Living in HMO but not known to landlord

[soluble duck]

Hello,

Long time, no post, but urban75 has helped me many times before, perhaps you could help me again?

I live with my girlfriend in a shared house in Camberwell but I am not known to the landlord as she wouldn't have allowed this (she doesn't want to pay the licence for a large HMO).

However, I just registered to vote and put the address in without thinking too much of the consequences- the electoral commission will check with the council that I live here and there is no evidence that I do.

What could happen? Will they check with the landlord and then she will find out? Eeeek! What should my response be? I have been staying with my girlfriend to save money together, and it has made our friends rents cheaper too, but I'm sure the landlord would not be impressed...

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bitter&Twisted]

Living with your girlfriend will not suddenly transmogrify the property into an HMO as you're not creating an additional household within it. Your girlfriend is one "household", you and your girlfriend together is also one.

Why do you think the electoral commission will check with the council that you live there? As far as I'm aware they don't check with any other parties.

 

[Miss-Shelf]

I registered to vote where I live but the local council would not know I am here as I have nothing else in my name here

 

[soluble duck]

The flat is an HMO as it has 4 rooms with different people sharing the amenities, meaning I make it 5 people- a large HMO has 5 plus, the landlord has a standard HMO licence .

When I registered there was a notice saying they can share your information with other authorities to check it and I presume this is particularly necessary if they want to know if I actually live here.

 

[mauvais]

How tall is this house? How many floors?

 

[Bitter&Twisted]

"Can share" doesn't necessarily mean "will share". In an HMO the landlord is responsible for paying the Council Tax, so they won't get any joy there even if they do choose to check. I can't see what other info they can try to cross-reference.

 

[bi0boy]

No one is going to contact your landlord because you registered to vote. There will be mail addressed to you so if the landlord has sight of the mail that's the only way I can think they might find out you live there.

 

[Bitter&Twisted]

"share your information with other authorities to check it" I take to mean that they want to know whether you're registered to vote elsewhere as well.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

in terms of "proof you live there" i guess you're in no different position to many 18 year olds who still live with parents and won't have any bills in their own name.

i don't think you have to provide proof of anything much to register to vote.

if 20 people registered there, council might spot it and ask questions...

 

[Citizen66]

The only thing you need to worry about when putting yourself on the electoral roll is how many debtors will rub their hands with glee at having located you at last.

 

[soluble duck]

Thanks for replies, feel slightly more reassured!

The house is divided between a basement flat and the ground/1st/2nd floor flat (mine).

I just have this vision of them finding there are technically too many voters registered, or my extra name and contacting the landlord and then trouble!