Bonkers Council Tax policy?

[wowfudge]

Is it me, or is this nuts?

Tenant moved out, I contacted council to apply for CT discount as house unfurnished and unoccupied. The council have charged me for the last day of the tenant's tenancy.

I've queried this and been told that as the tenant couldn't spend the night in the house then the LL is liable for that date, that is their policy.

So I asked if they could direct me to their policy on the council's website. Apparently not - they couldn't find anything on there they could refer me to.

I then asked what if one tenancy ends on 31st of a month and another starts the very next day, 1st of the next month. Apparently a third person, the LL, is liable for the last date of the first tenancy.

This seems like madness to me when there is a tenancy agreement in place - the tenant only agreed to a 6pm handover of the keys on the last day - and could have stayed until 11.59 if so bloody minded.

Rant over - it's not a large amount of money, but the principle.

How pathetic, probably cost more in admin that what the fee is. Never heard of it before in any of ours and that is with 4 different local authorities !

I asked them if they would pro rata the first day as I only got the keys after 6pm. Answer - no.

On the many occasions I have been a tenant myself, I cannot recall not being charged CT (when it existed) on the last day of a tenancy, nor would I ever have queried being charged it for the last day.