bettergetabucket
3 Thanks
13 Posts
Had a tenant give notice, good tenant nearly 4 years in property. Asked for and got a reference for new place. He wanted to go early but would not vacate the property until the last day as he "had paid for it" and if I wanted it back early to get another tenant in he wanted to be compensated for rent paid. Not unreasonable? I had no problem with this as my new tenant did not mind waiting a couple of week. So no compensation and he left on the last day of his rent period Left all in reasonable order so I refunded deposit via the DPS and moved the new tenant in the next day.
This month got demand from council in my name for council tax. I wrote telling them date he left and next day new tenant went in, thought thats the end of that. Got a revised bill for one day £3.89. Thought thats a bit silly must have cost more to generate and collect and why did I not recieve a grace period when the property was technically empty.
Council say that old tenant told them he had moved out the month before as far as they are concerned he left and the property was empty for a month and that the grace period was on the property and that it had now elpsed full rates became due. He was responcible for the rates during the AST but ducked the last month by telling the council a lie.
They will not believe me the owner/landlord that he had not moved out fully and hence they should chase him for the month,they want me to pay for the day (I will pay its to small an amount to waste my time on)I cannot deduct from the deposit as its already returned, maybe I should have sat on it for a month just in case but that gets landlords a bad name delaying return of deposits.
If the council is correct then this is something all tenants can do when they give notice!
Does anyone know if the council has the power to give a tenant reduced rates without informing the landlord/owner that they are doing it. I have ended with a bill and agravation for being a trusting nice landlord.
