Advice and benefits

General rules

In general, the rules are:

• if the owners live in the property, it is the owners and their partners who pay the council tax
• if tenants live in the property, it is the tenants and their partners who pay the council tax, except if the property is a 'house in multiple occupation'
• if the property is a 'house in multiple occupation', it is the landlord who pays the council tax. A house in multiple occupation is a property that is rented out as bed-sits, where all of the tenants have their own individual tenancy agreement (they do not have a joint tenancy) or where the tenant does not have the right to use the whole of the property.
• if the property is a care home, hostel, armed forces accommodation or the residence of a minister of religion or a religious community, the owner is responsible for paying the council tax.

What happens if nobody in the property is the owner or the tenant?

If none of the people living in the property are the owners or tenants of the property, we look to see if anyone has a licence to occupy.

• if someone has a licence to occupy, he or she will be responsible for the council tax
• if nobody has a licence to occupy, all of the residents who are 18 years or older are responsible for the council tax.

Who is not responsible for paying the council tax?

We do not charge:

• anyone who is under 18
• lodgers and sub-tenants who live with their landlord
• friends and family members who live with the tenant or owner.

'Friends and family members' are people who are not the tenant or the owner of their home and who are not the partner of the tenant or the owner.

Web survey

We are keen to learn your views about the council tax pages on our website. To complete our quick, online survey click on the 'associated' link at right.

Contact Details

Contact name

The Council Tax Section

Telephone

020 8726 7000

Fax

020 8667 8440

Out of hours

08459 400 160

Email

croyctax@croydon.gov.uk

Address

Council Tax
Municipal Offices, Fell Road, Croydon CR9 1BQ