Is the council making up student accommodation rules?

Is the council making up student accommodation rules?

pic of houses in Lancaster uk - council and student accommodation rules property118
10:58 AM, 29th August 2023, 3 years ago 14

Hello, I am a student landlord, student dwellings are exempt for council tax. However, Lancaster Council appear to be making up rules to increase their revenue take. Can anyone help?

1) When a student decides not to take up his/her place on the lease, most people try to replace that student, usually with another student. However, a separate lease has been generated just for that new student. The council are using that new lease to charge council tax. BUT THEY ARE ALL STUDENTS. Can the council do this?

2) The letting agents used to have 48 week leases for students. Now they issue 52 week leases. This is the first year of doing this. The letting agents have done this to save landlords council tax for that month. However, there has been an overlap in the leases of 16 days. The council is issuing landlords council tax for those 16 days, BUT THEY ARE ALL STUDENTS, can the council do this?

Help please.

Peter


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Comments

  • Member Since August 2015 - Comments: 342

    6:23 PM, 29th August 2023, About 3 years ago

    Reply to the comment left by David at 29/08/2023 – 18:05
    I think the risk of the guarantors ‘get outs’ is far too great with a deed of assignment. The guarantee they signed would not even have the dates of the new tenancy. I once did a deed of assignment, and at a later date was told of its dangers on this very site, and it made perfect sense.

  • Member Since September 2022 - Comments: 9

    6:45 PM, 29th August 2023, About 3 years ago

    There are pro’s and con’s of each method as has been stated. With a new tenancy, you will still need all of the guarantors to re-sign, plus you will have to re-protect the deposit and settle all of the utility bills etc.

    E

  • Member Since October 2020 - Comments: 1137

    2:33 PM, 30th August 2023, About 3 years ago

    Reply to the comment left by Richard Hemingway at 29/08/2023 – 18:45
    Yes, I agree Richard that to be safe, you would need guarantors to re-sign whatever method is used, even if ghey are only guaranteeing their own child’s tenancy.

  • Member Since August 2021 - Comments: 39

    3:14 PM, 2nd September 2023, About 3 years ago

    Unfortunately councils are completely unaccountable and some of them
    have learned that they are free of criminal or moral responsibility
    It is a sad fact that many are basically nothing more than gangsters, devoid of any morals or ethics

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