The advice given by the council has always been that a property is exempt from being an HMO if it is occupied by no more than two individuals. But they are now claiming that for the purpose of Council Tax it will be considered an HMO and I am responsible for the Council Tax.

They have applied a 25% student discount but nothing for the unemployed tenant whose tenancy stipulates the tenant is liable for Council Tax payment.

This appears to be nothing more than a recent innovation by the council to raise funds at the cost of even those who live below the breadline.

I am due to appeal the decision. However any advice would be very helpful. Thank you.

i was renting in a house of a friend’s friend and was told the council tax was included in the rent, and that the only thing to pay separately was the electricity which was in the form of a top up key.
I paid all rent always on time and didnt have any problems with the landlord. All of a sudden, he demands I pay council tax for the past 3 years that i lived in that house. I declined as I thought it was unfair as all this time I thought i had been doing that, and on top of that other people before me never payed either. We didnt sign any contracts and it was all verbally done.
I just want to know my rights , should I pay the council tax or should tha landlord pay it?
thank you!

Often when you have converted properties into seperate dwellings, these issues do arise so you need to prove that there are still communal areas that are used

I don’t know if you can help, but I have been having some difficulties with Coventry City Council over council tax for a property from April 1994 to October 1995. I was on benefits and my council tax was paid by them, however another tenant that lived in the shared house owed monies from this period. As they cannot find him, or rather refuse to look for him, they are taking money from my benefit and have been for about two years now. I only found out when I recently got a letter of deductions and enquired as to why they were taking the money.

I have been in contact with CAB and following advice, I wrote a letter to the council tax, stating that firstly it was a case of HMO and also that I believe that I had actually moved from those premises by that time, however they are now saying that I need to prove this by way of a tenancy agreement, I thought that in the British judicial system, if they are taking money from me, then they should prove that I owe the money, instead of me having to prove that I don’t.

I suffer from mental and physical health problems, and as part of this my memory is an issue, so I don’t even remember the landlord companies name, though I know that the company no longer exists and the owner is now deceased, so obtaining any copy of a tenancy would not be possible.

All bedsits/studios let on seperate AST’s all inclusive apart from electrical coin meter in each room.

Was always paying one council tax in my own name but now local inspectors have left a card requesting details. They obviously want to try and split it.

Does anyone know if a licenced HMO woud have seperate council tax bills for each flat paid by the tenants or one for the whole house paid by me?

If it gets split the tax on the house would rise substantially unless I only took students. So counci would lose out if I only took students or gain if I only took working people.

I would prefer to keep it as one bill and pay it as more attractive to tenants to have it all incusive,

If anyone has an answer I would greatly appreciate it.

Many thanks