Furniture & Council Tax

[nathan_1]

Has anyone had any experience of paying Council Tax when the owner has gone into care?

Nobody lives in my mother's house, and I managed to get her Council Tax exemption as they class her as 'severely mentally impaired' - although it didn't stop the council trying several times to charge her!

Now they are insisting on knowing whether there is still furniture and belongings in the house.

Surely they can't start charging her Council Tax over a few old wardrobes, sofas and trinkets?

I'm currently waiting on Deputyship to get permission to sell her property to pay for her care, and I'm not even sure I'm legally allowed to be clearing her things without the Courts permission.

I've asked them to clarify but they take weeks to respond.

 

[thistlejak]

The house should be eligible for Class E exemption.
We had the severe mental health exemption for MIL and when we informed the council that she had gone into fulltime care they said the house was exempt. This exemption lasted until we sold it over a year later ( we had to wait for Deputyship as well )
Inform your Water rates people as well as we didn't have to pay for an empty house.

 

[nitram]

The house should be eligible for Class E exemption.

@nathan_1 it is.
Tell the council and if they don't agree send them verse and chapter

9. EXEMPT DWELLINGS
...
...
9.2.6
Class E
An unoccupied dwelling, where the former resident - as the freeholder, leaseholder, tenant or licensee and/or as the liable person - has become a long-term patient in a hospital or care home as defined in schedule 1 paragraphs 6, 7 and 8 of the LGFA 1992 (SI 1992/558 amended by SI 1994/539, SI 2005/2865 and SI 2011/2581).

P73/74

https://www.valuationtribunal.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CT-Manual.pdf

 

[Feeling unsupported]

In my experience, this was something of a battle, the Council will try and wriggle out of it if they can.
I'm now battling with TV licensing, since mum moved to a care home, you wouldn't believe how difficult they are making this. First they need a letter of evidence from the care home. Now another demand for payment, followed by a form asking the most stupid questions.
Her 75+ licence....is she over 60?
You have POA because she is mentally incapable.....is she disabled?
You sent a letter from care home....you need to get care home to sign this form as well
They are also asking for certified copies of passport and other id, none of which she has.....I'm sorry, but I have filed their correspondence in the bin. If they don't like it, they can contact her directly, good luck

 

[Banjomansmate]

When I asked TV licensing to transfer the licence to my name after my husband died they said they wanted a copy of his death certificate, so I just waited until it was time to renew it and did it in my name!

 

[nathan_1]

The house should be eligible for Class E exemption.
We had the severe mental health exemption for MIL and when we informed the council that she had gone into fulltime care they said the house was exempt. This exemption lasted until we sold it over a year later ( we had to wait for Deputyship as well )
Inform your Water rates people as well as we didn't have to pay for an empty house.

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated!

 

[nathan_1]

The house should be eligible for Class E exemption.
We had the severe mental health exemption for MIL and when we informed the council that she had gone into fulltime care they said the house was exempt. This exemption lasted until we sold it over a year later ( we had to wait for Deputyship as well )
Inform your Water rates people as well as we didn't have to pay for an empty house.

@nathan_1 it is.
Tell the council and if they don't agree send them verse and chapter

9. EXEMPT DWELLINGS
...
...
9.2.6
Class E
An unoccupied dwelling, where the former resident - as the freeholder, leaseholder, tenant or licensee and/or as the liable person - has become a long-term patient in a hospital or care home as defined in schedule 1 paragraphs 6, 7 and 8 of the LGFA 1992 (SI 1992/558 amended by SI 1994/539, SI 2005/2865 and SI 2011/2581).

P73/74

https://www.valuationtribunal.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CT-Manual.pdf

Thank you, I shall!

 

[nathan_1]

In my experience, this was something of a battle, the Council will try and wriggle out of it if they can.
I'm now battling with TV licensing, since mum moved to a care home, you wouldn't believe how difficult they are making this. First they need a letter of evidence from the care home. Now another demand for payment, followed by a form asking the most stupid questions.
Her 75+ licence....is she over 60?
You have POA because she is mentally incapable.....is she disabled?
You sent a letter from care home....you need to get care home to sign this form as well
They are also asking for certified copies of passport and other id, none of which she has.....I'm sorry, but I have filed their correspondence in the bin. If they don't like it, they can contact her directly, good luck

Sorry to hear you've been put through it. I've had the same. Took me several attempts with TV licencing too.
The Council have been horrendous, as have the DWP. Once you think you've got something sorted they'll find another way to make life difficult! You have to fight tooth and nail just to get what you're fully entitled to!

 

[Helly68]

Oh God, moving to a care home and TV licensing, dont remind me!

They asked if Mummy had her own TV - yes but barely able to use it! They told me "care homes often don't understand TV licensing, you must check". No. That's between TV licensing and the care home.
Prove your father (remining at home) is old enough for the over 75 licence......on and on
It took months of stress to sort out.

 

[Feeling unsupported]

Oh God, moving to a care home and TV licensing, dont remind me!

They asked if Mummy had her own TV - yes but barely able to use it! They told me "care homes often don't understand TV licensing, you must check". No. That's between TV licensing and the care home.
Prove your father (remining at home) is old enough for the over 75 licence......on and on
It took months of stress to sort out.

It seems almost everything you try to sort is like this. As if the worry of trying to make the best provision etc for your loved one is not enough, I can regularly spend 2 hours a day battling with her admin. If they believe she needs a TV licence in her care home, then they can go and call there to sort it out, I'm not doing anything more with it.

 

[nitram]

If they believe she needs a TV licence in her care home, then they can go and call there to sort it out,

The manager should apply for a £7.50/yr licence, whether or not they pass this cost on to the resident is up to them.
https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check...nd-organisations/residential-care-homes-aud14 .
The resident can apply for a partial refund of any fee paid before moving into care,

If the resident is over 75 and severely sight impaired they should apply for a concessionary free licence.

 

[Helly68]

@nitram thank you.
The TV licensing people at times seemed unaware of their own rules......

 

[jennifer1967]

The manager should apply for a £7.50/yr licence, whether or not they pass this cost on to the resident is up to them.
https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check...nd-organisations/residential-care-homes-aud14 .
The resident can apply for a partial refund of any fee paid before moving into care,

If the resident is over 75 and severely sight impaired they should apply for a concessionary free licence.

if you are 75 and pension credit, you get a free licence as well.if you are living at your own home.