Landlord overcharging

[lilypoppet]

Hi a month ago I posted a thread about my landlord insisting I pay my community charge direct to him rather than the council and every was kind enough to advise. Well I've been giving him £140 a month for it and it has been a struggle. So I checked the council website and discovered I am in price band c and the charge is actually £89 a month. I think what has happened is the previous tenant built up arrears which he's had added to the total because she was paying him direct as well and he has got me paying that amount. I'm shocked and don't know what to do. He has been asking for £300 which is what he claims I owe and just before Christmas as well
I was just going to put it on my credit card when I checked with the council website. Any ideas what I should do?

At the very least he'll be charging you the full 100% as you are 2 adults, but paying only 75% with a single person discount for his wife, I bet!

I'd say there's even a possibility too that his wife wants the property in her name as she's claiming single persons benefits from it

No deposit, lying about council tax, no contract for months... I would move.

If that is difficult for you, I would consider texting him to say that your friend told you it was the law that you had to put council tax in your own name so you've done that now and switched it over. And suck up the overpayment so far.

But better still, text that the council advised the overpayment you'd made to him was £x and withhold that from your rent.

But genuinely set it aside - because you'll need it for a deposit on a place with a proper LL?

Yes thanks I'm trying to move but my husband is unemployed so it's hard to find a place through an agency. I will need a reference from my landlord so I gave to be careful. I am not sure what he's up to its very suspicious. The house is for sale so he let me move i
n on a casual basis but as it hasn't sold I've been able to stay. I'll ring the council and let you know how I get on!

I wonder if he's told the Council the house is empty pending sale. In some places this may still get you a six month exemption from CT completely.

I really don't see you getting out of this place with a good reference, possibly even if you continue to let him extort you for money. I think he's exploiting the fact you are vulnerable - no deposit, unemployed husband. I would talk to Shelter about your options.

I downloaded an assured shorthold tenancy agreement from www.oyezforms.co.uk if that helps.

Thank you that is really helpful. We contacted the council who were understandably unhappy with the arrangement. They said they couldn't tell us how much the council tax is but they said it was less than he is asking us to pay. Not sure what is going to happen next.

I suppose they have no evidence that you do actually live in the house, so they can't disclose stuff about the Council Tax account to you. Very tricky. Can you forcibly transfer the account into your name? You do have a tenancy agreement, after all.

It sounds like some kind of informal tenacy was agreed for a shorter period than a usual AST and probably without a written agreement. Or is there a written tenancy agreement? I can't now remember. If there is it may have a clause about council tax.

Yes we are registered on the electoral roll. But I fear my landlord may want me out now the council know.