% for the occupiers. If there are no occupiers then the charge can be just 50% as an empty property. As soon as you move in this will increase to 75% for one occupier or 100% for two.

Your liability will have started the day you bought the property and your bill would have been apportioned from that date to the 31st March 2012. Instalments are offered on ten equal amounts to finish in January. As you have missed a few months the number of months left to January 12 have reduced to 3 so you would have to pay more to catch up.

Check that the exemptions have been allowed for when the property was empty and that the charge has been properly apportioned.

I think that the bill is probably right and you just have to catch up over a shorter payment period.

The total Council Tax is made up of different components which are normally, Borough Council, County Council which may include Fire and Police. You may live in a unitary authority area where they do it all, or if you are in a rural area you may well have a Parish precept as well.


DWD

[TheApprentice2011]

The property wasn't actually owned by us untill July and the previous council tax was paid, I'm not complaining about paying for the services that I don't use but that I'm paying for services that I was or would not have been using as I was not living there. I have no objection to paying the the council tax at the old property until the contracts went through and then paid the rest of this year for the new property, and then starting the new year when ever it starts. But like this I've paid it twice and for a property that I hadnt owned for the majority of the time. I'll be paying it, but it just seems unfair.

[dave.m]

I don't quite understand your maths.

Did they receive the cheque for two months and the direct debit form or not? If the cheque has not been cashed, they are only asking you to pay double for 4 months = 8 months tax. August to March is 8 months which is what they want paying for plus probably a bit for the days in July.
What does the bill actually say?

[TheApprentice2011]

They recieved the check but lost the the direct debit, they said we ow back pay till january or march when it started this year and this month and the last 2 as they lost the direct debit form

[dave.m]

they said we ow back pay till january or march when it started this year and this month and the last 2 as they lost the direct debit form

I still do not understand which dates you mean, 2011 or 2012?

What does it say exactly on the last bill that you got, months and years and also what payments have been received and when where they for?

It should say something like:
Council Tax for period July xx 2011 to 31st March 2012 is £xyz
CT for period July xx 2011 to Sept 2011 Paid and the amount.
CT for period 1st Oct 2011 to 31st March 2012 Outstanding £xxz

[TheApprentice2011]

2011 and then when the 2012 year start's we will be paying the normal rate.

[dave.m]

You didn't read my previous post properly. Council Taxes are from April 1st 2011 to March 31st 2012 so you will be paying for the first three months of next year in this year's bill.

[wine~o]

If I have read the post correctly they want the balance of this years council tax up front as a result of an admin error?

In Dorset we pay for 12 months between april and jan (Direct debit) so's it divides by 10...so hardly surprising that your council want the balance for the year now when a couple of payments have been missed..

Having said that, if you make all the relevant payments on time for the remainder of this year, and set up a direct debit for next year, you'll have no problems and they can take no action against you.

[dewaltdisney]

They can by law terminate your rights to pay by instalments and demand the whole lot now. Once they issue a Final Demand they can proceed to a Summons and get a Liability Order with about £100 costs added. Do not mess around, get it sorted or an automated process will kick in and the next kick in will be the front door by the Bailiffs.

DWD

[big-all]

my advice is talk to them explain the exact situation
was the property empty or furnished or even habitable
was it a deceased property
are both properties within the same council

ask for time to pay even if its not a problem they automaticaly want it cleared by year end
ask for it to be factored in over the next 12 months they will usually agree or give you longer

if you think they have made a mistake and they may take action tell them you are in dispute with the figures and they cannot take any action whilst you are in dispute but keep a copy off the e mail/letter and phone call making sure the have registered the fact you are in dispute

[TheApprentice2011]

It doesn't matter it like I said if it's how it is and we have to pay them the previous month's before we moved in so be, I just think it's wrong that you have to pay that when you were paying your previous cuncil tax and you did nt own the property untill that date. Big al the house me moved into was a new build so it was empty and we didnt own the property till the moving date the contract was exchange. They have our direct debit now so, let them sort it out.

[big-all]

whilst i understand your predicament your council tax includes police and fire both off which will be inforce on both properties
whilst council tax is not optional as it covers all services insurance is optional
would you dream off not insuring your most valuable possessions like your car or house i doubt it

[TheApprentice2011]

But if you don't own the property, your not in that councils services. I agree with council tax, I'm not denying that. Maybe this will make sense
At the old place we had paid april 2011-july 2011 moved into new house in july so surly we only owe july till jan 2012 and then when 2012 start april 2012-january 2013.