Hi, my name is julie188! Expected to pay council tax after having to vacate dangerous property

julie188

Hi, my roof and ceiling fell in and I couldn't stay at the property as it was dangerous and they switched the heating off. They also did tests for asbestos and they found other issues. Lot of my electrical appliances got ruined. Got a letter from the council saying they have stopped my exemption and now they want me to pay council tax for that period and have stopped the help. The housing know I could not stay there while repairs getting done. I didn't see the letter they sent asking for proof Iam there and now want me to send in an appeal letter. I don't have this money they asking for and on disability and universal credit. Please help. Iam still a tenant at the property and 65 years old.

Rosie_Scope

Hi @julie188, sorry you're going through this. It may be worth getting some advice on how best to appeal the charges. Advicelocal or Contact us - Citizens Advice could be worth a go. I'm no expert on these thing so I wouldn't like to say for certain, but it does sound unreasonable in the circumstances to ask you to pay.

If you feel like you might need some extra support through the appeal, your MP or local councillor might also be able to help support your case.

Contact your MP - UK Parliament

MW123

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/129586/hi-my-name-is-julie188-expected-to-pay-council-tax-after-having-to-vacate-dangerous-property

Hi Julie, It sounds like you’re in a really frustrating situation! It’s important to find out how long the previous council tax exemption lasted. I recommend contacting the council tax department again and specifically asking about possible exemptions or reductions due to the property being uninhabitable. While it’s true that, as the named tenant, you’re generally liable for council tax, it’s still worth exploring all possible options for further council tax relief.

Out of curiosity, has the housing department provided you with temporary accommodation? Have they given you any estimate of when you might be able to return to the property? Knowing those timelines could also be helpful when speaking with the council tax department.

One last thing, any personal effects or appliances that were damaged due to the roof and ceiling collapse won’t be covered by the landlord's insurance, so you’ll need to claim through your own contents insurance policy.