From: "Tumbleweed" 
Newsgroups: uk.finance
Subject: Re: Why is there a "Council Tax" related to house valuation in the UK
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 21:01:25 +0100


"john boyle"  wrote in message 
news:jXOYZkNjVncCFwHh@johnboyle1.demon.co.uk...
> In message <42721ec4$0$79464$14726298@news.sunsite.dk>, Steve 
>  writes
>>I'm a former resident of the UK, and would like to understand a bit more
>>about this thing called the Coucil Tax.
>>From what I understand is, that if you buy a house, then the local
>>government will tax you based on last valuation of that property.
>>Is that right ? If as a non-resident, I purchase a property, do I still 
>>have
>>to pay that tax ... or if I let the property, does the tennant  ?
>>
>>Anyways, seems a bit of a strange tax - properties aren't revenue 
>>generating
>>so to tax based on value of property is forcing the occupier to either 
>>sell
>>or generate revenue from the property... kinda screwed up and makes me
>>wonder how people manage back in the UK.
>
> It isnt ownership of the property that attracts the tax, it is the living 
> in it which does. Still completely illogical though.

The logic is that unlike people, houses are easily identifiable and dont 
move around.
So the answer as to why they tax houses is 'because they can'.

-- 
Tumbleweed

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