If you’re in the process of moving house, you have a lot on your plate. Changing your address on your accounts, hiring a moving company, and sorting all of your belongings into boxes – moving takes a lot of time and energy. Thankfully, sorting out your council tax bill does not have to be a huge ordeal.
With just a few simple steps, you can change your council tax account over to your new address, and calculate the rough cost of your new monthly bill.
How to cancel your current council tax account when moving house
It’s simple to change your council tax bill to your new address. About one month before your moving date, head to your Local Authority’s website. These all vary in design, but you can usually find a ‘change of address’ page clearly marked.
You’ll need to have the forwarding addresses for every adult who pays council tax to hand, so you can let the Authority know. Within the next few weeks, you’ll get your final bill in the mail. If you are in credit, you can then apply for a refund.
Don’t delay this task, or you could end up paying council tax on your old property! A few clicks now will save you a lot of headache in the future.
How to open a council tax account for your new property
Now that you’ve cancelled your old council tax account and cleared up any debts or applied for a refund, it’s time to register for an account at your new address. Even if you are moving house within the same Local Authority, you need to inform them about your change of address.
Thankfully, it’s even easier to open a council tax account for your new property than it is to close down your old account. Simply get in touch with the correct local council. They’ll collect your new information and tell you how and when to pay your monthly bill.
In rare cases, your new property may not have an existing council tax band. In this case, the Local Council will arrange to have your property banded, and they will inform you of your monthly payment amount.
How to calculate the council tax band for your new property
There are a lot of considerations when searching for a new home. Make sure you know about the Council Tax band of the area in which you’re planning to move before committing. Some areas have high monthly bills, amounting to hundreds of extra pounds per year!
To find out your potential Council Tax costs, head to Check Your Council Tax band for almost any home in England or Wales. You’ll just need to enter your new postcode.
Sorting out your Council Tax will make your move easier
Council tax is one of those constants in life. Unless you’re in full-time education or have another exemption, you’re subject to pay council tax to your Local Authority. Taking a few steps to sort it out before your move will save you a huge headache and ensure everything goes smoothly.
Have a happy move!
Read more about the Suitable Van Size for your move or home moving checklist.
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