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dear users,
i am going to apply for naturalization next week and i am feeling bit nervous about my council tax records. my wife has rented our flat under her name so that we can get 25% discount. so for last 2 years we are paying for single occupancy council tax. now the question is ...when i have filled up last 5 years address on form AN..will ukba will find out that i didnt put my name on the tenancy agreement and i am not paying any council tax while my wife is paying for the registered address. or should i just call council and add my name for the safe side..any advice please on that ...for the 5 years address check, do they actually find out that have i paid council tax for last 5 years on those address or just they will call borough council and find out if i was registered on those addresses or not.

rumee007 wrote:dear users,
i am going to apply for naturalization next week and i am feeling bit nervous about my council tax records. my wife has rented our flat under her name so that we can get 25% discount. so for last 2 years we are paying for single occupancy council tax. now the question is ...when i have filled up last 5 years address on form AN..will ukba will find out that i didnt put my name on the tenancy agreement and i am not paying any council tax while my wife is paying for the registered address. or should i just call council and add my name for the safe side..any advice please on that ...for the 5 years address check, do they actually find out that have i paid council tax for last 5 years on those address or just they will call borough council and find out if i was registered on those addresses or not.

It's unlikely that the home office would find out. However, there is a legal obligation to pay council tax and what you are doing could amount to fraud. Fraud is an offence which would mean you wouldn't meet the good character requirement. There is general guidance that you must pay council tax correctly to meet the good character requirement. Moreover, morally you should want to pay your council tax. Ring the council and explain that you're living there too and they will send you an invoice for the discount you have been paid. It is also a legal requirement to be on the electoral roll if eligible.

rumee007 wrote:i am going to apply for naturalization next week and i am feeling bit nervous about my council tax records. my wife has rented our flat under her name so that we can get 25% discount. so for last 2 years we are paying for single occupancy council tax. now the question is ...when i have filled up last 5 years address on form AN..will ukba will find out that i didnt put my name on the tenancy agreement and i am not paying any council tax while my wife is paying for the registered address. or should i just call council and add my name for the safe side..any advice please on that ...for the 5 years address check, do they actually find out that have i paid council tax for last 5 years on those address or just they will call borough council and find out if i was registered on those addresses or not.

"my wife has rented our flat under her name so that we can get 25% discount" -- That doesn't necessarily follow. The 25% council tax discount depends on the number of people living there, not the number of names on the tenancy agreement. Who can tell whether the HO will check? They don't reveal what checks they do.

See also here: http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=129694.

thnx gain...i am already registered to electoral vote for this address for last 2 years i am living in. but council never sent us any letter regarding 2 people staying in this flat. i think i should just call them and add my name and pay the discounts that we claimed for.

rumee007 wrote:thnx gain...i am already registered to electoral vote for this address for last 2 years i am living in. but council never sent us any letter regarding 2 people staying in this flat. i think i should just call them and add my name and pay the discounts that we claimed for.

Sounds like a good idea.