If you rent out property in Brighton and Hove, it’s worth understanding the rules about council tax – in particular, who is responsible for paying it and what you should do if your tenant moves out leaving council tax arrears. To help you know what to do if this happens to you, read on for 9 crucial facts about council tax in Brighton and Hove.
People living in domestic properties across the UK need to pay council tax to their local authority. The money pays for local services such as social care, waste and recycling collections, schools and planning. An extra amount, called a precept funds the police and fire services.
How much council tax you are charged in based on your property’s value in 1991, when the last valuation took place. Homes are placed in bands from A to H. In the Brighton and Hove City Council area, the current charge for an average band D property is £2,054.22 for the year from April 2021 to March 2022. Council tax can be paid annually or in 10 instalments – most people opt for a monthly direct debit.
Council tax is payable on all residential properties across the UK. It must be paid by residents over the age of 18 and this usually means the occupant. In most rentals, this is the tenant, not the landlord.
There are some circumstances when the landlord is liable for council tax. These include houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) where a number of unrelated tenants live in a property, sharing communal areas. Landlords of HMOs often pay the council tax and build it into the rent due. Find out more about council tax and HMOs in Brighton and Hove on the council website
Landlords are sometimes responsible for paying the council tax in other cases – if tenants are under 18, if they are asylum seekers or renting the home for a short-term period.
If you rent out property in Brighton and Hove, and the home is empty between tenancies, you’ll have to pay the full amount of council tax, in most cases.
Be aware too, that if the property stands empty for two years or more, the city council will charge you 100% extra. This charge is called a long-term empty property premium and aims to maximise the number of homes available in the council area by preventing them from standing empty. Read more about empty rental properties and council tax in Brighton and Hove here.
While responsibility for paying council tax usually falls to the occupier, you should make this clear in the tenancy agreement. You must also contact the council when a new tenant moves in, to let them know who will be living in the property. When a tenant moves out, you should inform the council of their forwarding address.
If your tenant doesn’t pay their council tax, the council will send out reminders. If these are ignored, they will attempt to recover the money by taking bailiff action. However, they may also pursue you, the landlord, for the debt. This is why it is important to inform the council when your tenant moves in and out. In this scenario, contact the council immediately to make sure they correct the error. If the tenant is still living in the property, let the council know this.
If this happens, give the council all the information you have about your former tenant including when they occupied the property and their new address.
If you’re a landlord in Brighton and Hove, struggling with the minefield of responsibilities that come with the job, talk to us. We’d be happy to tell you more about how we work with landlords and the full range of services we offer.
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