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What to do with my council tax arrears?

  • OK, here's the story. I stay in England by myself, moved into my property around last July. Got a letter from the council around October time telling me how to pay council tax, what was due etc. First payment was due on 1st November, I didn't get paid till the 25th so I had fully intended paying it in person on the exact day at the council offices. However I couldn't because on Halloween I was attacked and had to spend the next day in bed and dealing with police. I emailed the council a couple of weeks later to explain this and to ask what to do, I couldn't afford to pay the money I was due then in full because I had to use it for necessities like food because when I was off I wasn't getting paid. No reply and after a while I got a reminder, so I called them instead, I asked to set up a payment plan but if I'm honest the person I was speaking to wasn't very helpful, he just said unless I could pay the full amount there and then he couldn't help me and told me just to wait on a response to my email. He confirmed that they had received it but I was left with the impression it wasn't very important because he said emails were prioritised and mine would be dealt with in due course. Anyway a couple of weeks before Christmas I got a letter saying that the council were taking me to court for non-payment of council tax. They said that they'd sent me 3 reminders and I hadn't responded to any of them so they were taking me to court. I only remember receiving one reminder and I did respond to it, I called them! Anyway I then phoned them AGAIN to set up a payment arrangement and it was agreed to pay around £50 in January and £100 per month after that to clear the arrears. However my pay this month was around £300 short for some reason, I now can't afford to pay that £50, when I went to do so today I discovered I only have around £70 to last me until 25th January. That £70 has to buy me food, heating, electric and bus fares so there's no way I'm going to have enough. I've no idea what's happened to my money, as far as I was aware all my bills had been paid but it's like they've all come out again! I now can't get in touch with the council until after the payment is due because of the New Year holidays. There's absolutely nobody I can borrow the money from and I've even tried to go to money lenders but it's no good, I can't get the money in time. The council said even though I'd set up a payment arrangement with them they would still go to court in case I broke that arrangement. So now I'm really worried that they're going to take me to court and because I've broken the arrangement this one time someone is going to turn up at my house and take all my belongings or arrest me! I genuinely would have paid it but I was unable to do so because I was short in my wages and I'm unlikely to get any discrepancy in that sorted out before 25th January - my next pay date. I did consider emailing the council regarding this but given that they've not responded to an email sent in November I wouldn't hold out much hope of a response! Help! Someone please advise me what I should do about my council tax arrears!

  • Answer:

    ok, firstly nothing will happen until Tuesday because everything is shut until then. secondly you won't get bailiffs instantly, there is due process to follow. thirdly the council is staffed by demoralised idiots and it looks like no-one is tracking phone calls or emails. You need to go there when they reopen, with all the paperwork you have and refuse to move until it is all sorted and written down. and you also need to get your employer to sort out your missing wages. as I said - don't worry until after the weekend, then get on the case. good luck.

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Try speaking to your local Citizens Advice Bureau http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index/getadvice.htm#Follow the link and type your UK postcode in the box for more details.

Ashley Brown

If the bailiffs do come, they will try to make a new arrangement with you - and they can not take any 'essentials'. No one is going to arrest you at this stage. If you find yourself in court, you will just have to explain to the judge what has happened and hope that he gives you a second chance. TBH you seem to have had too many problems for this to be a genuine coincidence - but it will be up to the judge to decide what is true and what is fair. You CAN be sent to jail for non payment of council tax, however even if you go to court this is extremely unlikely on a first appearance.

You clearly didn't budget for council tax when considering living on your own. Everyone has to pay this per property (unless you're a student living with other students) in the UK. Whenever you have a dispute or a problem relating to tax, put it in writing and keep a copy so that you have evidence of your correspondence/discussions. Irrespective of your reasons for not paying, you are legally obliged to pay your taxes and failure to do so means you are liable to a court appearance, a fine and/or in some cases, time in prison for non-payment. Having a discussion on the phone does not consistute an agreement to re-schedule your payments because you're 'short of cash'. You may be entitled to council tax benefit if you live on your own and/or if you have little or no savings (only for EU citizens). Learn to budget, to be a responsible citizen and once you've paid your council tax bill, consider going back home if you can't afford the cost of living on your current wages.

Confuzzled

If it does reach the Bailiff stage, you will also have their costs to contend with, It seems to me that you did not take this seriously enough. Believe me the one bill you must always try to pay is the council tax bill. A couple of weeks later is not the answer. Most councils will try to help you (unless you are a serial non payer) but you must contact them BEFORE the money becomes payable. You may be able to get your employer to explain to the council the shortfall in your wages. I think the council must feel they have had enough excuses for non payment. The CAB will tell you, that this bill is the first bill you must pay. If you don't it will become very expensive month upon month. The council will have no qualms about sending you to prison. One of our members was sent to a high security prison for 28days for non payment of about £60 - so sort yourself out. No more Halloween parties, only spend on fripperies AFTER you have paid your bills.

Christine M

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