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Hi
We moved out of a property on 22/4/2009. We moved 400 miles north and handed the keys back on the day we moved. Our agreement on the house was on a 6 month short hold which had expired and was a rolling contract. I'm told this is the norm now.
Out of the blue last week we had a letter from a bailiffs demanding £700 for Council tax owed for 2009! So I rang Dover DC and asked what the outstanding was for. They said it was for April - Nov 2009. I pointed out that we moved out in the April and in fact our claim with them for benefits had ended on 21st of April for that very reason. They said we had left it late in the day to query this and would have to prove it as it had been to court and a liability order had been issued in Oct 09.
We were never informed about any of this and had we known it was going to court would had sent papers proving we had moved. I was also told by Dover council that my old landlord had told them that we had furniture in the property till then. Even though a new tenant moved in during May 09.
After faxing proof to the council and a copy to the bailiffs to stop any action, I rang them to confirm that it was sorted. They told me that the matter was not closed as they had to wait to see what the landlord said!
Is there a way I can go to the court and have the liability order cancelled as this is really stressful and both me and my wife are losing sleep. While I'm not perfect I have not had to deal with bailiffs and I'm told with council tax they have more powers than a civil debt.
We moved out of a property on 22/4/2009. We moved 400 miles north and handed the keys back on the day we moved. Our agreement on the house was on a 6 month short hold which had expired and was a rolling contract. I'm told this is the norm now.
Out of the blue last week we had a letter from a bailiffs demanding £700 for Council tax owed for 2009! So I rang Dover DC and asked what the outstanding was for. They said it was for April - Nov 2009. I pointed out that we moved out in the April and in fact our claim with them for benefits had ended on 21st of April for that very reason. They said we had left it late in the day to query this and would have to prove it as it had been to court and a liability order had been issued in Oct 09.
We were never informed about any of this and had we known it was going to court would had sent papers proving we had moved. I was also told by Dover council that my old landlord had told them that we had furniture in the property till then. Even though a new tenant moved in during May 09.
After faxing proof to the council and a copy to the bailiffs to stop any action, I rang them to confirm that it was sorted. They told me that the matter was not closed as they had to wait to see what the landlord said!
Is there a way I can go to the court and have the liability order cancelled as this is really stressful and both me and my wife are losing sleep. While I'm not perfect I have not had to deal with bailiffs and I'm told with council tax they have more powers than a civil debt.
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