Council tax when you move house

Council tax By Council Tax Helpline, 10 September 2026

In short

• Council tax is worked out day by day. You pay for the days you were liable at each address.
• Tell your old council and your new council, usually online, as soon as you know your dates.
• Your old council sends a final bill. Any overpayment should be refunded.
• In England, a tenant who moves out before the tenancy ends can stay liable until it ends.
• Old council tax can follow you: councils trace people who move with arrears.

How council tax works when you move

Council tax is worked out day by day. When you move, you pay your old council up to the day you leave, and your new council from the day you move in. There is no charge for both homes on the same day.

Tell both councils

1. Your old council. Tell it the date you are leaving, your forwarding address, and the details of any new owner or tenant if you know them. Most councils have an online form, often called “moving out”.
2. Your new council. Tell it the date you are moving in, and ask about any discounts, such as the single person discount if you will live alone.

Give meter readings, keys and tenancy dates to your landlord or agent, not the council.

Your final bill

Your old council will send a final bill for the days up to when you left. If you have paid more than that, ask for a refund. If you have paid less, pay the balance or agree how to, so it does not become arrears.

Tenants moving out early

In England, since 1 May 2026, a tenant who moves out before their tenancy ends can stay liable for council tax until the tenancy properly ends. End the tenancy correctly, with the right notice, to avoid paying for a home you no longer live in. See who has to pay.

If the home will be empty

If you are selling and the home will be empty, the owner is usually liable, and empty homes can be charged more after a year. See empty properties.

Old council tax follows you

If you leave with arrears, your old council can still collect them. Councils trace people through credit reference and other records, and a liability order, once made, has no time limit. It is far better to agree an arrangement before you move.