Council Tax -

[sam9002]

My Local council is asking me to fill out a sole & man residence form questionnaire which they have back dated to April 2007.

I had received a single person discount of 25% for that period, now they have calculated it as a class c exemption which is only for 6 months, which means by their calculation the council Tax has doubled month on month over the next 8 months.

Last year they miscalculated my due Tax, over the period 2007 to 2009 by over 3,000.00, due to an oversight by the benefit department, which I had signed off from Benefit in 2006, they put my entitlement as zero for that period year on year 2007-2009, when in fact I had not claimed any Benefit, so it was an oversight, a human error, for their mistake I had to borrow at a very high interest rate to pay the demanded lump sum last year, otherwise it would have been Bailliff action.

I assumed the discount was because I was a part-time student and didn't think it was incorrect, how ever at best I would only get any refund for the amount paid for 13 months, their doesn't seem to be any one directly to claim it back from, it's just a maze, the benefit section.

They then issued a statement stating it was paid in full for that period, and a fresh council tax year with 25% single person discount was started from April this year, which I was happy with, and had paid up to end of May.

I was given incorrect information, when I was looking for council tenants, an officer said, you would be entitled to pay no council Tax if you weren't in the house all the time, which I was not due to education courses in the UK mostly and Ireland. over the past 3 years, this information was incorrect, I explained to them, I was given misinformation, when I asked for the exemption period from 2007, and was willing to pay my fair share of council tax, since late April this year I have been back and over from Ireland , doing the place up, to make it suitable for potential renters, council or private.


I hope to meet people this weekend, who will hopefully rent it from June.

With that in mind I don't always trust their calculations.

As a part time student this will be very hard, what should I look out for in completeing the form when I receive it.

I notice they are not very good in explaining the calculations for each period, and the reason for the extra charge.

From my reckoning, if they are correct, any extra charge should be spaced out over a period up to 31-03-2011, even if I get people to rent the property from early or late June.

Any new people, should not be liable for this extra payment.

[sam9002]

Re: Council Tax -

I am a student, studying some of the time through a UK college, and also through an Irish Training college, which means I am I split my time between the uk and Ireland.

The nature of my studies is some practicals through Books and asignments, and Tutor contact for questions and Teaching and Technical assistance and online work, module tests and written asignments.

It proberly does not fall within the usual, student college description, none the less the outgoings are similiar,

I am willing to pay my council Tax, I have to watch my costings, out goings, so incorrectly I assumed I was entiltled to a full discount, from the start of my council Tax payment period.

I misunderstood information given to me by a council official, who said I should not be paying council Tax, if I was a student, and would be entitled to a full discount.

I was asked to make a statement, from my understanding from the above I put in from March 2007, prior to this I was paying council Tax with a single persons 25% discount,from 2007 - 2010, which worked out at £109.00 per month since May 2010.

Then I received a new online Bill, which said I was given a class C exemption which applied from March 2007 to September 2007, and the rest of the period to May 2010 would be recalculated at full non exemption rate, which amounted to over 217.00 per month, until January 2011. £1, 624.78 in total.

This may not seem like much, how ever when you take normal education costs into consideration, and exam costs, and Mortgage and household costs, it adds up to quiet a lot extra over 10 months, when you have no income.

In 2006, I signed off Job seekers allowance benefit and Council Tax Benefit, I completed the sign off form.

From March 2006 to March 2010, I was issued council Tax Bill, which had a total of zero for these periods, including the Bill for March 2009. I assumed it was because I was a student.

From April to July 2009 I was mostly in Ireland tending to my studies there, when I came back to the uk address in July, I received a Bill for these years ( March 2006 to April 2009),& Yearly Council Tax Bill from April 2009 to March 2010, which amounted to over £3,960.46, when I pressed them for an explanation, it was due to an error from Council Benefit dept, a human error, which had me down as receiving Benefit & council Tax exemption, even though I was not, none the less I was asked to pay the whole amount immediately, with Bailliff action threatening, because I was not at the address from April to July I had not received their subsequent letters since March 2009.

I completed all necessary forms and questionnaires for my living and expenses status, in July 2009.

I received the 25% single persons discount from March 2006 to March 2010.


I had to borrow money at a high interest rate to pay this amount, which added greatly to my existing debt.

This year I was given the standard yearly Bill for 2010 Band D 1,459.93, which was fine.

My sole and main residence is the UK address, I stay with family in Ireland.

Now they want me to fill the same questionnaires and forms again from March 2007, ,in light of my statement, which was due to a misunderstanding based on information given, I thought I was entitled to a full discount, and shouldn't have paid what I paid already.

From March 15th 2010 I had been doing up the house to make it habital for renting, from April 23rd, I was in Ireland, and came back before end of April and again in May to finish off work and show propective new people around.

From June the 1st, the house will be occoupied by Tenants, the necessary details were sent to the council.

Is their really necessary to fill out these same forms & questionnaires again for period March 2007 to March 2010?

It's duplication, and they already have the information since July 2009, with all support information, including Bank statements, the statement was based on a misunderstanding.

Would a proper worded letter to the council, expaining the situation, & misunderstanding, clear up the matter, and allow council tax already vetted for and paid accordingly from March 2007 To March 2010, and the new period looked at from March 2010 to end of May 2010.

I paid for April & May this year, and will pay any outstanding balance if owed for 2010.