The current processing time for new applications and changes to council tax is an average of 6 weeks. If you contact us with a general enquiry online we will reply to you within two working days.
Find out if a property is classed as a HMO and who will be responsible for the council tax.
The current processing time for new applications and changes to council tax is an average of 6 weeks. If you contact us with a general enquiry online we will reply to you within two working days.
If a property is a HMO, the owner is usually liable for the council tax.
The owner is defined as the person(s) with a freehold or leasehold interest in the whole dwelling or a person who has a freehold interest in any part of the property.
The definition of a HMO varies for different departments within the council. For council tax a HMO is defined as:
You can find out more information about when a HMO must be licensed and apply on our HMO licensing page.
When we’re trying to work out whether a property is a HMO, we consider:
Normally, if the tenants have separate tenancy agreements, this indicates they are not responsible for the rent on the whole dwelling, so the property is a HMO and the owner is liable and responsible for paying the council tax.