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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be shocked at council tax?

94 replies

MamaSaysItsAHardKnockLife · 28/07/2016 13:23

Moving into a houseshare in London soon. Sharing with two others who work full-time and a student, so we will just split council tax amongst ourselves and leave student out of it although no discount.

I was thinking we had got ourselves a pretty good value place for London (620 a month) and now have just seen council tax will be another 60 each on top!! Not including of course gas/electric/water/internet/insurance... ConfusedShock

OP posts:
sparechange · 28/07/2016 15:34

The student definitely needs to pay! You shouldn't have to suck up their share!

MargaretCavendish · 28/07/2016 15:35

When I shared a house with a student she paid her share of council tax. She didn't want to, but we weren't getting any discount and we didn't see why she shouldn't pay.

I also paid council tax as a student living with two workers, but when I went to go talk to the council once because the account had got a bit muddled (we accidently overpaid one month, then underpaid another) they wouldn't even talk to me, told me that I had no legal responsibility at all for the council tax and so, unlike my housemates, no potential consequences of it going unpaid. This might be worth bearing in mind. Also, to be honest OP, splitting it four ways instead of three will save you £15 a month - I'm not saying that's not significant, but I'd be a bit reluctant to endure the resulting badwill from going back on an earlier agreement for the sake of £15 a month.

MargaretCavendish · 28/07/2016 15:37

60 EACH a month. Would be 40 each if student paid too.

It's £195 a month for a 4 bed

I think the maths has gone a bit awry here!

teaandcake789 · 28/07/2016 15:38

So 180 a month for a 4 bed in London? Sounds good, we pay £150 for a 3 bed terrace in Kent. Band D I think we are

PersianCatLady · 28/07/2016 15:39

I'm sharing with three in total: two who work and a student.
That's what I thought, so it is being divided three ways. I don't think the CT is unreasonable but is this really more about the fact that the student won't be chipping in and that is annoying you?

teraculum29 · 28/07/2016 15:39

I think you have a good deal,

In West Drayton (six zone) the council tax was about £90 per month on tiny studio flat.

KayTee87 · 28/07/2016 15:40

Op I don't think £195 a month for a 4 bedroom is very much at all. I'd be happy with that amount.
I know it's too late now but maybe for next time you're looking to move check the council tax rate.
Good luck in your new home.

PersianCatLady · 28/07/2016 15:42

What I don't understand though is how you had no idea what the CT would be prior to renting the property?!?

I think seeing as you are only paying £620 a month each for rent you are saving there so it isn't as bad as it could be if you were paying more for rent.

titchy · 28/07/2016 15:43

Anchor I suspect your friends are paying that a week, not a month. Esp it's zone 1.

titchy · 28/07/2016 15:45

Or a couple. Probably possible to find a two bed which houses three couples with each person paying £600. Not doable if you're the sole occupant of a room though.

madmother1 · 28/07/2016 15:51

Didn't your parents ever talk about bills? It costs quite a lot to run a house. I charge my DS a third of what our household bills plus food. It comes to over £200 per month. He was astounded at the costs involved. Even little things like the broadband and water.

MargaretCavendish · 28/07/2016 15:53

What I don't understand though is how you had no idea what the CT would be prior to renting the property?!?

Letting agents aren't exactly normally falling over themselves to tell you how much extra the council tax will cost you each month! It came as a shock to me when I first rented, too - I feel like people talk a lot about energy bills, for instance, as something that makes it hard to make ends meet, but barely mention council tax even though everywhere I've ever lived council tax has been far more expensive than the gas and electricity bill.

sparechange · 28/07/2016 15:59

What I don't understand though is how you had no idea what the CT would be prior to renting the property?!?
Because there can be a HUGE difference in the cost between neighbouring boroughs
It isn't uncommon for the boundary of a borough to the middle of the road, so houses on one side can have a council tax bill of £800 a year, while those on the other side are £1800

If you've always lived in the same sort of area, you could be forgiven for thinking you know roughly what the council tax is. To then move over the road and realise you have to find an extra £100 a month would be quite a shock!

Original poster
MamaSaysItsAHardKnockLife · 28/07/2016 16:00

Well I haven't put an offer in yet so it's not really a problem, just came as a shock - as pp have said, letting agents aren't falling over themselves to tell you! I went for viewings a few days ago and am working out a budget now having researched each property's individual bands - so being pretty sensible I think!

Yes of course I know how much it costs to run a property. I have lived away from home for several years as a student and was responsible for energy, water and Internet bills etc. Just council tax which has come as a shock. I am a bit perturbed the student won't be chipping in...

OP posts:
Tfoot75 · 28/07/2016 16:00

Ours is £156 per month band D Midlands. So it's not ridiculously high. Have you estimated the remaining bills? Council tax is probably 50% of our household bills with similar amount for gas electricity and water in total (not including phone/broadband)

Original poster
MamaSaysItsAHardKnockLife · 28/07/2016 16:01

The rooms are all different anyway. One small one which we were going to make significantly cheaper and which the student may be interested in; 2 middle; one big en-suite. Just trying to work out fair prices. Council tax is impacting my thinking slightly cos that would drive up the three higher rooms' price up by 60. And further increase the difference.

OP posts:
Original poster
MamaSaysItsAHardKnockLife · 28/07/2016 16:02

Yes, the rest of the bills I think will be ok. Am used to paying those anyway plus will be divided by 4.

OP posts:
PersianCatLady · 28/07/2016 16:05

If you've always lived in the same sort of area, you could be forgiven for thinking you know roughly what the council tax is.
I can sort of understand that but nowadays when it only takes a couple of minutes to check online I am surprised that people don't check these things before committing.

I am aware of the fact that estate agents want to let properties and therefore wouldn't tend to tell you anything negative without being asked.

Original poster
MamaSaysItsAHardKnockLife · 28/07/2016 16:07

But I haven't committed Confused

I just went for some viewings and am working out costs now - I can afford it but it has come as a shock that this is the norm.

OP posts:
PersianCatLady · 28/07/2016 16:09

OP - Why don't you get the student to pay £45 a month CT and the rest of you pay £50 each?

I know you don't want to go back on your word but why should you subsidise them (I don't mean that to sound as harsh as it sounds).

Or you could do £30 for the student and £55 each for the others?

PersianCatLady · 28/07/2016 16:13

But I haven't committed
OK so at least you aren't stuck in a contract and can't get out of it.

Honestly though although it may seem dear it isn't that bad. As a PP noted as you change borough CT changes dramatically but often rents will do the same. It really is a balancing act.

One thing that really comes across if you haven't committed is that you are being really sensible, it would have been much worse if you moved in and then got hit with all the bills.

Dumdedumdedum · 28/07/2016 16:21

Not very fair on the student to make them pay a share of the council tax - you've just finished studying and not having to pay CT, yourself, so why should your student flatmate be obliged to now? If I were them, I'd be singularly put out in the circs.

Original poster
MamaSaysItsAHardKnockLife · 28/07/2016 16:43

Dumdedum - I'm not asking the student to pay though!

OP posts:
Lorelei76 · 28/07/2016 16:47

£195 a month each for a 4 bed?

In London?

how is that possible?

LBOCS2 · 28/07/2016 16:54

£195 pcm council tax loreli.

We live in z5 and pay £144pcm for ours on a 3 bed terrace. Sounds pretty spot on really.