The cheek of the local Council never ceases to amaze me.
I have a two bedroomed property, same tenant/tenants for best part of 12 years.
From day one John (made up name) and girlfriend signed the usual AST. John being in regular work always paid the rent on time or thereabouts. Knowing his ‘casual’ approach to life, I thought I was doing him and the Local Authority a favour by including the Council Tax in the rent and paying it myself, knowing how overzealous they can be.
When girlfriend left, his mate moved into second bedroom and all was fine.
Over the years there have been changes of personnel, save for John, numbering from 2 to 4 and I have never changed the tenancy. Rent has always been paid, and tenants have always been employed, as well as polite and tidy and not caused any issues with the neighbours, so why complain?
John is a bit of a hippie at heart, a very nice hippie at that, and has never registered to vote and I always respected the wish of he and his chums to remain off the radar as far as the Local Authority are concerned. Nothing sinister; I knew of his parents and his employer, and if he and his crew don’t want to vote that's fine by me.
Criticise me for being a little casual but if it works it works.
That was the case until recently. John meets girl, and John likes girl and off they go to, trekking to her native New Zealand, giving me plenty of notice, flat vacated by all, and we part as friends.
Being a responsible landlord, I took it upon myself to gut the place and a major decorate and refit which is happening at my own pace.
Then completely unannounced comes the letter from Hades. Apparently, the property has been empty for more than 2 years and Shylock is demanding Council Tax TIMES TWO from now on.
My questions are –
How do I prove that the property has not been empty for so long, and is it for me to prove?
Whilst the property is uninhabitable, and it is at present, can they demand any Council Tax, never mind DOUBLE? They are a law unto themselves – imagine a nasty Landlord doubling the rent???
I have a two bedroomed property, same tenant/tenants for best part of 12 years.
From day one John (made up name) and girlfriend signed the usual AST. John being in regular work always paid the rent on time or thereabouts. Knowing his ‘casual’ approach to life, I thought I was doing him and the Local Authority a favour by including the Council Tax in the rent and paying it myself, knowing how overzealous they can be.
When girlfriend left, his mate moved into second bedroom and all was fine.
Over the years there have been changes of personnel, save for John, numbering from 2 to 4 and I have never changed the tenancy. Rent has always been paid, and tenants have always been employed, as well as polite and tidy and not caused any issues with the neighbours, so why complain?
John is a bit of a hippie at heart, a very nice hippie at that, and has never registered to vote and I always respected the wish of he and his chums to remain off the radar as far as the Local Authority are concerned. Nothing sinister; I knew of his parents and his employer, and if he and his crew don’t want to vote that's fine by me.
Criticise me for being a little casual but if it works it works.
That was the case until recently. John meets girl, and John likes girl and off they go to, trekking to her native New Zealand, giving me plenty of notice, flat vacated by all, and we part as friends.
Being a responsible landlord, I took it upon myself to gut the place and a major decorate and refit which is happening at my own pace.
Then completely unannounced comes the letter from Hades. Apparently, the property has been empty for more than 2 years and Shylock is demanding Council Tax TIMES TWO from now on.
My questions are –
How do I prove that the property has not been empty for so long, and is it for me to prove?
Whilst the property is uninhabitable, and it is at present, can they demand any Council Tax, never mind DOUBLE? They are a law unto themselves – imagine a nasty Landlord doubling the rent???
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