By Keira Guy, News Subeditor
Marianne, like many of us this year, had finished university. She had handed in her final coursework and was looking forward to enjoying her summer. But then she received a letter from Bristol Council demanding almost £500 in council tax.
‘No one talked about it, so I thought it wasn’t really something to be concerned about,’ Marianne told Epigram.
For most University of Bristol students, council tax is rarely considered, as students are exempt from paying it. However, once their studies come to an end, that exemption is removed, leaving many recent graduates facing a large and unexpected tax bill on their student property.
Marianne herself was left to shoulder the council tax bill for her entire household, as she was technically the only tenant who was no longer a student. With her tenancy ending in August 2025, many months after finishing her studies, she found herself covering nearly three months' worth of council tax alone for a five-person house.
Marianne said, ‘this was a huge amount of money for me at the time, having just graduated.’ Having to pay nearly £500 for a tax that you had no idea you were liable for could be a genuine struggle for many students, especially those who have limited savings at the end of their degree.
She also pointed out that her UCard was valid until July 31st, which would make it reasonable to assume that she was a student until then.
Only after a stressful period of back and forth conversation with the council, was Marianne able to secure a 25% bill reduction as the only person paying the bill. But then Marianne faced an additional ‘second home’ fee on the student property because she told the council that she had moved home 5 days before her tenancy ended. She told them this as she thought it might reduce the fee, but the opposite was the case. A second house premium of £50 was added to her final council tax bill.
At the time of speaking to Epigram in January, Marianne was still paying off her council tax in instalments, and she encouraged Epigram to share her experience as she said it ‘would have been useful to know this before I signed onto my third-year house.’
With many Bristol students approaching the end of their time at university this summer, the hidden fee of council tax must be kept in mind. For graduates whose student property tenancies extend beyond the end of their studies, often into July or August, an unexpected bill will probably arrive soon.
Students in the UK are exempt from paying council tax if they meet the requirements, which is why council tax is not a significant concern most of the time and is usually forgotten. However, the council tax exemptions for students that are set out on the Bristol Council website are no longer valid when a student finishes their studies in their final year.
Many students first encounter council tax confusion when they leave university halls and have to apply for their own student exemption, often leading to demanding letters and additional stress.
The university does have information about this process on its website; however, Epigram believes that the university should play more of a role in educating students about council tax exemption forms and provide the information needed to fill in forms correctly.
Sarah Newey
The confusion for many usually stems from a lack of clarity over when student status officially ends. The University of Bristol has informed Epigram that the end of the final teaching term is the ‘standard definition used across higher education’ for the end of student status, and that their role in this is simply to ‘confirm a student’s enrolment and course dates.’
Yet many students remain tied into their tenancies for months after their course ends, as most tenancies last until June, July or even August. Those progressing to a masters course also face uncertainty over their council tax status in the gap between their courses.
Epigram spoke to Catrin, a Bristol University 2025 graduate who, like Marianne, had to pay an unexpected council tax following the conclusion of her studies. She lived in a student property with ten other students in her final year, six of which were continuing their studies the following year.
‘We got a letter through the door saying you owe the council £500’ As she did not know about this legal grey area, she at first thought this was a mistake.
‘We thought there was a way we could sort it out with the uni because we thought we were still technically students because we hadn’t graduated, so we wouldn’t have to pay it. But then we realised that we did [have to pay it].’
She told Epigram that she had no pre warning from the council or the university and the only way that she found out about the charge was through social media and from other students. Catrin ultimately paid around £100 to the council, after the initial £70 bill increased due to delays in payment.
She said, ‘it was fine once we paid it and we didn’t hear anything [from the council] again.’ But she also acknowledged that ‘if you are struggling for money, it would be much more difficult.’
Whilst cases like Catrin's may be resolved quickly, there still remains the broader problem of the lack of knowledge students have about council tax. Better communication from the university, council and letting agents could help to prevent unnecessary confusion, stress and financial strain.
Epigram spoke to a university spokesperson who stated that, ‘There is no process in place to support students with paying council tax as it is the responsibility of the individual to pay what is a charge on residential properties administered by the local authority.’
‘The University is committed to supporting students with clear information and guidance, including signposting to local authority information and encouraging students to check their exemption status.’
They also said that ‘The University contacts final year undergraduate students in advance of them completing their course to make them aware that they may become liable for council tax on their privately rented accommodation once their course officially ends.’
However, the graduates interviewed recalled no such email and said that they did not receive a prior warning that they could become liable for council tax.
The university maintains that support is available for students affected by council tax issues, telling Epigram that ‘The University’s student support and financial advice services are available to assist those who may be unclear on the council tax process, via Student Services, or experiencing financial difficulty, via Money Advice and Funding Team.’
Epigram
Erin Disney
With final exams completed, dissertations handed in and summer plans in full swing, council tax is unlikely to be at the forefront of graduating students minds. However, Epigram advises taking the time to understand your council tax status now, looking out for important letters and paying the owed council tax on time to avoid further complications.
Featured image: Epigram / Hanno Sie
Have you been unpleasantly been surprised by a council tax letter?
