Highland council

[bettedaviseyes]

the countcil want me to pay £66 to them for my father no longer staying at the house he rented from them i think this is a disgrace my dad passed away so i feel like not only have a lost my dad am being punished for it to by the council i was not planning on paying and i was wondering if i could get into trouble for doing that?

[bettedaviseyes]

thats what i thought to plus they sent me a council tax bill for this year for him my dad passed away in 1/01/2009:( so that means who ever staying there now will be paying council tax and they want me to pay to blooming shocking i wont be paying and no court in this land will make me pay for that either....

[carzanne]

well this is a disgrace i think for one if the Mps are getting targeted for there expenses then so should local councillors and then you will see how much they will try and help you .

for one you should not have to pay that money he is gone , how can he pay if he is no longer here to pay .

xxxx dont worry to much xxxx

[bettedaviseyes]

Thank you carzanne;)x

[Venture]

the countcil want me to pay £66 to them for my father no longer staying at the house he rented from them i think this is a disgrace my dad passed away so i feel like not only have a lost my dad am being punished for it to by the council i was not planning on paying and i was wondering if i could get into trouble for doing that?

It seems strange that the council are billing you if your father has passed away. Maybe these bills are from before he died. If I were you I would take them to the CAB office. Have you contacted the Council about them?

[bettedaviseyes]

i have been in touch with them the council tax is for this year and the other bill is for letting the council no he is no longer living there blooming silly that one when they no he is no longer lives there as i told them about his death:~(

[carzanne]

honestly i feel so sorry for you as i know with my own experience , how it makes you feel when they don't help . just don't pay it . its not your responsibility and at the end of the day if your face fits believe me you wouldnt have to pay it x:D

[kmahon2001]

thats what i thought to plus they sent me a council tax bill for this year for him my dad passed away in 1/01/2009:( so that means who ever staying there now will be paying council tax and they want me to pay to blooming shocking i wont be paying and no court in this land will make me pay for that either....

I used to work in the Housing Department of a registered charity. Our tenants were liable for Council Tax whilst they were in occupation of our properties, paying us rent, up to the point that the property was returned to us completely vacated of all furnishings and personal possessions, where upon the charity I worked for became responsible for the Council Tax. This is legitimate under the law covering payment of Council Tax.

HOWEVER, there is one big exception to this, and that is where a tenant has passed away. As of the date of death of the tenant, the owner of the property, such as the charity I worked for, would become responsible for the Council Tax. The council offices would bill us as soon as they'd been notified of a death, so long as there was no other tenant still living at the property, such as a spouse.

You should not, therefore, have to pay any Council Tax beyond the date your father passed away, although any Council Tax due for any period prior to his date of death would still need to be settled. Having said all this I would point out any payments due should be settled from his estate NOT from your own pocket. If your father didn't leave an estate (no money, property, capital assets, etc), then the Council Tax should be waived.

You are not responsible for your father's debts. Any payments he was liable for should be settled from his estate before the remainder is divided up between the beneficiaries in his will (or his next of kin if he left no will). If there is not enough in the estate to settle any outstanding bills, then that is the end to the matter.

This is certainly the situation in England, but I suppose it could be different up here - could be worth going to the Citizens Advice Bureau to get their opinion.

[Fran]

I had the same problem when himself passed away, but i explained to them and quite rightly didnt have to pay. however, i had a lot of demanding council tax letters addressed to him even though months earlier I had sent them the death certificate. He was in credit with council tax but they never paid a refund.!! you certainly wont have to pay.
CAn I add that Scottish and english laws are completely different.

[jimuser]

the countcil want me to pay £66 to them for my father no longer staying at the house he rented from them i think this is a disgrace my dad passed away so i feel like not only have a lost my dad am being punished for it to by the council i was not planning on paying and i was wondering if i could get into trouble for doing that?
As the others have said, go to the citizens advice buerau and they will be able to tell you exactly where you stand legally. If the money is rent arrears i dont think they can hold you responsible.

[Oddquine]

As the others have said, go to the citizens advice buerau and they will be able to tell you exactly where you stand legally. If the money is rent arrears i dont think they can hold you responsible.

They can claim from any estate left for rent/council tax arrears...........but when it comes to emptying the house.........it is the family who has to pay the rent for as long as it takes them to clear the house..........unless the parent/s paid in advance.