Hi All,
just wanted to ask your thoughts on my situation. I have a tenant that moved out of my property 29th March 2024, they registered me and the property itself as the address to send council tax demands to. Tenants moved in 1st August 2024, turns out they didn't register themselves so council charging me full council tax until March 2025 at present (i've informed them I left 1st August 2024 on 30th Sept)
Background
As you do I registered myself on the council tax portal to pay council tax 30th March 2024, I'm pretty sure I informed them that the address to send the bills to was the property itself but I can't remember I think a freedom of information request may settle this.
Several months pass and I haven't received anything at the address itself ( I wouldn't register another address but they had an old address on file)
16th July
email received I owe £332.14
24th July 17.00
email received I owe £12.99 and notice this can lead to a summons
24th July 17.48
I set up DD to clear everything email confirm received, thinking this would settle all future and past bills
24th July 17.53
Unable to request access to council tax portal via the questions they ask (its impossible to pass them) so I request PIN to be sent (PIN sent to old address)
24th July 17.54
Updated my address on the council portal, which according to the council tax phone rep, doesn't actually update your address, there is another method that you are supposed to use. I ask why didn't take money from the DD phone rep informs me as I'm so far behind they won't take payment by DD (behind approx 4 months in total)
24th July 17.56
payment made £100 email confirm received (thought i was £12.99 in arrears)
1st August
date 1st August Summons sent to old address, wasn't aware and I didn't attend
24th Sept
Bailifs send letter - if I don't pay in 1 week additional charges will apply and they will send baillifs (to wrong address) only way to stop them is pay in full or get council to withdraw, council take 10 days to reply to emails so I pay bailiffs and pay council £500 (I've paid them £600 in total) then will claim back the money later
note actual libaility was about £600 in total for the council tax bill for period of my occupation.
total charges I've incurred £187.50 (£112.50 for summons and £75 for baillifs)
Any advice would be much appreciated, if I have to swallow the charges i put it down to learning curve, but to set up a DD and then be told we didn't take the money as you were to far behind , almost indicates they wanted to take me to court. as no normal business would not take payment when you provide them with DD just a totally derranged business practice. Eg imagine that money was the difference between them going bust and staying a float , would they really come out with nonsense such as you are to far behind we'll go bust instead thanks
anyway any thoughts much appreciated
just wanted to ask your thoughts on my situation. I have a tenant that moved out of my property 29th March 2024, they registered me and the property itself as the address to send council tax demands to. Tenants moved in 1st August 2024, turns out they didn't register themselves so council charging me full council tax until March 2025 at present (i've informed them I left 1st August 2024 on 30th Sept)
Background
As you do I registered myself on the council tax portal to pay council tax 30th March 2024, I'm pretty sure I informed them that the address to send the bills to was the property itself but I can't remember I think a freedom of information request may settle this.
Several months pass and I haven't received anything at the address itself ( I wouldn't register another address but they had an old address on file)
16th July
email received I owe £332.14
24th July 17.00
email received I owe £12.99 and notice this can lead to a summons
24th July 17.48
I set up DD to clear everything email confirm received, thinking this would settle all future and past bills
24th July 17.53
Unable to request access to council tax portal via the questions they ask (its impossible to pass them) so I request PIN to be sent (PIN sent to old address)
24th July 17.54
Updated my address on the council portal, which according to the council tax phone rep, doesn't actually update your address, there is another method that you are supposed to use. I ask why didn't take money from the DD phone rep informs me as I'm so far behind they won't take payment by DD (behind approx 4 months in total)
24th July 17.56
payment made £100 email confirm received (thought i was £12.99 in arrears)
1st August
date 1st August Summons sent to old address, wasn't aware and I didn't attend
24th Sept
Bailifs send letter - if I don't pay in 1 week additional charges will apply and they will send baillifs (to wrong address) only way to stop them is pay in full or get council to withdraw, council take 10 days to reply to emails so I pay bailiffs and pay council £500 (I've paid them £600 in total) then will claim back the money later
note actual libaility was about £600 in total for the council tax bill for period of my occupation.
total charges I've incurred £187.50 (£112.50 for summons and £75 for baillifs)
Any advice would be much appreciated, if I have to swallow the charges i put it down to learning curve, but to set up a DD and then be told we didn't take the money as you were to far behind , almost indicates they wanted to take me to court. as no normal business would not take payment when you provide them with DD just a totally derranged business practice. Eg imagine that money was the difference between them going bust and staying a float , would they really come out with nonsense such as you are to far behind we'll go bust instead thanks
anyway any thoughts much appreciated