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Council Tax is a fee paid to the Local Authority for services, including schools and rubbish collection. The amount you owe depends on the tax band, which is determined by the property’s size and location.
You’ll need to pay Council Tax and inform your Local Authority when you move, whether you rent or own the property.
In this guide, we take you through how to register for Council Tax and when you need to make your first payment.
If you’re moving to a different area, you will need to contact your new Local Authority regarding your change of address, set up a new direct debit, and know who to notify when you move. You must also let your previous Local Authority know of your move so they can remove your current direct debit. Failure to report a move can result in the cessation of payments, overpayment recovery, loss of discretionary housing payments, or issues with Council Tax.
Those staying within the same Local Authority will still need to let them know about the address change, but they can easily transfer their direct debit to the new property. This helps prevent any overlap in payments.
Here’s what you can expect when moving house:
As you can see above, if you're staying local, your direct debit can usually be transferred. You'll just need to update your address. But if you're moving to a new Local Authority, you'll need to cancel your existing payment, receive a final bill, and set up a new direct debit with your new council.
"One thing I heard constantly when I was doing removals was customers saying they’d completed on a Friday, moved over the weekend, and then been surprised they were billed council tax on both properties. What catches people out is that councils often work off the completion date, not the day you physically leave. If there’s any gap between completion and moving day, you can end up paying on both. I used to tell customers to call both councils the moment they had a completion date confirmed, don’t wait until you’ve unpacked."
Dave Sayce, Founder, Konnect You
To cancel your Council Tax, visit your Local Authority’s website and use their ‘Change of Address’ or ‘Moving Home’ form.
You’ll need to provide:
The council will then send a final bill. If you’re in credit, you can request a refund.
Tip: Do this ahead of time to avoid being charged for a property you no longer live in.
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Your Council Tax responsibilities start from the day you move into your new address. If you’ve moved within the same Local Authority, your direct debit can continue at your new address.
Don’t wait for the ‘new occupier’ letter to come through the door after you have moved. If you wait, the council will backdate any required payments.
Council Tax is required from completion day for new builds, meaning you’ll need to factor this in if you aren’t planning to move into the property straightaway.
If the property isn’t structurally complete at this point, the developer may arrange with the council to postpone payments. However, this is not a guarantee.
Most homeowners and renters must pay Council Tax; however, there are instances when a person or the property is eligible for discounts or exemptions.
Parties that are exempt from paying Council Tax are referred to as ‘disregarded’. If you live with a disregarded party and are not exempt yourself, you may be entitled to a discount.
You must submit an application form to your Local Council for any discount or exemptions. The total discount is determined by each council.
When you have a moving date in place, make sure you save time and money on your house move with Konnect You. We can connect you with up to 6 removal companies operating in your area. Simply fill in our removal form and we’ll connect you with trusted removal companies matched to your move.
All companies have passed our strict verification process to join our network. For removal companies, this includes having Goods in Transit and Public Liability insurance in place.
You will have to pay Council Tax if your property is empty. Some councils may offer a discount, but whether this is the case and how much is up to them. You must inform your council if your property will be empty between completion and moving into your new home.
You will continue to be billed for your previous property if you fail to inform the council of your move, leading to unnecessary expenses. Make sure you are prepared by reading our Moving House Checklist.
