Council Tax - HMO

[Vagrant]

What's the situation if 4 people share a house, 3 are students and the 4th is working?
Is the worker liable for the full amount?

[SMP]

The worker is liable to pay the council tax less the 25% single person discount. My daughter nearly got caught out by this when some student friends asked her to share with them.

[Buenchico]

SMP may well be right but it's important to know whether the property is 'officially' an HMO. If it's recognised as such, the LANDLORD (rather than any of the tenants) is responsible for paying the Council Tax. However, for that to be the case, individual rooms would have to be let to specified individuals with separate tenancy agreements rather than the whole accommodation being let to a group of joint tenants.

It's more likely that the property is not (legally) an HMO. In which case the council will send the bill to the only person who is required to pay the tax. The others who live in the house might agree to contribute towards payment of the Council Tax (particularly if failure to do so would result in the other person leaving and increasing their share of the rent) but they're not obliged to do so.

http://www.bournemout...ltiple_Occupation.asp

Chris

[Vagrant]

Thanks, both.
Chris - how does one determine whether or not it's officially an HMO?

[Buenchico]

How many rental agreements are there?

If each person has a separate rental agreement (so that they all pay rent individually to the landlord) it's an HMO.

If they've only got a single rental agreement (so that they collectively pay rent to the landlord) it's not an HMO.

Chris

[Vagrant]

Don't know, but will find out - thanks Chris.