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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To object to paying two lots of council tax

254 replies

googlenut · 19/02/2015 20:08

We pay really high rates on our own property. We have a rental property - a small flat- which we have been unable to rent. We have just been faced with a £650 council tax bill. If we had students in it the flat would be exempt, if we had one person in it we would get 25% discount but instead we have to pay the full amount when it is empty. I just can't see the fairness of this - but willing to listen if someone can explain the justice of it.

OP posts:
SaucyJack · 19/02/2015 20:36

I don't believe there is any house that won't sell for the right price.

Justanotherlurker · 19/02/2015 20:37

I would be more worried why you can't rent it out tbh, has it been empty for over 6 months?

As it is your a landlord and you need to suck up the costs.

OhMrGove · 19/02/2015 20:37

Come on guys. No need to be snarky the op asked for advice.

MrsAlexanderSkarsgard · 19/02/2015 20:38

Sorry but YABU. You'll just have to suck it up I'm afraid.

FireflySerenity · 19/02/2015 20:38

Of course you should pay. You own two houses so there's two sets of costs. If you can't rent or sell it the price is too high.

Lokisglowstickofdestiny · 19/02/2015 20:39

Mrs Juice, you may not be an intentional landlord but when you rent out a property you are providing a service and therefore running a business. It's your responsibility to ensure you understand all the financial issues of that business before you decide to run such a business, if you don't like what you discover don't go into that business.

The taxation of empty properties is there to encourage them to be lived in, this cost should be factored into the running of the business alongside other costs of a void period.

Hardly think it's a huge financial penalty with the house price inflation this country has been through in the last few years.

Seriouslyffs · 19/02/2015 20:40

She didn't ask for advice, she came on to moan, and many people in this country and on Mumsnet suffer real deprivation as a direct consequence of BTL landlords I think the OP has a fucking nerve. Angry

PrincessPilolevuofTONGA · 19/02/2015 20:42

She didn't ask for advice. She asked for an explaination, which is that there is an acute housing shortage. Local authorities are under enormous pressure to reach unachievable targets in supplying housing. They are also under immense financial pressure. An empty house benefits no one. Thus there is a pressure to bring it back into use. One way to do this is to disincetivise people sitting on empty houses while others are living in unsuitable property.

MajesticWhine · 19/02/2015 20:42

YABU, as everyone else says. And I say that as a fellow unscrupulous thief landlord.

georgepigsdinosaur · 19/02/2015 20:43

Cry me a fucking river. Shouldn't be a greedy bastard with two houses.

Justanotherlurker · 19/02/2015 20:43

Ahh the 'accidental landlord' is being used already. (Ie: I deserve a profit)

I'm out.

The old adage of your investment can rise or fall in value seems to be lost in recent years.

ethelb · 19/02/2015 20:44

Then sell it FFS.

I'm really battling the desire to pull out the world's smallest violin.

Kvetch15 · 19/02/2015 20:44

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Kvetch15 · 19/02/2015 20:46

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londonrach · 19/02/2015 20:47

No one as an accidental landlord....you asking too much (being greedy) if you cant sell. These houses, flats could be someone home. Thanks majestic re your comment made me smile. Its a very very sore spot and it hurts that due to house prices ive left a place i love where i had patients and friends. Sorry now going for more chocolate..

TickleMyTitsTillFriday · 19/02/2015 20:51

I'm glad you have to pay it. You have two houses, you pay council tax. Sell one if you don't like it.

I'm surprised at how much this pisses me off. You're going to rent it out therefore effectively having the mortgage paid for you and you don't want to pay council tax while it's empty. Diddums. Hmm

CaspoFungin · 19/02/2015 20:54

The council needs a certain amount of money to run services. So this amount is worked out and and then how much each household in that council would need to pay is worked out. You need to pay because if there were lots of empty houses and nobody paid then there wouldn't be the money to run services.

Droflove · 19/02/2015 21:03

Some very bitter people on this thread. BTL is a business like any business. A second house is an investment and there are people who suit and want renting over buying. As long as you treat your tenants well, don't apologise for it OP.

WD41 · 19/02/2015 21:06

Sell it then. I seriously cannot believe anybody would have the nerve to moan about this.

kind of hoping you don't find tenants and you get rebanded to a higher council tax rate

countessmarkyabitch · 19/02/2015 21:08

You have two houses. Why wouldn't you have to pay the tax twice?

PrincessPilolevuofTONGA · 19/02/2015 21:08

The OP hasn't got any tenants. That is the very point if this thread

Droflove · 19/02/2015 21:08

Oh and in response to OP, I think it's fair to pay even when empty as the council can't make much if any saving on you not being there. Street lights still need to be on, roads paved etc.

monkeysox · 19/02/2015 21:10

If house is empty no services are being used by that home thoug?

Gives bad landlords an excuse to not do any big/lengthy repairs as it's an additional cost other than loss of rent while empty.

Kvetch15 · 19/02/2015 21:12

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Kvetch15 · 19/02/2015 21:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.