hi all,

Just wanted to know what others have done?

Have you declared having a housesharer/lodger to the council tax re your 25% single person's discount? do housesharer's show up on the electoral roll or can the council tax stay the same?

Also have you declared it to your insurance company? does it change your insurance details? does the premium increase? do you need to take extra out?

thanks guys xx

If there is more than one adult in the HH irrespective of them being a lodger they have to be declared. Regarding your home insurance, if for example something was stolen (not through forcible entry/exit) and you hadn't declared it your claim may be unsuccessful.

Best to tell them both.

As far as I know, your insurance covers you, and your tenant needs to get their own insurance (though as fox says, best to tell the insurance company). Council Tax applies to everyone living in a house, not the owner of it.

As far as I know, your insurance covers you, and your tenant needs to get their own insurance (though as fox says, best to tell the insurance company). Council Tax applies to everyone living in a house, not the owner of it.

i suppose what i meant was do the council actually know you have a lodger?! :rolleyes:
O know it applies to everyone in the house but who actually checks ie does everyone actually declare it?! :huh:

They'll show up on the electoral role if and when you add their name to the list of people over the age of 18 living at your address (ie, when the electoral form comes out, Octoberish I think).

They'll show up on the electoral role if and when you add their name to the list of people over the age of 18 living at your address (ie, when the electoral form comes out, Octoberish I think).

how long do they have to be living with you? do you do it for short term ie 3 month lets?

x

If they register themselves on the register of electors the council will know and I'm fairly sure it is illegal as well as immoral not to declare them. Why don't you just charge your lodger for council tax? I can't believe you actually posted this, owning up to wanting to cheat the system. Why should others pay the full amount and you get to cheat?

If they register themselves on the register of electors the council will know and I'm fairly sure it is illegal as well as immoral not to declare them. Why don't you just charge your lodger for council tax? I can't believe you actually posted this, owning up to wanting to cheat the system. Why should others pay the full amount and you get to cheat?

im not wanting to cheat the system....never have, i don't know the legalities of it, do they have to be living with you a certain amount of time etc, i just don't know what others do...

Sorry it sounds that way as people said that you did have to declare and you kept asking questions about whether they'd know, whether it was illegal etc. If you want to know and stay on the right side of the law why don't you actually ring Sheffield Council Tax helpline and ask them, or look on the sheffield.gov.uk website, seems safer than asking people who might know and might just think they know.

Sorry it sounds that way as people said that you did have to declare and you kept asking questions about whether they'd know, whether it was illegal etc. If you want to know and stay on the right side of the law why don't you actually ring Sheffield Council Tax helpline and ask them, or look on the sheffield.gov.uk website, seems safer than asking people who might know and might just think they know.

thanks will do x

If the lodger is a student then they are not liable to pay Council Tax.

You might have trouble with insurance - as far as I know, only Endsleigh offer insurance for a shared property (i.e. where the people living there aren't a couple/family) and they're pretty expensive as a result. When you take out insurance, you're asked to say who else lives in the house and if they're related to you or not. Most insurers won't even give a quote for insurance where there's a lodger/non-family member living with you.

im not wanting to cheat the system....never have, i don't know the legalities of it, do they have to be living with you a certain amount of time etc, i just don't know what others do...there is a period after which you have to declare them, but I don't know how long it is . I think it's six weeks, but don't take that as gospel

If the lodger is a student then they are not liable to pay Council Tax.However people are disinclined to live with students as the system is screwy, removing your 'single person' status if ANYBODY lives in the house with you, but the student isn't going to want to pay!

However people are disinclined to live with students as the system is screwy, removing your 'single person' status if ANYBODY lives in the house with you, but the student isn't going to want to pay!

This isn't true - for the purposes of council tax if you are living with a student you can still get the single person discount:

Is there a mixture of tenants some of which are qualifying students and a single working tenant? If yes, then the working tenant will be solely liable for any Council Tax on the property. The working tenant will be able to claim a 25% discount as being the only ‘visible’ adult resident. The student tenants will not be named on the bill.

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/your-city-council/council-tax/students-and-council-tax/student-occupied-properties

Just to confirm what basshedz2 said - you can definitely still get single person discount if you're the only non-student living in the house (even if there's more than one student there). I've done this myself in the past. You have to get a form from the council tax people and get the student(s) to fill it in, then they reduce your council tax to allow for the single person discount.

well i rang the insurance company and told them and they've cancelled my insurance! they only give standard out and won't give Accidental damage on contents or buildings.
Luckily Tesco Finest have insured me with a lodger for everything unlimited and with AD on both, the only downside is that im only covered for theft if im broken into!

Having spoken to others now, i realise why some don't declare it! :(

x