Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Original poster

DD fraudulently living in student flat for five months

159 replies

ThoseTallTrees · 06/03/2022 11:12

DD is 22 and started a masters degree but went part time two weeks into the term.

Since then she has effectively been fraudulently living in student accommodation which she is paying for from a legacy from a grandparent. She can’t live there as a part time student and obviously should be paying council tax.

We have repeatedly talked to her about this but she says she wants to stay the whole year and no one will find out - and that a friend of hers is doing the same.

Personally I’m surprised that one of her other friends hasn’t reported her but so far not. It’s been nearly five months.

Is she going to get away with it? If not, I hat might the penalty be?

OP posts:

titchy · 06/03/2022 11:29

@ThoseTallTrees

I’m certainly not going to report her! Where have I suggested that?

You said you would report her if you were there 9 mins ago....

Original poster

ThoseTallTrees · 06/03/2022 11:29

But yes if I was living there I would report her because I’d be worried about the increasing tax liability. It could run into thousands couldn’t it?

OP posts:

ChrisSays · 06/03/2022 11:30

@titchy

What cross referencing could there possibly be?

Well…you know that there are cross matching computer systems to detect fraud- that have your NI details and your address. I mean really?!

Original poster

ThoseTallTrees · 06/03/2022 11:31

As I say, my main concern is having to bail her out.

OP posts:

ChrisSays · 06/03/2022 11:31

I wouldn’t report her though, why would you do that? She will either learn the hard way or get away with it.

LondonWolf · 06/03/2022 11:31

OMG keep out of it!

She probably knows much better than you what can be got away with and what is turned a blind eye to. I'd be really pissed off if my parents kept haranguing me about such matters.

mangoontoast · 06/03/2022 11:31

So you think her friends should report her so she has to pay thousands in tax because.... why? The students would not be liable. I would not effect them in any way. I'm glad I'm not in your social circle if you think friends should report each other!

Motnight · 06/03/2022 11:32

She's 22. She knows everything 😬. It does have the potential to go horribly wrong, but that is your dd's decision. I would have one conversation with her, setting out that you aren't willing to bail her out financially if things go wrong and then leave her toit.

SW1amp · 06/03/2022 11:32

@ThoseTallTrees

But yes if I was living there I would report her because I’d be worried about the increasing tax liability. It could run into thousands couldn’t it?

That is the most batshit thing I’ve heard in a long time

Are you generally a jobsworth type? It’s really not what any one would do so I wouldn’t worry that other people would think to do something as mental as that!

Original poster

ThoseTallTrees · 06/03/2022 11:32

OMG I’m not going to report her.

I’ve said if I was living with her I would because I’d be worried about getting a bill I couldn’t pay!

OP posts:

Original poster

ThoseTallTrees · 06/03/2022 11:34

I wouldn’t say I’m a jobsworth type but I am extremely cautious with money. DD is completely the opposite and has got into debt in the past (which the legacy bailed her out of) - which is partly fuelling my concern.

OP posts:

User428690 · 06/03/2022 11:34

The tax liability will be 75% of the year's council tax won't it, depends on the band it is in. Is she likely to be there more than a year

Original poster

ThoseTallTrees · 06/03/2022 11:35

@User428690 That’s what I would have assumed. But I don’t know how it would work in this sort of situation where it’s a large block of student shared flats.

OP posts:

ChrisSays · 06/03/2022 11:35

@ThoseTallTrees

OMG I’m not going to report her.

I’ve said if I was living with her I would because I’d be worried about getting a bill I couldn’t pay!

Sorry OP I know how bloody annoying it is when people don’t read the thread properly and I have just done it to you.

LondonWolf · 06/03/2022 11:37

@ThoseTallTrees

Ever wondered if your extreme cautiousness with money has lead your daughter to rebel to be the complete opposite?

Original poster

ThoseTallTrees · 06/03/2022 11:39

@LondonWolf Undoubtedly! She’s also a massive hoarder and I’m the total opposite (she’s even got a storage container full of her stuff).

But I still don’t want her to get into a mess.

OP posts:

sunshinesupermum · 06/03/2022 11:40

She's 22! Stop worrying about this.

Schoolchoicesucks · 06/03/2022 11:40

If she shouldn't be living there, isn't the prospect of her being evicted a bigger worry than the prospect she might be landed with a council tax bill? I'm not sure why that is the chief concern?

Presumably the halls are run by the university or a private halls provider and neither of them are checking that the residents are eligible to stay.

If the council do any cross-checking, then your daughter would have to pay - either through her inheritance, or earnings (if she is a part time student is she working as well?) or through a debt recovery plan. If that happens she'll have to deal with it. If not, she won't. They may well not send out any letters or forms if they are expecting the whole address to be exempt.

What do you want the solution to be here? Do you want her to move out?

Original poster

ThoseTallTrees · 06/03/2022 11:43

I suppose @Schoolchoicesucks I was looking for others’ views on it. And I’m quite relieved that people are saying not to worry and to leave her to it.

She doesn’t work, she’s been living on her legacy but it is running out.

OP posts:

Talia99 · 06/03/2022 11:44

Worst case scenario isn’t a large bill, it’s being prosecuted for council tax fraud (and yes, not notifying of a change in circumstances counts). Hopefully she’s not going for a career where a dishonesty conviction is a career killer.

Having said that, she’s 22 and it’s up to her if she wants to risk it.

Also, I haven’t checked personally - maybe being a part time student is enough not to pay council tax?

Tee20x · 06/03/2022 11:46

I wouldn't worry about this. The worst that would happen is that she would be billed for the unpaid council tax. She wouldn't be prosecuted for fraud - I had a friend who was at uni who didn't pay CT, he was billed, paid and that was the end of it.

The only reason they would go down the prosecution route is if she refused to pay up once found out.

Bigpaintinglittlepainting · 06/03/2022 11:47

Honestly she probably knows more about whether she can get away with it more than you. Do you think that she hasn't assessed the risk of being caught ?

You are quite right but really things go on in life that are blurred and she is taking advantage of that.

I would keep out of it and if she comes for a hand out just refuse. She's an adult and should be dealing with consequences herself.

Wulfenite · 06/03/2022 11:47

I don't see why her friends would report her because surely if someone finds out and a bill is assigned to the property your daughter will be the only one eligible to pay it? The others will be full time students and so still exempt - she would get a single person's discount for being the only one paying but it would still all be on her. Maybe my information is out of date though.

titchy · 06/03/2022 11:47

Well…you know that there are cross matching computer systems to detect fraud- that have your NI details and your address. I mean really?!

Think it through... when you put yourself on the electoral role, do you supply your NI number?

When she enrolled as a student, did she provide her NI number?

When she signed the rental agreement did she provide her NI number?

No. The only was she would be found out is if the university wrote to the council and said 'sally is now part time and we are going to evict her from our halls as a result.' Which isn't happening is it.

viques · 06/03/2022 11:48

[quote ThoseTallTrees]@LawnFever I don’t want to “get her into trouble” - I was hoping this would have been resolved by now. My main concern TBH is that she might get a massive bill and then come asking us for help.[/quote]
She is an adult. Just say no.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Swipe left for the next trending thread