Letter from capacitygrid re: main residence

[Flower25]

Hello, I've received two letters from capacitygrid asking me to complete a main residence review. Can someone please explain what this is and if I have to reply?

[PallasAthena]

CapacityGrid work on behalf of local councils usually. Do their letters say that they acting on behalf of your local council?

No personal experience of what this involves but my guess is it is about council tax and they are checking whether your house is your main residence. The council would most likely be doing this because councils in England now have the power to charge a higher rate of council tax on second homes/holiday homes. If your council is planning to do this they will want to investigate any properties which are currently paying tax at standard rate as a 'main residence' but which council suspects may be a second home/holiday home or empty property.

Does that sound like what might be happening? If so then I would imagine CapacityGrid are entitled to ask for information on behalf of the council. If you have concerns whether CapacityGrid have authority to ask information for council tax purposes call your council and ask them.

I don't know what happens if you ignore it. Possibly the council will treat your home as a holiday home and your council tax will be doubled (or whatever).

[Flower25]

Thanks for the quick reply. So to give you more context yes they are writing on behalf of my council. However this was a previous rented property where I am not resident, a family member is still there. So i never told them I'd moved. I have another rented property which I am at full time and also pay tax towards. I guess this is what they are trying to confirm. So technically i am under two council tax registers which I assume is not a crime. However, just worried about the consequences of stating where my main residence is and if it is mandatory requirement to reply to confirm this information.

[PallasAthena]

If you are registered as the CT payer at two different properties that is probably what has triggered the council to request a main residence review as they can't both be your main residence. You can only have one main residence.

The obvious solution is that at the property where you don't live but a family member does the family member is registered with the council as the CT payer.

[Flower25]

Thanks so much, the complicated issue is that I'm the main tenant for both properties so I'm worried they will inform my landlord that I've moved and then evict my family member. Do you think this matters?

[PallasAthena]

I can't imagine that the council would inform your landlord even if they knew who the landlord was but the landlord could eventually find out in other ways. AFAIK the identity of the person paying the CT is not public information.

I wouldn't want to guess what would happen when CapacityGrid do their review. But I do think that legally you are required to provide the council with the information they require to assess the correct CT for the property.

[Flower25]

Yes I suppose you're right I will inform my council of the change. Thank you so much for your time and help, I really appreciate it.