Council tax summons -Croydon

[ekuhgk23]

Hi all

Any help or advice wanted please.

Received a Croydon Council tax summons after one late April payment (paid within April) and then a missed/late May payment. I received one reminder for April, brought the account up to date, then got no further reminder/final notice before straight to summons due to Mays missed payment.

I called today and explained I can pay the outstanding council tax but genuinely cannot afford the £117.50 summons costs. They refused to stop proceedings unless I paid both. I'm borrowing the £1600 as it is and cannot get any more money immediately unfortunately. I'm a temp with immediate notice so if I cannot find something else they will soon be chasing the unemployed.

Main issue: the summons says I can contact the council if I wish to attend court and a separate hearing date can be arranged. When I asked to attend, the operative refused to arrange this and effectively told me I couldn’t. But they also didn't take the payment I was offering as I couldn't pay the court fees at the moment.

I understand liability order hearings are mostly administrative and hardship isn’t a defence, but my understanding is I’m still entitled to attend if I want to.

Has anyone dealt with this before, especially with Croydon Council? Can the council refuse to facilitate attendance if the summons itself refers to attendance arrangements? Also is it normal to go from one reminder straight to summons with no final notice? The reminder wasn't even for this month it was for April which I paid in April. So no reminder or final notice this month and straight to a summons, one reminder last month and I settled the debt then.

Any advice appreciated.

[PallasAthena]

Tagging islandgirl

[islandgirl]

I have no idea about Croydon council but I deal with liability orders in court and am a local councillor in the North. I am extremely surprised they went straight to a summons for one late and one missed payment on an account which was then brought up to date. What a waste of time effort and cost. In the court where I work the council usually meet with attenders in the corridor and discuss their issues before they come into court. A few liability orders are withdrawn from the pack before they ever come into court as agreement is reached. If there is no agreement the householder can come in and put their case to the magistrates. You most certainly should have the right to appear. I would contact my local councillor and get them involved. They may be able to sort the issue for you. I would also write to the chief executive of your council and the council's legal officer and tell them your issues. Go straight to the top. Good luck.

[ekuhgk23]

Tagging islandgirl

Thank you for your advice. I emailed a complaint to Croydon council and contacted my MP but will try a Councillor and Legal Officer.

The letter I received is dated 20th May but only came yesterday. It needs to be rescheduled if there are going to be attendees but if the dates coming up soon and they've blocked me from going. I'm hoping it doesn't go ahead before I get a response on attending.

[islandgirl]

I do not understand why it needs to be rescheduled if ther are attendeees. Surely the letter gives you the time and date and you turn up if you wish to do so. They cannot "block you from going". Why do you need to ask to attend? It seems your council does things very differently and I do not understand how that works. I would contact your councillor urgently - find out their name tel number and email from your council website.

[ekuhgk23]

I do not understand why it needs to be rescheduled if ther are attendeees. Surely the letter gives you the time and date and you turn up if you wish to do so. They cannot "block you from going". Why do you need to ask to attend? It seems your council does things very differently and I do not understand how that works. I would contact your councillor urgently - find out their name tel number and email from your council website.

I have no idea but the letter wording is very clear. There is a date and time for a hybrid court date and says 'You can attend a court hearing at Croydon Magistrates Court by pre-arranged appointment, which will be scheduled by the court on a different date to the one on this summons'. And goes on to tell me I have to inform the council if I want to attend. Called up today with the intention of paying this for outstanding May or in pull as suggested (minus court fees so accepted they may say no). When they did say no they needed full fees to I said ok will attend court and was then told no.

[islandgirl]

Seems very wrong - you have the right to be heard in court. Let us know what your councillor and the council's head of legal say.