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Ending the ‘salami’ slice treatment of HMO properties over council tax Government pledges Consultation over Council Tax treatment of bedrooms in Shared Houses 20 December 2022 In a welcome move the Government is consulting over a proposed change to the law to prevent the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) from classing en-suite bedrooms in shared houses … Read more
Houses of Multiple Occupation: The Regulations that Time (and many Local Councils) are forgetting Since its inception in 1992 many regulations have been passed governing the billing and collection of council tax. If one had to pick a set of council tax regulations which councils have forgotten – or shutting their eyes to them acting … Read more
RISING COUNCIL TAX BILLS AND BANKRUPTCY CASES ARE ISSUES FOR 2018 Rising council tax bills and the use of bankruptcy against council taxpayers who are victims of mistaken assessments are among the major issues and concerns arising in local taxation at the start of 2018. Following an official announcement before Christmas 2017, council tax bills … Read more
CTLS summer and autumn news It has been an active summer for CTLS consultancy and training, with a number of successful council tax talks and seminars over the last few months, with more to follow this autumn. Alan Murdie provided advanced council tax training for the Institute of Money Advisers in Birmingham on 4th July, … Read more
Since 1992 student halls of residence have been granted exemptions from council tax.
However, what has been considered an automatic exemption and protection from council tax bills is now in doubt.
RENT OR COUNCIL TAX ? RENT OR COUNCIL TAX ? THE TAXPAYER DILEMMA THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE SHOULD BE FACING… A report issued by MPs on the Public Accounts Committee states that local authorities are engaging in increasingly risky commercial ventures that threaten public services and which will leave council taxpayers with hefty bills if … Read more
A NEW PRESIDENT….AT THE VTE A NEW PRESIDENT….AT THE VTEA New President and lay panel members appointed to the Valuation Tribunal for England for winter 2016/17 It’s not just the United States that has a new President entering office. The Lord Chancellor, the Right Honourable Elizabeth Truss MP, has appointed Gary John Richard Garland as … Read more
NEW CHANGES TO COUNCIL TAX BILLS REFLECT CARE FUNDING PROBLEMS IN ENGLAND NEW CHANGES TO COUNCIL TAX BILLS REFLECT CARE FUNDING PROBLEMS IN ENGLANDIt is doubtless somewhat inconvenient that just as councils have worked out their latest local reduction schemes, and are calculating their bills for 2017-2018, the Government has ordered alterations to the contents … Read more
Alan Murdie, director of CTLS, hosted a workshop ‘Cuts, Computers and Council Tax: Responding to a Changing Environment’ for delegates attending the Institute of Money Advisers Annual Conference held at Bristol over 15-16th May 2017.