Should i be paying council tax for my new house even though i'm not living there?

Question

Me and my girlfriend bought our first house in february this year and we decided to completely gut the place and start over. Its now august and we still haven't finished (for personal reasons). We claimed the house as unfurnished so that we could have 6 months without paying council tax. But now the council have said we've gotta start paying it, but we don't even live there yet and its still unfurnished. Should we have to start paying it yet?

Answer 1

She would usually be liable. She has rented the flat, and unless she is a full time student, has claimed asylum or the property is rented inclusive of council tax, the tenant is liable.

However, when you say "she is newly arrived" did she rent the flat five months ago and has only just come over to live in it? if the property has been empty and unfurnished, she can apply for an exemption for the five months (which she may not get if the property was empty for any time before she took the tenancy). If it was furnished, she can apply for a 10 per cent discount while it was empty.

If you are now living with her, but you have another home abroad to which you intend to return, you can apply for a 10 per cent "Second home" discount. If she is living there alone and you are not joining her (for whatever reason) she can apply for a 25 per cent "single person discount".

Council tax is complicated, and you'd be best off asking your local council tax office, they can tell you exactly what to apply for and how.

Answer 2

No. I was in a similar position when we moved into our house we simply contacted the council (after we had received a bill through the post) and told them we werent living there currently and that we would contact them when we did.

Worked out fine and we only paid for time we actually lived there

hope you get sorted, council tax is scandelous

Answer 3

Yes. You would pay for where live just now and also the 'second home' rate for your new house, unless the house is not habitable.  Just because it's not furnished wouldn't count. I was a benefits advisor myself about ten years ago and the rules can be very complex, so  I'd go see the citizens advice for some speacialist advice.