Changes in Council Tax Liability!

Campaigning and Policy

You may be aware that local authorities have changed their rules significantly recently. One of the changes affects tenancies that have become periodic. If the tenant gets another property during their periodic tenancy so there is an overlap, the new rules are that the landlord is charged.

In my case the property is in Leeds and the tenants fixed term expired in August. He didn't want to renew because he was buying a property. He wanted to move to his other property gradually but that became his main home from the first day he bought it. There was an overlap of a month so even though the owner wasn't in possession they have been charged.

I can see this causing major problems because we cannot force tenants to sign another fixed term contract. We can issue a section 21 but the tenancy is still periodic when it goes over the fixed term date.

I think this is something the RLA need to take up with the government. I was told by Leeds there was a recent test case to settle this.