UK Property: Tenant didn't pay Poll (council) Tax - Can they pursue me ?

B

bingojoe

Registered User
Messages
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I have a flat in the UK. It seems as though my tenant din't pay her Poll t
Tax bill.
Can the relevant council pursue me ?
I never lived in the place myself.

Thanks
 
Re: Tenant didn't pay Poll Tax - Can they pursue me ?

This is an Irish forum. You would probably receive accurate replies on a UK forum.
 
Re: Tenant didn't pay Poll Tax - Can they pursue me ?

Ive moved this interesting question to the overseas property investment forum.

As vanilla has stated you might get a better response on an English website.

I know many Irish people who did not pay this horrible little tax in the 1980's. I cant recall landlords being followed for non payment by tennants.

Try a google search for .
 
Re: Tenant didn't pay Poll Tax - Can they pursue me ?

No such thing as poll tax.

Regarding your council tax then you will be excempt from paying it providing you can prove that the tenant was living there at the time (i.e. you had a tenancy agreement over the dates of the tax invoice).

you will be liable if the tenant has left for the full amount, except if the flat is unfurnished then you are liable to pay 50% of the tax.

Think this is correct!
 
Re: Tenant didn't pay Poll Tax - Can they pursue me ?

In the case of council tax arrears, the councils tend to get your details from the land registry and bill you for it, but usually send the bill to the property. If you don't have someone picking up the mail, or if the tenant is still there, the arrears mount up plus interest. They then give it to a bailif to collect, and you also become liable for the costs of the bailif. This is something that can get out of hand quite quickly, so you need to be on top of it and deal with it. Thjs often means paying the bill and claiming it back later, in order to "stop the meter."

Best bet is to deal with good management companies who are on top of their game and who will have enough deposit held from tenants to clear any arrears.
 
Re: Tenant didn't pay Poll Tax - Can they pursue me ?

My undertsanding of the council tax is that it is a tax on the property not on the individual. As such surely the liability was always yours and not your tenants?
 
Re: Tenant didn't pay Poll Tax - Can they pursue me ?

When I was a tenant I used to have to pay it. Was always in my name
 
Re: Tenant didn't pay Poll Tax - Can they pursue me ?

from http://www.direct.gov.uk/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/CouncilTax/CouncilTaxArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=10037383&chk=VxS/ej

Who is responsible for paying the bill?


There’s one Council Tax bill for each home. Usually it’s the owner-occupier, or the tenant living in the property, who has to pay the bill. Spouses and partners who live together are both responsible for paying the bill.
Technically, the person who has to pay the Council Tax is called the ‘liable person’. The person at the top or nearest to the top of the following list is the liable person:
  • lives in the property and owns it
  • lives in the property and has a lease (this includes ‘assured tenants’ under the Housing Act 1988)
  • lives in the property and is a ‘statutory’ or ‘secure’ tenant
  • lives in the property and isn’t a tenant but has permission to live there
  • lives in the property (for example a squatter)
  • has a lease of six months or more on the property, but doesn't live there
  • owns the property but doesn’t live there

You can’t be a ‘liable person’ if you’re under age 18.
If you’re still unsure about who is responsible for paying the bill you can contact your local council and they’ll be able to help.

Pretty confusing!
 
Re: Tenant didn't pay Poll Tax - Can they pursue me ?

One thing is sure, they will get their money and any interest or other charges that have accrued. Tenants normally pay, but if they default you will be liable. Biggest headache is not the bill, but the fact that once the collecting process gets into gear, it is unstoppable and nobody will listen to your problems or reasons why you are in arrears. The fact that you weren't aware of a problem, or that they sent the bill to the defaulting tenant and not to you, is not of interest to them. Believe me, getting into the grip of some of the clerks in many of the city councils in the UK is somewhere you don't want to be, talking to the wall is much easier by comparison!
 
I can see the protesters and banners - free the bingojoe or no extradition!!!!!
 
Hi Joe,

You shouldn't be liable if you notify the local Council who was living there and the dates that they were there. Make sure you also notify the Council whenever the property is empty so that you get a reduction in the Council Tax, sometimes this is total exemption for 6 months or more commonly it is 50%.

It is tax on the property i.e. different sizes of properties are in different bands, but it charged to the people who are living there. If you have a number of tenants all their names should be on the Council Tax register, and you're probably best doing this yourself whenever anybody new moves in because by their nature shorthold tenancies in the UK can only be six months, so the tenants can be gone before a problem arises. Lots of investors in the UK advertise their property's rents as inclusive of Council Tax an pay it themselves to ensure it's covered. It can be done on a monthly basis via direct debit if you're worried about it, but don't forgot to apply for the reduction if the property's empty. Also, a single person in a property can get a reduction of 25%.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Simon
 
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