Finishing year 13 in 2017 part 2

[user9512736123]

New thread as the old one is at 990 messages!

4.1.3. provide us with a certificate of exemption for council tax. You are responsible for the payment of council tax and you will reimburse us for any council tax we are required to pay as a result of you not providing us with a certificate of exemption.

^^ Unite booking terms and conditions, England

Just having a bit of a lol here. Ds got his accommodation offer on Friday. Not one of his 4 choices. In fact it's the one with the absolute least frills. The standard version of the one with the least frills. And, apparently, his room will be the teeniest in the house! I found this out after some student room research. When he saw dd's 1st year room 4 years ago, he thought it looked like a prison cell. But that was palatial in comparison to what his will be like. Oh dear! On the plus side it's cheap, apparently very sociable and his school friend will be living nearby. Let's hope his house mates are a good group.

Right now I'd settle for that, tobee.

So fed up with Unite.

Exeter's website says that Exeter city council will be given a list of all students registered on a full time course so they shouldn't be billed for council tax. If they are they should ask for an exemption letter.

DS is in Managed Partnership halls and has to obtain a certificate of exemption.

I don't recall anything to do with certificates of exemption when DS1 went, 2yrs ago.

That's why I'm wondering if it's A New Thing horsemad, sent to torment us.

If it is a new thing you'd think universities would be giving it a higher profile and telling students what they need to do.

I know, stonecircle. I was looking at the Unite small print for 2017/18 for something else, and just came across it.

That and my DD's shock demand, made me sit up a bit.

Exeter's website says that Exeter city council will be given a list of all students registered on a full time course so they shouldn't be billed for council tax. If they are they should ask for an exemption letter.

That's the same with the uni that DS is going to, but confusing they say they will give the lists but also say that students need to check with the porter manager whether they need to apply for exemption or not!

So glad he has been allocated a room LIney.

indulgent, DD got a '7 days to pay' letter just before the bank holiday weekend, dated 22nd! ie pay by Tuesday. But the certificate of exemption from the same council takes longer than that to organise - the council says it'll only be able to issue it to her in early September. Which is nice ...

We're very well organised usually and this seems very odd. We've never had any of these issues before.

We're lucky that DD was actually around in her uni house to receive the letter. Most of the others are home or travelling for the summer.

Asked DS1 if he had to have an exemption certificate and he said he didn't but pointed out he was in uni halls, whereas DS2 is in Managed Partnership halls.
Maybe that has some bearing on it?

Liney that's crazy. Horsemad DS is in managed halls, I've scoured the small print on their website and there is nothing in the terms and conditions that even mentions council tax :-(

I'll phone the council tomorrow and ask them.

I've emailed my own council for advice too.

The Unite halls saga continues. There appears to have been a rather steep price hike between applying for the 'guaranteed' accommodation and the actual offer. I'm feeling distinctly cats-bum about it.

Are there any other private halls he could go into Liney?

I'll have a Google, Horsemad. Thanks for the idea. (Although the university are implying not.) Otherwise we'll just have to suck up the cost for Year 1, and he can live more frugally next year!

Onwards and upwards ...

DS's friend is going to Reading, I'll ask if he has any ideas for you.

I've just found a few online - tbh the rooms still available are the same prices more-or-less as Kendrick (the Unite one). But I'm having a read. And thanks - all suggestions welcome!

Liney I wonder if they only have the studios left? That's the case where DS is going.

Good luck finding somewhere else.

I tried to email the council but you can't email them until you have a postal address in the area and it has to include the room number which we won't have until moving in day. At least that means you can't register to pay until you move in so they must be flexible.

Well I had a google and Preston council are very clear thankfully.

On DS's halls website (private halls) it says an exemption certificate can be obtained when the student enrols, or from Student Services

It had not even occurred to me that DD might have to pay council tax!

So it looks like DD has to move into her halls on a weekday - no slots on a weekend. Is that the same elsewhere?

I'm moving DD on a Wednesday. Real pain, but I only have to do it for one child at least.

How are you dc feeling about impending departures? Ds said yesterday he feels weird about the new term starting at his old school and him not going back. All part of the feelings of leaping into the unknown I suppose. Also I think he's forgotten what academic work means!