To be shocked at council tax?

[MamaSaysItsAHardKnockLife]

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...

sorry, major brain fail there

I'd be annoyed if I was a student and was asked to chip in, but then the student could find a student let and definitely not have to pay it!

*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).*

Again, is it really worth the upset it'll cause to save £10 a month?

Also, they're not 'subsidising' them - they're legally obliged to pay council tax; the student isn't. What you're suggesting is like living with a housemate that walks to work and asking them to split your commuting costs; it might be annoying that you pay it and they don't, but it's really not their problem.

they're legally obliged to pay council tax; the student isn't
That isn't true!

A house occupied only by students is exempt from paying council tax. The occupants of a non-exempt house has to pay council tax.

If the household doesn't pay the council tax, they'll all be liable for the bill and potentially dragged to court. They won't excuse the student...

That is factually incorrect. The student has no such obligation and yes, they would be 'excused'. The NUS explain this clearly, including the one exception:

'The one situation in which a full-time student can be liable is when they have a higher 'interest' in the property but share it with someone who isn’t a student. For example, if you own your property and are a full-time student, but sublet a room to a non-student, the property becomes liable, and because you have the higher interest you’re the liable person.'
www.nus.org.uk/en/advice/money-and-funding/council-tax/

If you're a student and show the council proof of this they will remove your name from the bill to reflect the fact it is not your legal responsibility.

I feel better after reading this thread mine is £92 a month on a 3 bedroom house.

MargaretCavendish
You seem to be getting a bit annoyed at most of my suggestions, I am sorry if any of them have offended you but I am only trying to assist the OP in finding a solution to her problem.

She can choose whether or not to listen to or do anything I have suggested.

they're legally obliged to pay council tax; the student isn't.
Also what you have stated here is not strictly true which is why I think you should not immediately be so dismissive of my suggestions.

It absolutely is strictly true. Did you look at the NUS link? It is unambiguous, e.g.:
'A property would be liable if, for example, three adults lived there, two of whom were full-time students and one of whom wasn’t. Only the person who isn’t a full-time student is liable to pay the tax.'

It is also exactly what my local council told me, although this was about six or seven years ago which is why I double-checked that it was still the case. Clearly it is.

I'm not annoyed about your suggestions at all, but I do disagree with them. In my opinion it will cause a lot of hassle and upset for not much saving for the OP. I actually think your proposals would be reasonable ones if they hadn't already come to an agreement about council tax; since they have I think it would inevitably cause a dispute to change it now.

I hate CT. We pay more for a modest 3 bed than my dad does for a 5 bed Edwardian in London!

Yes, some London boroughs charge very.low council tax. There was some government favouritism/ fiddle years back.

Our house is over 1k a month. It's a constant nightmare. Jan and Feb are great months for us (only pay CT for 10 months).

I'm not annoyed about your suggestions at all, but I do disagree with them.
The world would be a boring place if we all agreed all the time wouldn't it?

The thing is it is a tricky situation, on one hand why should the 3 workers (for want of a better phrase) pay a third of the council tax each because the fourth person is a student? But then on the other hand why should the student pay a quarter when they are a student?

Obviously we don't know the OP and her potential flatmates but she has got to decided what to do.

Personally if I was the student in this scenario I would think that if the 3 workers were living with another worker instead of me then they would be paying less each and to me knowing that would make me put in a quarter share. But that is just me.

DH and I are £240 a month in Scotland. I think for London you are doing well.

Council tax in Scotland includes water rates as well so you can't do a straight comparison.

It all looks expensive to me! I pay 450 a month for a room with ensuite, kitchenette and all bills included. 24 minutes on the train to central London

My sister is married to a vicar, they are exempt from paying council tax in a massive townhouse in west London.

That's really not bad. My tiny 2 bed flat is £140 pm and I'm no where near London.

Our house is over 1k a month
You pay £1,000 a month for council tax???

I think that amount of council tax is quite reasonable. But I wouldn't be happy with the non paying student even though I know they aren't liable to pay any CT. It just means that the bill is now split between three instead of four. Is that including water rates. Some councils seem to lumop them together and others are separate.

Is that including water rates
In London as far as I understand it does not include water rates.

I think that including water rates commonly happens in Scotland.

Also don't forget a lot of households are on water meters nowadays.