Most landlords do not need to pay council tax, however, if you're the landlord of a house in multiple occupation (HMO) then you will need to pay Council Tax.

What is a house in multiple occupation (HMO)?

There are different definitions for different purposes, such as for HMO licensing, or for council tax. For council tax purposes, a property is considered an HMO if:

• it's been built or adapted for tenants or licensees to live in, who are not living as a single household, or
• it's lived in by a person or persons, who each have a tenancy or license to live in only part of the property or who pays rent or a fee for only part of the property.

Read the full legislation on GOV.UK

When the landlord needs to pay council tax

In general, if individual rooms are let to several people each with separate tenancy agreements, rather than the whole accommodation being let to a group of joint tenants, the property will be classed as an HMO.

If you are the owner or lease such a building, and do not live in it but rent it to others, then you'll need to pay council tax.

If applicable, you could still be eligible for discounts and exemptions.

Contact us if you think you need to pay

If you think you may need to pay council tax or have any questions about your council tax responsibilities as an HMO landlord, contact us using the council tax enquiry form.