25 replies to this topic

[KChally]

I think the simple answer is,
If your caravan is your main residence then you are liable for council tax.
If you have a house aswell as your caravan and you are paying council tax on the house, then that will be considered your main residence. The caravan should then be seen as being used for health and safety, storage, brewing up etc not residency and not liable for council tax.
If you sell your house and move into your caravan, then the caravan becomes your main residence and you will have to pay council tax.

This happened to us. We moved our mobile on to our land but were still living in our house. We only paid council tax on the house NOT the mobile. We then sold the house and moved into the mobile. We had to complete a PCN and then became liable for council tax on the mobile.

Simples

KChally

[KChally]

I dont suppose the council tax dept is bothered whether you are following the f2f route or doing it our way thru temporary permission. I should expect all they will be interested in is whether or not your caravan is your main residence. If it is you are liable for council tax end of.

KChally

[Wilk]

Yet another update, Great News.
Have just received another letter from the valuation office which states that my complaint has been upheld and that my touring caravan has now been delisted and back dated to April 11, (which is when the council tax people were trying to charge me from)
No doubt we will hear from the council tax office in due course.

thanks for all the help and advice.

Wilk.

[j and H]

This is what i am finding confusing….. the Caravan, can not be your main dwelling….its there for you to stay when you are building your barn, that is what is allowed in law, 

but !!!! as many have pointed out..what happens if you have no other dwelling, to call "HOME" , In that case, surely the caravan becomes your main dwelling , meaning you will need to pay council tax

 

and at the same time…turns your caravan into an illegal dwelling without planning permission , which could end up with an enforcement notice...

 

but !!!! what about if you rent Your Main Dwelling (HOME) out (whilst you are away working on THE BARN) the people renting your dwelling will be the ones paying council tax on it...

so this would make you untraceable. when it came to paying council tax…. ?

 

in my case, i have a house in one county…that will be rented during the build time, whilst i am away working on a construction job in my field in another county

[boiow]

You pay council tax on residential properties ( residential is a legal term ) and applies to properties that are deemed residential.  Staying in a mobile home whilst engaged in building and engineering works on agricultural land  is not residential because the land is classed as agricultural.  You do not have to give a residential address to the council or declare yourself residential anywhere.  Also you are not obliged to be traceable to the local council.

  The mobile home can be your only abode and you do not have to declare anywhere else as your main dwelling.

  The council probably don't always know this. so you might have ask them  to explain what regulation they are quoting.

   It is probably best to not use the words 'residential' or  'dwelling' as these have legal connotations,  " i am currently staying at .....   ".  is all that is required. Unless the dwelling has residential status.

    of course , you can always give them the money regardless and they will probably accept.  surprise surprise.

[j and H]

Thanks Boiow