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Privacy/proof issue re. council tax and departing lodger


katejo11

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I have been renting a room out over the past few years. My current lodger is about to move out so I contacted my local council tax office to reinstate my single person discount until I find a new lodger next year. In the past this wasn't a problem. Now the council has rejected my application unless I provide the full forwarding address of my departing lodger as a 'proof' that I am a solo resident.

I have pointed out the following

1. This is no proof that I haven't found a new lodger (ignored by the council)

2. This is an invasion of privacy. The council has admitted that they intend to contact his new local council to check that he really lives there. If i give a wrong address, I will not get my discount back.

3. His duty to register with the new council is none of my business and not my responsibility. It would not be ethical on my part to provide the address without my lodger's permission.

I have pointed out that new residents who move into the borough simply have to sign a form to confirm that they are solo residents but I am not allowed to do this.

My lodger has agreed to provide his address but he shouldn't have to

Has anyone else had this? I am in Waltham Forest.

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I really don't see why you have a problem.....

1. You want the discount.

2. You can provide your lodgers forwarding address.

3. Complying with the requirements gives everyone, including you, what they want.

If I lived in Waltham Forest I would also want my local council to carry out these checks to ensure the system wasn't being fiddled by unscrupulous landlords. Unfortunately the rest of the council tax payers have to make up any shortfall.

I suggest you grow up and comply with their request.

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Local Councils have really tightened up on Council Tax in the last 2 years.

Your situation has come about because too many people were avoiding paying CT or were not telling the truth of their council tax liability as in your case declaring single occupancy when in fact this was not true of many declared households.

As you have all the details readily at hand to comply with the information required why not just do it and move on instead of giving yourself grief over a minor matter.

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We have someone in our family who works overseas for months at a time but still maintains a home in the UK on which he gets the single person discount.

Earlier this year a young Stalinist council worker refused to accept his email confirmation that he was the only occupant of that property and he would be abroard until August. They wanted a signature and he could not provide that from his location.

Threats were made by the council worker to end his single person discount unless they had a signature. I was asked to intervene and my question to the council was:-

'Tell me under what legislation you propose to carry out the cancellation of the discount?' I asked it 3 times by email - never got a reply and he retained the discount.

Some council officers get over-enthusiastic with the job I would say.

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I have now provided my lodger's details but only because he consented. I don't support council tax evasion either but also believe that my lodger's new address is not the concern of my local council as he is leaving the area. I would understand the council's actions if I had been dodgy in the past and had lied about whether I was a single occupant but i didn't. I have a perfect payment record and there was no reason for them to suspect anything. Given that new residents in the borough just sign a document to confirm their solo status, I should be able to do the same.

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We have someone in our family who works overseas for months at a time but still maintains a home in the UK on which he gets the single person discount.

Earlier this year a young Stalinist council worker refused to accept his email confirmation that he was the only occupant of that property and he would be abroard until August. They wanted a signature and he could not provide that from his location.

Threats were made by the council worker to end his single person discount unless they had a signature. I was asked to intervene and my question to the council was:-

'Tell me under what legislation you propose to carry out the cancellation of the discount?' I asked it 3 times by email - never got a reply and he retained the discount.

Some council officers get over-enthusiastic with the job I would say.

I tried a similar question to my council but got nowhere. They just claimed that they had the right to 'proof' that my lodger had moved out. I pointed out that his new address proved nothing. I could have found a new lodger but they simply ignored my challenge. I still think it is an invasion of privacy.

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Don't be ridiculous.

We all know that people are guilty until proven innocent where local councils are involved. Thats the way they ensure they collect as much council tax as possible and save people like me paying the shortfall. :)

If you don't like it you get a chance every 5 years to vote for a new party .......but don't hold your breath that they will change anything. Remember the system works far better the way it is than your alternative.

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Rubbish.

The council are doing all they can to ensure council tax fraud is kept to a minimum. If upsetting a few katejo11's is necessary to catch a few fraudsters then I think thats an acceptable price.

The vast majority of the electorate are sick to death of paying extra to cover for fraud.

The same situation exists in many other scenarios. If the police suspect you have done something wrong whilst driving they will pull your car over and check you out. If they suspect you have drugs they will search you. If you are suspected of money laundering they will run checks.....and guess what......they actually do catch people. Thats how life works and generally its accepted practice.

You're entitled to your view and to dislike the process but there is no way you are likely to change anything.

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