Information I must supply to LA when moving house

[mrkjd]

Hi All,

We are moving house into a new area and the information requested by the LA on their form is, in my opinion, onerous and a breach of my civil liberties.

We are up to date with our repayments and indeed will probably be owed a little when we move. I do not want to supply them with our new address details or details of our solicitor in selling the house or name of new occupiers etc - that is all none of their business as I see it and as I loath the council I do not intend to do their job for them. "Must" I use their form when leaving or can I just inform them in writing (by registered post), and if so, what information "must" I supply under the Council Tax Regs 1992?

I was thinking of just saying we are moving on date X from the council's area and no longer occupiers or liable under the act from that date. Please forward any overpayment to (charity of our choice)

Any thoughts?

[enquirer]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

It is a fact that Local Authorities taste for information to which they are not entitled is boundless. That said, what is the form that you mention? What are the repayments to which your refer?

[mrkjd]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

The form is the council's standard "Change of Circumstances" form which they insist on being used if one is moving house from the area. The repayments are our monthly DD payments for the council tax this year (10 payments over the 12 month April to April period).

[wales01man]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

Suppose you can refuse to fill in the form,if you have your mail redirected the council will be able to find your new address from royal mail its easy for them.
Have to ask why you don't want to fill in the form did you refuse to fill in forms for loans Mortgage passport ETC its quite easy to find someone if you try

[mrkjd]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

It's nothing to do with not wanting to be found - I realise it is very easy to find someone. It's a personal stance - I do not like the amount of information Governments and LA's request from us as their "right". If I provide info for a service I want then that is my choice but I do not believe the LA has the "right" to my address once I am outside their area. I have an obligation under the Council Tax Regs to provide certain info and I'm happy to do that - but nothing more - and the LA's pseudo insistence that I am obliged to provide information other than outlined in the act is an erosion of my civil liberty and indicative of the big brother society we live in and our elected bodies increasingly subscribe to. So what info "must" I provide - anybody know?

[enquirer]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

The form is the council's standard "Change of Circumstances" form which they insist on being used if one is moving house from the area.

Are you referring to the Council Tax Regulations 1992 or to the Council Tax Benefit (General) Regulations 1992?

Part VIII s65 of the second imposes a duty on the claimant to notify of a change in circumstances. Changing the number of adults in the property would be one such, although since you are leaving the area altogether, this does seem to be stretching it a bit.

The repayments are our monthly DD payments for the council tax this year (10 payments over the 12 month April to April period).

These are standard installment payments, not repayments (as in a debt owing).

Councils like to try and find out where you are going - firstly because they are born snoopers, and secondly, because they might decide that you owe them money later on. Similarly, when moving to a new area, you will be asked by the new council for details of where you have come from.

[mrkjd]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

I'm referring to Council Tax Regs 1992. We don't receive benefits so the Benefit Regs don't apply. OK - yes - straight forward instalments.

I won't be telling the new council where I'm coming from either - what right have they got to know that under the obligation to inform them to pay Council Tax? I have a liability and responsibility to pay Council tax in the area and am registering to do that. Where I am coming from is none of their business. I can understand that they may 'like' that info but that does not mean they are entitled to it. The reason I started this thread was to establish what I 'must' provide them with as I am happy to comply with my legal obligation but NOT information beyond that.

Has nobody on here not just sent a letter to their council informing them they are leaving and providing a minimum of information.

[wales01man]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

I have never told a council I was moving I wonder why they are asking for this which council is this?

[mrkjd]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

AFAIK you do need to tell them you are moving or they can't establish the date you move and will continue to bill you on their system. That seems reasonable and I have no problem with that. The problem lies between what information I 'must' supply them with and what they would 'like". Taking the matter a stage further any council form should really clearly identify information you must supply and any additional information they would "like" to save questions like this arising and keep people informed of their rights. There seems to be a distinct lack of transparency here.

[mrkjd]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

(bump) ........ can anybody help with this?

[wales01man]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

Can I suggest yu fill in the form with the information that you are happy to give .interesting to see if the LA come back on this?
If they kick up a fuss you can ask what legislation they use to to get the other info out of you.
In 4 years I have had 5 addresses in 3 LAs and have never told any where im going or where I come from no further action from any of them?/

[enquirer]

Re: Information I must supply to LA when moving house

I have a liability and responsibility to pay Council tax in the area and am registering to do that.

Be sure to send it Recorded Delivery.

Has nobody on here not just sent a letter to their council informing them they are leaving and providing a minimum of information?

Me. The LA concerned never queried it.

I would be inclined to do as wales01man suggests. Tell them the bare minimum and see what they do.

As councils are greedier and more aggressive than ever, it is possible that they may try it on, in which event, as you say, you will be able to ask them for the legislation upon which they are relying.