Randall Herbert Report post Posted May 8, 2006 (edited) Private landlords who have agreed contracts with local authorities to house asylum seekers could face a nasty surprise in the form of hidden council tax bills. A whistleblower at the Department of Work and Pensions, shocked by the announcement last week that Labour needs to cut 30,000 jobs to save money, has leaked details to the NU LAbour press team which could spell gloom for thousands of private landlords who have let their properties out to local councils for use as accommodation by asylum seekers. Asylum seekers entering the UK are provided with rent free accommodation equipped with all manner of domestic goods that we have listed in the Joint Tenancy Agreement on previous occasions – the full text of the document can be found here. However since 2000 the payment of council tax is not covered and thousands of landlords have misleadingly believed that council tax is paid by the tenant himself or by benefits. Stories are now coming to light of landlords at the start of this financial year facing bills for arrears dating back for the past five financial years to when a change in legislation was effected. One landlord in a London Borough, who raised his concerns with the DWP faces a bill of just over £4,000 in council tax arrears. New advice It appears that many local authorities in England (where the change occurred) have only now, in 2006, been made aware by their external auditors that the change in legislation in 2000 switched responsibility from the tenant to the landlord where the tenant is a registered asylum seeker, thus heralding a wave of demands for unpaid council tax. A solicitor for one of the landlords in correspondence with the DWP makes the point that his client has actually been made liable for the tax retrospectively because the property was let out in 1999 before the change in law and the contract has never been revised. The Law Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 537 The Council Tax (Liability for Owners) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2000, States: From 3rd April 2000 asylum seekers who appear to be destitute will receive accommodation and other essential living needs under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and will not be eligible for benefits including council tax benefit. These Regulations provide that the council tax liability for any accommodation provided under section 95, will fall on the owner of the accommodation as opposed to the resident asylum seeker. How many landlords must now be regretting the day they decided to open their doors to those individuals who claim hardship, destitution and persecution, only to be ripped off by the very government which has created Soft Touch Britain Edited May 8, 2006 by Randall Herbert Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AgeingBabyBoomer Report post Posted May 8, 2006 How many landlords must now be regretting the day they decided to open their doors to those individuals who claim hardship, destitution and persecution, only to be ripped off by the very government which has created Soft Touch Britain Surely they meant: How many landlords must now be regretting the day they decided to open their wallets to recieve huge wads of council tax payers hard earned cash? (That's yours and mine). Tough luck - greedy feckers. ABB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Bart of Darkness Report post Posted May 8, 2006 Surely they meant: How many landlords must now be regretting the day they decided to open their wallets to recieve huge wads of council tax payers hard earned cash? (That's yours and mine). Tough luck - greedy feckers. ABB Amen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
