Council Tax question

[ducklingquong]

Hi,

I have a council tax question. I am a student doing my phd, and so I am exempt from paying council tax. My boyfriend has recently got a job in the city I live in. He is giving up his flat and is going to move home to save money.

He was thinking he could live with me during the work week (5 days) and go home on the weekends. Maybe some weeks he would stay all week, and other weeks he would travel home and work remotely.

He would probably give me some money towards the rent/bills as he would be using my electricity/water/gas etc.

Would he need to pay council tax too? Or as I am a student, and the lease is in my name, and he isn’t officially living here, we wouldn’t need to?

Thank you. Sorry I am from overseas so don’t understand the tax

He would be living with you, so your household would no longer be eligible for exemption from council tax on the basis of being occupied by a student.

Don't try the "not officially living here" approach. That'd be fraudulent. If he's living with you 5 days a week, it is his home.

Is he on the council tax bill at home?
He can't be on both

Council tax is 50% property and 50% person based on 2 adults living there, hence why you get a 25% discount when only one person resides there. A single parent would get a full charge when her child turns 18 as they are another adult. However full time students are exempt from council tax as an exemption class. There are people exemptions and property exemptions.

I did work in council tax and it is a long time since I worked there, but, I am assuming the tenancy is in your name only or you own a house with your name on the mortgage. However, your boyfriend has no security of tenure elsewhere by living with his parents, he is paying council tax now and won't be when at home. Again I am assuming his parent's house already has a full charge.

It therefore could be argued that he is living with you and so a 75% charge would be levied on your property.

Sorry, living with you depending on how many nights he stays over with you.

I clearly cannot read properly today. Ignore the mortgage bit. This is what I get for trying to multitask.

Is your rental property a student let? Are you allowed to move anyone else into the property? What does your tenancy say about that?

Clearly this is his main residence, so he should be paying council tax.

Check your lease. If he is living there 5 days a week, he almost definitely needs to be added to your lease as a tenant (legally liable for rent) or a permitted occupier (allowed to live there but not liable for rent), otherwise you will be in breach of your lease.

If he is on the lease, he will have to pay council tax.

@dementedpixie you can be on/pay council tax at more than one address eg second homeowners.