How to Cancel Council Tax When Moving House
Everything You Need to Know About Cancelling Council Tax When Moving Home
Liam
⏳ 3 min
How To Change Council Tax Address
You might be thinking, “How do I update my address with my local council?”.
It’s simple!
With SlothMove, you can inform your local council about your address change. It takes less than 5 minutes. You can also update multiple other important services. This saves you from hours, or even days, of filling out forms, making phone calls, and downloading multiple apps. It also helps you avoid problems like fines, identity theft, fraud, and more!
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What is Council Tax?
Before we jump into how to cancel council tax when moving house, you might be wondering “what is council tax?”.
Council tax is a tax that is charged by your local government, and is charged by everyone who lives in the area. It was introduced in 1993 as a replacement for the unpopular Poll Tax and is based on the market value of your home.
Council tax is calculated from the value of your property using a series of council tax bands. The higher the band, the more expensive the property is for local government authorities to provide services. There are a total of eight valuation council tax bands in England and Scotland, ranging from “A” (the highest) to “H”.
When to Cancel Your Council Tax?
The safest approach to cancelling your council tax when moving house is to start the process as early as possible. We would advise contacting your local council around 3 weeks before your moving date. This will allow plenty of time for possible waiting periods or delays.
The main reason you need to cancel council tax when moving house so early is to avoid an overlapping period. If this happens you will have to pay the overlapped council tax and then try to claim it back later down the line.
Why Cancel Your Council Tax
When you move, it’s essential to inform your local council about your change of address to:
- Moving To a New Area: You might have moved to a new area which is covered by a different council.
- Avoid Overpayments: Prevent being billed for a property you no longer occupy.
- Ensure Accurate Billing: Receive correct charges for your new home.
- Maintain Compliance: Stay within legal requirements by updating your information promptly.
How Do I Register with My New Local Council?
So, now you know how to cancel council tax when moving house, how do you set up council tax payments in your new home?
Before you cancel your council tax, check whether your current local authority covers your new address too. This could happen if you are not moving too far away. If that is the case, your council tax account will be updated for the new property.
If you are moving to a new area, you must register with your new council to set up payments. To find your new council Click here. Your new council tax account will be based on the property you’re moving into.
A few days after your moving date, you will get a bill from the new council. This bill is based on how the property has been assessed for a specific tax band.
Make sure you look closely at the council tax band you’ve been assigned to and contact the council immediately if you think it’s wrong. You don’t want to end up paying too much or too little.
How Long Does it Take to Transfer My Council Tax When Moving?
Completing all the paperwork to cancel your council tax and transfer it to a new authority should only take 10 minutes or so. However, actually updating your details and transferring your payments will likely take a lot longer.
It is safe to say that cancelling your council tax when moving house can take about 2-4 weeks. You will also need to transfer your payments to the new council.
You should note, however, that there are certain times of the year when cancelling your council tax might be much quicker. For example, when the council’s workload is slightly less or when fewer civil servants are on holiday.
What is a Council Tax Overlap When Moving House?
When you move to a new area and forget to tell the authorities, you might face double council tax. This means you could get two separate bills.
If you have moved out of your old property and the taxes overlap, contact the council you moved from. Explain your situation and tell them that you weren’t living in the property. They should know what to do.
If you own the house you are leaving empty, you must pay up to 50% of the council tax for it.
Can I Get a Council Tax Refund if I Move?
Yes, you can get a council tax refund if your account ends up in credit after you move or if your council taxes overlap. This often happens when people are in a hurry to move out. It can also occur if they wait too long to tell their local authority.
The local council keeps all the details on file. If you paid a tax bill that covers time after you moved out, you can apply for a council tax refund.
How to Cancel your Council Tax with SlothMove
We know updating your contact details across various services can be time-consuming. At SlothMove we offer a simple solution by notifying multiple organisations (E.g., the DWP, HMRC, NHS, councils etc) of your new home move in two simple steps. Save yourself from hours of form filling and phone calls by using our service today!
Steps to Cancel Council Tax directly When Moving Home
- Notify Your Local Council: Let your current local council know about your move as soon as you have a date. This can often be done online through the council’s official website. For instance, Manchester City Council provides an online form for such notifications.
- Provide Necessary Information: When contacting your council, be prepared to provide:
- Your Council Tax account number.
- Current address and the address you’re moving to.
- Moving date.
- Details of new occupants, if applicable.
- Solicitor or landlord details, if relevant.
Key reminders when cancelling your Council Tax Direct Debit:
- Clear Unpaid Council Tax: Ensure you pay all outstanding Council Tax before cancelling your direct debit. This is important if you used direct debit to pay. If you’ve overpaid, you may be eligible for a refund. Contact your council to arrange this.
- Register with Your New Local Council: When you move, register for Council Tax with your new local council quickly to avoid fines. Most councils offer online registration forms. For example, Leeds City Council provides an online service for new registrations.
Conclusion:
We understand that moving house is stressful. You don’t need the extra worry of updating your council tax details and cancelling your payments. Unfortunately, however, it is a necessary part of moving home.
You don’t want to pay council tax on more than one property. Moving costs a lot, so you can easily avoid this.
So, as soon as you know when your moving date is, make sure you take the time to cancel your council tax with SlothMove.