Discussion
Child Support conversation,
Hi, do you have my details now?
Yes.
Can you explain why you haven't taken my mortgage payments (and coucil tax - to keep it from flying OT
) into account for my address in Blackburn?
We only consider your present address.
Yes but my rent is much lower than my mortgage and stuff, if you're just going to take one address, could you use the blacburn address?
No.
But I'm still paying for it - it's 500 quid a month that I don't have, but you think I have.
We can only consider your present address.
Could I change my permanent address with you.
Where are you living?
Blackburn.
I thought you were living in Bristol?
I'm notifying you of a change of address.
OK, You'll need to fill out the same set of forms you filled out two weeks ago.
Bet you don't take my Bristol rent into account?
We can only consider your present address.
But that's 300 quid I don't have, but you think I have.
Repeat ad nauseum.
(-thanks Ted - how appropriate
)
Hi, do you have my details now?
Yes.
Can you explain why you haven't taken my mortgage payments (and coucil tax - to keep it from flying OT
) into account for my address in Blackburn? We only consider your present address.
Yes but my rent is much lower than my mortgage and stuff, if you're just going to take one address, could you use the blacburn address?
No.
But I'm still paying for it - it's 500 quid a month that I don't have, but you think I have.
We can only consider your present address.
Could I change my permanent address with you.
Where are you living?
Blackburn.
I thought you were living in Bristol?
I'm notifying you of a change of address.
OK, You'll need to fill out the same set of forms you filled out two weeks ago.
Bet you don't take my Bristol rent into account?
We can only consider your present address.
But that's 300 quid I don't have, but you think I have.
Repeat ad nauseum.
(-thanks Ted - how appropriate)billb, I work for the Local Council (though not in Council Tax Dept) and they tell me anything under two months would not qualify for a discount, but anything over two months would qualify. As long as they saw your tickets/reservations/any proof of the time you were away, there wouldn't be a problem.
Which Council are u under?
Which Council are u under?
quote:
as i'm going out the country for 6 months thought i might get a discount but no. Bunch of arse - if i'm not here I wont be using the services so why theshould I pay?
I take it this is correct and they were'nt bullshitting me - apparanetly would be the same if i was away 2 years.
I'm afraid it is correct. My parents pay council tax on two properties. One was my grandmother's "Granny Flat" - its an adjoining house on my Dad's land. So ever since she died the local council have stuck him with the bill. Even though they know no-one's living there the house belongs to my father so the tax is due.
Its nothing to do with whether or not you use the services unfortunately. How you get out of council tax is that you get the property formally registered as "uninhabited". Or some such wording. And what they mean, really, is "uninhabitable". i.e. No furniture, no curtains, no nothing, all services disconnected and other such like inconveniences.
The bit about this would be the same for two months or two years is quite correct - in fact you would pay indefinitely.
A property solicitor could give the proper legal summation but I'm pretty sure I've got the gist of it above.
In these cases the dreaded poll tax would actually have been fairer - although in most cases it jolly well wasn't.
Think yourself lucky. I had to pay sodding British Poll Tax whilst living in Australia because I rented a bedsit in Cardiff. Where's the logic in that!
quote:
billb, I work for the Local Council (though not in Council Tax Dept) and they tell me anything under two months would not qualify for a discount, but anything over two months would qualify. As long as they saw your tickets/reservations/any proof of the time you were away, there wouldn't be a problem.
Which Council are u under?
Really? I'm shocked. Any advice for saving my poor old man a few hundred quid a year?
Just to try and clear this up: different councils have slightly different rules. For instance, the "uninhabitable" example Don mentions is called "unfurnished" here in Wigan. People might leave the odd table or chair to try to deter vandalism, but generally "unfurnished" houses are exempt. Long holidays - when there's a definite deaprture and arrival date - are treated as "discretionary", i.e. it's up to the council whether they discount the time your out of the country.
quote:
Just to try and clear this up: different councils have slightly different rules. For instance, the "uninhabitable" example Don mentions is called "unfurnished" here in Wigan. People might leave the odd table or chair to try to deter vandalism, but generally "unfurnished" houses are exempt. Long holidays - when there's a definite deaprture and arrival date - are treated as "discretionary", i.e. it's up to the council whether they discount the time your out of the country.
bugger - who's up for another riot!?!
quote:
Just to try and clear this up: different councils have slightly different rules. For instance, the "uninhabitable" example Don mentions is called "unfurnished" here in Wigan. People might leave the odd table or chair to try to deter vandalism, but generally "unfurnished" houses are exempt. Long holidays - when there's a definite deaprture and arrival date - are treated as "discretionary", i.e. it's up to the council whether they discount the time your out of the country.
Ahhhh. I'll bet that's the same where my old man is too. Thanks for that.
Poor bugger - its discretionary whether or not he pays for my poor deceased grandma's house - so they've discretioned that he'll pay. B******ds.
No offence, BTW, Spooky.....thanks for the insight. And you're nowhere near him anyway...
Anglesey CC aren't being too reasonable in my view.
quote:
Really? I'm shocked. Any advice for saving my poor old man a few hundred quid a year?
I'm sure that if you officially declare that the property is empty, then you either pay no CT at all, or a reduced amount. At least, this is how it was a few years ago...
This happened to my Gran - there was definitely stuff in the house and was "inhabitable" - and she got the discount...
>> Edited by miniman on Friday 16th August 15:54
quote:
Just to try and clear this up: different councils have slightly different rules.
No Spookey they are all subject to the same rules its just that some of them interpret them incorrectly.
There is a discount for unoccupied properties but it is for genuine removal not a short term holiday, you might not be using all the services but you would still expect the police or fire brigade to recognise your houses presence and you would not expect the road outside to be rolled up and taken away etc.
The student trick is slightly more complex, advice don't try it, detection rates are high and you end up paying more than CT once the fraud is detected and punished.
To be uninhabitable really means incapable of being let so we are talking serious deficiencies not just lack of furniture or wall paper. Granny Annexes are a different and complex subject. If the Billing Authority and yourself disagree upon the issue of liability you can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal, if you lived in 'this area' you may even find that the Tribunal is chaired by a regular contributor to Pistonheads.
Of course if you were to become a head of a faith and your house was a Temple you would pay no CT or Business Rates. Any disciples to the Church of Holy Ted at the Head of the Piston going to give it a try?
quote:
read in my blood money demand that if a part of the property ie. cranny flat cannot be leased seperatey it does not get coucil tax. That could help with your granny flat
Not true I,m afraid. The Granny annex question is complex but has been thoroughly tested by the Lands Tribunal. As pointed out the rules are the same for all Councils but unfortunately they do not all get it right hence the misleading statement in you CT demand.
Wouldn't it be a lot simpler with Local Income tax, not likely to happen as Nongreen wants to put to death all members of the party that wishes to pursue that line!
quote:
Is this a suitable place to name and shame sh1te councils?
Let me start with Merton.
Worse on almost every count (boring stats available) than neighbouring Wandsworth, but bloody council tax more than twice the Wandsworth charge.
--------------------------------------------------
Wandsworth (and Westminster) are very lucky, the formula that is used to calculate CT support from Central Government is utterly absurd and meant that Wandsworth was at one time able to charge Zero (yes Zero) CT whilst surrounding boroughs subsidised them. Richmond is particularly hard hit and pays a very high CT even though it is modest in its spending.
If Merton had the same sort of featherbedding that Wandsworth enjoy they may be able to perform rather better than they do.
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff