Council Tax Problem After Moving

Hi all,

We moving from Nottingham at the end of June.  Been getting a bill from them since then for £44.18.

After months of emailing, and people not bothering to communicate properly within the council tax office and our letting agency, it was finally established that our tenancy agreement ended on the 12th of July, and that is why we need to pay the £44.18

However, we moved out of the flat on the 25th of June 2011.  Even though we paid out rent until the 12th of July, 2011, we moved out on the 25th of June which I informed the letting agency of in a letter written on the 13th of May, 2011.

Since normally the 30 day notice period and the period in which rent is paid up to normally coincide, what takes legal precedent in our case for paying council tax, the date in which our rent was paid till, or the date on which our 30 day notice period ended.

This is very very frustrating for me, because if the council tax office, and the letting agency, would actually take the time to email me back and communicate with each other, I wouldn't have to email them every week for weeks and weeks, until they finally write me back(common problem among UK companies apparently).

Appreciate the input all!

I am sorry you having having this issue but honestly I would go in...We had problems trying to do certain simple things and the office is close to us so my DH went in and WHAM solved within 5 minutes.

If you have the proof ect.. cant hurt to walk in and get it sorted.

good luck

I am sorry you having having this issue but honestly I would go in...We had problems trying to do certain simple things and the office is close to us so my DH went in and WHAM solved within 5 minutes.

If you have the proof ect.. cant hurt to walk in and get it sorted.

good luck

I agree with this.  You will probably have more success in getting it resolved if you speak to an actual person either on the phone or in person.  We also had a small council tax issue and I called and explained the situation and was told what documentation I should provide, I did and problem solved.  I wouldn't rely on hoping that the council and the letting agent work it out amongst themselves.

I would go into the office, except that we are not in the UK!

So, far countless emails have had to suffice, yet I think their right hand doesn't know what their left hand is doing!

I will try and find a phone number and call them via Skype.

But I'm afraid that as they have a vested interest in collecting taxes, they will of course tell me I need to pay.

I want to know the legal stance. Did the tenancy agreement end with the letter stating our 30 day notice, or the day in which we paid rent up until. I don't know if the council tax would be honest with me, or should I think they will be sincere with me? :-)

My dh and did the same thing, we moved before the tenancy was up. During the time that we still were technically residents of the flat, because we were paying rent, but not living there, we were responsible for the council tax.

Someone has to be paying it. If it isn't you it is the owner. However legally speaking you were the possessors of the flat, it is your liability. At least in our council.

had you given a 30 notice period stating which day you would move out?

That's my question, according to UK law, is the tenancy agreement considered done when the date arrives that the rent was paid up to, or is it up when the date of the 30 day notice period ends.

The confusion is that the 2 normally coincide, but not in our case, so which take legal precedent?

Now, after we left, we got a bill for a few £'s for power usage.  Turns out that was the owner doing some work in there after we left.  The letting agency of course said we didn't have to pay that so then shouldn't the same apply to the council tax?

If anyone knows legally if the tenancy agreement ends, based on the 30 day notice or the rent paid would really a be a BIG help to us.

You ought to get in touch with the Citizens Advice Bureau; they probably know the answer to the tenancy agreement question.

You ought to get in touch with the Citizens Advice Bureau; they probably know the answer to the tenancy agreement question.

I've tried calling their Nottingham number about 10 times are so today, and the line always says busy(engaged).  I can't go to the office since I am not in the UK, hence me writing on this forum, thought someone from a law background might know the answer.

Let me know what you find out CAguy. We are in a similar situation. Our tenancy agreement ends on Jan. 23rd, 2012, but we left Scotland on Dec. 6th. We will pay the last month's rent today. We are also trying to figure out if we still need to pay council tax for Dec and Jan. I did call our local council tax office before we left the country and the woman told me no we did not have to pay Dec or Jan, and that we may actually get a refund. But I have not called back since then and verified the info nor given them a forwarding address. We've been so busy the last 2 weeks being back in the US, its completely slipped our minds to call, but I will be doing so tomorrow.