What is council tax for renters?

Council tax is a local tax charged by your council to fund local services, and in most flatshares it's the tenants' responsibility, not the landlord's, unless your listing specifically says "bills included."

How it usually works in a house share: the amount is set per property (based on its council tax band), and tenants on a joint tenancy typically split it between them, or one person's name is used for billing and the others reimburse them.

Student exemption: full-time students are exempt from council tax. If a property is occupied entirely by full-time students, no council tax is due at all. If it's a mixed household (some students, some not), a discount usually applies rather than a full exemption - check with your local council rather than assuming.

What to check before moving in: whether council tax is included in your rent or not, and if not, roughly what the property's council tax band costs, since it can add a meaningful amount to your monthly outgoings.