A senior Labour MP has written to the Housing Secretary Michael Gove seeking reassurances that landlords will not keep council tax rebates being offered in a once-only giveaway by the government.
About 20m households in council tax bands A to D – including an estimated 95 per cent of rented properties – will receive £150 rebates under the government’s £3 billion council tax scheme.
However, some tenants in HMOs make a once-a-month all-inclusive payment to their landlords covering - amongst other things - council tax.
So Clive Betts MP, who chairs the all-party Levelling Up select committee, want to know how those tenants will receive their £150 rebates.
In a letter to Gove, Betts says: “Where households rent their property but the landlord pays the council tax and then charges it to the household, will the landlord receive the rebate? If so, will such households receive their rebate through the discretionary fund.”
And he continues: “Payments must go to tenants and we need to avoid the prospect of landlords receiving multiple rebates.
“The rebate is welcome but we need to know more from Whitehall about what they are doing to support local councils to deliver this policy and provide firm assurances that councils will not be hit by further costs from administering the rebates.”
Even before local authorities have administered the £150 rebate on behalf of the government, activist group Generation Rent has complained on Twitter that “The £150 Council Tax rebate will be gobbled up within months.”
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If my house is empty, and I live in it for a few weeks, do I get the rebate?
Wish the MPs were equally worried about tenants not passing on Housing Benefits to landlords as payment for rent.
Couldn't agree more Simon. They automatically think the worst of landlords.
I had to pay 100% council tax on my empty property. Presumably I am also entitled to a rebate?
The rebate will not even touch the sides after the gas & electric hikes in a HMO ….I think a lot of landlords will not be able to offer all inclusive by the end of the year
Totally agree, the £150 is being offered because of increased energy costs so should go to whoever pays those bills. So glad I got rid of my HMO's because this is going to be a nightmare.
When I have to pay £1’500. extra Application fee to Council for a license and all the other costs no extra Rent ?.
Really Sir Clive Brett’s this £150. c/tax Worries you, try been a Landlord see what a worry it is, with your soft job and huge Salary decide to have an increase anytime yourselves.
Really? Is this guy for real? Or the rare occasion the Landlord is receiving a small and insignificant rebate on a cost they occur he wants us to divide it up and pass it on to tenants in HMO's? How about all the other hikes in costs (gas, elec, etc.) that the Landlord has and continues to absorb together with the rise in CT rates? Is he giving us the green light to pass these on to the tenants too maybe?
I was paying 100% council tax on an empty property for 6 months last year while carrying repairs and improvements, will I be getting a rebate ?
Er......Let me think...!
NO!
The Council tax has increased so much in recent times even last year it went up 5.9% so they are not giving anything back only what they added on.
Brent is now £1’741. for Band “D” having increased from last year by £97.
I recall a time when there was a pause on council tax when it was empty but this was stopped by the conservatives when it was removed completely, now between lets, I pay 100% when there is a single-tenant the rat is reduced by 25% by when there are no tenants the rate is full 100% were is the sense in that It just a rip off tax from the government
It they are desperate for housing then I want the market value *3 for rent.
Then we will see how these do goodie councils will stand by their principles.....
NB the pause period was 6 months it is no ZERO
how much extra did the government get for these void periods I wonder, also this small "one off" payment is causing concerns what about the rent payment the increased cost of electric gas leaping up Clive Betts MP, will then have to state this can be passed onto the tenant when these increases are received like the rebate is to be passed on straight away to the tenants, I don't think he has thought about that side at all. play fair Clive Betts MP, think about it.
It's probably been said before but what planet do they come from?
I am not quite sure why people are complaining at the MP's comments? You may have valid concerns about support not having come in the past when it should have, but this is clearly a relief for those paying council tax - and that is invariably the tenant (whether directly or indirectly through a lump sum for bills or increased rent).
Tom
I assume you are a professional agitator. When its all in rent then the landlord covers the council tax, not the tenant. Their is no clearly !. Since prices are rising this could help the landlord which in turn would benefit the tenants.
How about this. I had a tenant leave at 5pm, then a new tenant arrive at 9am the next day. So there was a tenant in every day, yet the council charged me one days council tax as it is calculated at midnight, when the property was empty!
That’s fine I will start charging Market Rents.
You should be charging market rents Michael
Hold on a minute. What about this aspect of the rebate, "It will be automatically recovered from people’s bills in equal £40 instalments over 5 years, beginning in 2023"! Do we then claw it back from unsuspecting tenants?
Very very good point. Completely nullifies his argument
I know you try to help people and you get trampled on.
I have a 5 bed house let for £2200. pm similar one locally £3600. Several other below market rents locally looks like I should be charging £30k+ more, so he can stick his £150.
Been there and got that tee shirt Michael, you help someone, turn your back and the knife goes in.
No good turn goes unpunished!
Politicians judging other people by their own very low standards and ethics
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