DD fraudulently living in student flat for five months

[ThoseTallTrees]

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?

* Personally I’m surprised that one of her other friends hasn’t reported her but so far not.*

Because they’re not like you OP

Keep out of it
She is 22 not12

Ie
Nice

The friends are that is

It is the student who is exempt from council tax not the property. My DGD is a student, her partner is working. He pays single person’s rate on council tax. This was done with full council knowledge....lots of forms to fill in. So even if she had to pay council tax the other students wouldn’t have to andit would be at single person’s rate.

@ThoseTallTrees

I would report her if I was there because I’d be worried I’d be slapped with a five month council tax bill! There are 8 of them in the flat.

You would honestly report a friend?

To be honest if she's not working she probably isn't even liable anyway.

She’s 22, you’ve said your piece, she knows the risk, back off. If it goes wrong don’t bail her out. She’s an adult and she made her decision knowing the choice .

22. Ffs.

Why did she go part time?

I wouldn't be surprised if she does end up with a council tax bill as the university will know she is in the room and not doing the full time course, These sort of things do catch up with people especially if she stays all year but it will just be a bill she has to pay not a fraud thing unless she tries to lie her way out of it

@Talia99

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?

Dial it down a notch.

@ThoseTallTrees

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

You and your daughter

I’m going to take a punt
You’re not close

@ThoseTallTrees

Keep your nose out, none of your business.

I’m quite worried she might get into trouble - debt or some sort of record that will make it hard for to rent again.

She is 22.

Let her adult her own way and deal with the consequences. You have mentioned your concern, now you need to let it go.

Oh and no one will report her unless she’s an arsehole to them and they want revenge, full time students are not liable for ct. she’s the only one who would have a bill and if her incomes low it would be drastically reduced anyway.

Whether she gets into trouble for fraud is another thing, if it came out

I think you’re getting an unnecessarily hard time, OP. I would also be worried that she’d be landed with a big bill, that her parents would have to help pay. I’m afraid I can’t offer any advice, though.

As long as none of her friends report her nobody will find out. She’s not actually working.

She's 22, an adult. I had to get burnt quite a few times in my 20s before I stopped cutting corners like this. She'll learn if/when she does get caught and nobody bails her out. However, I doubt she will get caught tbh. Just life!

In fact, I think this did actually happen to me! I did a part time masters, and I remember having to sell some jewellery and my brand new GHD straighteners that were a gift to pay it off!!!

if she has to pay then she should pay the whole bill

I suppose that if the liability is on the individual and not on the property or landlord then no one else will be affected?

I think you are overworried here. How many people in this country get away with this already/not paying tax on cars/illegally downloading films/late Mots/not paying TV licence/not saying the real amount they earn as self employed/ probably many more. There was a thread the other day and someone posted about re using stamps!

I think it’s a shared tenancy

@BrutusMcDogface

I think you’re getting an unnecessarily hard time, OP. I would also be worried that she’d be landed with a big bill, that her parents would have to help pay. I’m afraid I can’t offer any advice, though.

So do I! There is a certain type who just wake up angry and want to aggressively reply to anyone else who dares to post on the internet.

Op definitely has a point and IMO would be pretty negligent as a parent to not point this out to her DD. Of course in mumsnet land one doesn’t parent beyond the age of 18 anyway…

www.plymouth.ac.uk/student-life/your-studies/essential-information/council-tax

You told her OP so nothing else you can do now. I think the people saying no one will find out are being naïve. She might get away with but she might not.

Having worked in council tax the halls (buildings themselves) are not exempt from it. It's the students that are exempt. Which is why when students often move out to private accommodation in their 2nd/3rd year they usually have to provide proof of their status. A bill is still issued but has the exemptions on so comes to zero. In uni managed accommodation (and some private ones), it's just that the uni manages all that with the council so the students themselves never have to get involved.

So there wouldn't be any reason for her friends to dob her in as they would never be liable for council tax. However technically/legally she is liable for the cost of the whole flat (although if she is the only non student could apply for a 25% discount). If the uni found out they would probably just evict her rather than going to the faff of telling the council and amending the billing though.

Thanks @latetothefisting that’s helpful.

@ChrisSays Ha! I know she’s an adult but I do think you are naive about these things at that age. She has form for bad financial decisions and I worry about it.