Responsibility to disclose identity of tenant.

[Vizard]

Hi All

I have always helped the local council tax people when they have asked me who the tenant in any given building is. However of late the council tax people have been less than helpful with me.

Thenext time they ask me for a tenant's name and the date of tenancy start, I am tempted to tell them to sod off - I have told them I am not reponsible for the council tax.

The council tax people have said I have to tell them under Local Government Finance Act 1992 but having read the relevant sections I can not see where it says that the owner of a building has to dislose who is living there.

Does anyone know the law here? Can one legally tell them the place is let and its their job to find out to whom and enforce the tax?

I don't mean to seem unhelpful, but years of being very helpful to them counted for nought recently, when I had a dispute with them. I was right, they were wrong and the fact that I had cooperated fully with them for years meant not a thing. So from now on I will do nothing I am not absolutely obliged to do.

Viz

[Tax Accountant]

Hi All

I have always helped the local council tax people when they have asked me who the tenant in any given building is. However of late the council tax people have been less than helpful with me.

Thenext time they ask me for a tenant's name and the date of tenancy start, I am tempted to tell them to sod off - I have told them I am not reponsible for the council tax.

The council tax people have said I have to tell them under Local Government Finance Act 1992 but having read the relevant sections I can not see where it says that the owner of a building has to dislose who is living there.

Does anyone know the law here? Can one legally tell them the place is let and its their job to find out to whom and enforce the tax?

I don't mean to seem unhelpful, but years of being very helpful to them counted for nought recently, when I had a dispute with them. I was right, they were wrong and the fact that I had cooperated fully with them for years meant not a thing. So from now on I will do nothing I am not absolutely obliged to do.

Viz

I know how you feel as they seem to be treating everyone that way.

The only way to prove to them that I don't live there myself or that the property is not vacant, the easiest way is to tell them the name of the tenants.

However, I don't know the law in this respect, though I wouldn't be surprised if what you say is correct.

Ramnik

[Sam]

Have you read section "Information about Properties" under Supplemental?

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1992/Ukpga_19920014_en_1.htm

It looks like you do have to supply this information if requested and you have to do so in 21 days otherwise risk a fine.
It doesn't explicitly refer to information about tenants but it does say any information about the property which they "reasonably believe will assist him or them in carrying out any of his or their functions." Information about someone living in the property comes under this description in my opinion.

If I were you I'd just tell them and then separately write a complaint letter regarding any other problems you have had with them in the past.