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I bought an empty flat in a state of disrepair at auction and received the keys in Jan 2019.
I was due to return to the gulf, but remained as the ground floor flat needed to be made habitable and as the cellar was flooding causing serious damp in the above flat.
I wanted the cellar as workshop and tostore tools, and obviously with 100% humidity I could not leave equipment and tools there to go off to work away. The flooding made the flat very cold, damp (RH 86%), the bay window roof was leaking and the main sewer line appeared to be blocked. The electric was on as was the internet for me to use the computer when there to do orders and emails.
I setup my computer server upstairs so I can access it if I go overseas to work so internet and electricity have been connected since the end of Jan 2019.
During the past 16 months I have rectified the major problems causing damp/mould in the flat due to RH of 100% in the cellar, and fixed the cause of the sewage backups, and repaired the leaking*roof.Previously the flat was 86% RH and above.
The main problems fixed took about 8-10 months to resolved to start to bring the damp down and included: leaking bay window roof, collapsed sewer line causing sewage backup and burst incoming water main under the front garden.
I have been working on the building in spare time and have just taken down suspended ceilings to get them replastered and fix the wiring in the flat which I have used as a workshop and office. I have additionally removed extensive English Ivy on perimeter walls which was a massive task and also dealt with invasive weeds etc.
Last week I received a bill from the council which I opened as it was directly addressed to me. My understanding was that I would be exempt from Council Tax for the first year of making a building habitable and thereafter at a reduced rate for 6-12 months of 50%.. The total amount for 16 months of ownership was about 5500 GBP which was totally shocking.
The bill I received included of 2890.00 for the period prior to me buying the property, and they want 2x full council tax for 2019 and 386 for this year to date. I will obviously appeal.
Questions:
1. Given the property was uninhabitable due to Environmental Health matters with RH of 86% , damp, mould, flooding below, sewage backup, no heating and leaking roof am I liable for anyCT prior to the major repairs being made?
2. Am I liable for the CT amount prior to when I bought the property?
3. Am I liable for council tax from Jan 2020 as I am still working on the property having moved from working on the cellar/gardens and major repairs onto remodelling the flat and getting the wiring sorted out.
The property is still a mess but habitable now.
I have been at the property for a couple of hours 2-5 times per week to do repairs on the cellar and flat, so I expect it is either assumed to be a second home or uninhabitable, although which way the office of valuation or council view it will greatly impact on the council tax costs. It seems they now charge council tax at 200% for properties deemed to be empty. It is unclear whether this applies to uninhabitable properties due to environmental issues such as damp .
The flat was empty for a few years prior to me buying it, so does this mean I won't be allowed any exemption from council tax for 2019 when I was working to complete urgent repairs ?
Where exactly do I go with this one??
I was due to return to the gulf, but remained as the ground floor flat needed to be made habitable and as the cellar was flooding causing serious damp in the above flat.
I wanted the cellar as workshop and tostore tools, and obviously with 100% humidity I could not leave equipment and tools there to go off to work away. The flooding made the flat very cold, damp (RH 86%), the bay window roof was leaking and the main sewer line appeared to be blocked. The electric was on as was the internet for me to use the computer when there to do orders and emails.
I setup my computer server upstairs so I can access it if I go overseas to work so internet and electricity have been connected since the end of Jan 2019.
During the past 16 months I have rectified the major problems causing damp/mould in the flat due to RH of 100% in the cellar, and fixed the cause of the sewage backups, and repaired the leaking*roof.Previously the flat was 86% RH and above.
The main problems fixed took about 8-10 months to resolved to start to bring the damp down and included: leaking bay window roof, collapsed sewer line causing sewage backup and burst incoming water main under the front garden.
I have been working on the building in spare time and have just taken down suspended ceilings to get them replastered and fix the wiring in the flat which I have used as a workshop and office. I have additionally removed extensive English Ivy on perimeter walls which was a massive task and also dealt with invasive weeds etc.
Last week I received a bill from the council which I opened as it was directly addressed to me. My understanding was that I would be exempt from Council Tax for the first year of making a building habitable and thereafter at a reduced rate for 6-12 months of 50%.. The total amount for 16 months of ownership was about 5500 GBP which was totally shocking.
The bill I received included of 2890.00 for the period prior to me buying the property, and they want 2x full council tax for 2019 and 386 for this year to date. I will obviously appeal.
Questions:
1. Given the property was uninhabitable due to Environmental Health matters with RH of 86% , damp, mould, flooding below, sewage backup, no heating and leaking roof am I liable for anyCT prior to the major repairs being made?
2. Am I liable for the CT amount prior to when I bought the property?
3. Am I liable for council tax from Jan 2020 as I am still working on the property having moved from working on the cellar/gardens and major repairs onto remodelling the flat and getting the wiring sorted out.
The property is still a mess but habitable now.
I have been at the property for a couple of hours 2-5 times per week to do repairs on the cellar and flat, so I expect it is either assumed to be a second home or uninhabitable, although which way the office of valuation or council view it will greatly impact on the council tax costs. It seems they now charge council tax at 200% for properties deemed to be empty. It is unclear whether this applies to uninhabitable properties due to environmental issues such as damp .
The flat was empty for a few years prior to me buying it, so does this mean I won't be allowed any exemption from council tax for 2019 when I was working to complete urgent repairs ?
Where exactly do I go with this one??
