Council tax Bill for july 2014 to january 2015

[beary1977]

where to start, me and my fiancee have had an on going issue with north somerset council

we moved in together last year, i moved in july , she moved in shortly after due to ill health, after getting bill for her old flat and getting that dealt with. they then issued a summons to my landlord for unpaid c/t (which he has sorted)

now north somerset council have issued us a bill for £852 we recd on the 27/01/2015 stating we had to pay in full by 01/03/2015. so emailed the council saying look , you have taken 8 months to issue us a bill even though during that period we have been in constant contact with you over various issues and you still failed to issue us with bill only when my landlord informed you of our moving in date did you then issue us a bill and him a bill and giving us just over a month to pay it is unresonable and asking to arrange a payment plan

got an email back yesterday "We are currently unable to set up a payment arrangement to repay the balance as the account needs to be billed as normal to give the opportunity to repay the balance before the account is summonsed and additional court costs added. We would suggest that you pay as much as possible to the account before the account is summonsed"

where do i stand i am happy to pay so much per month off the bill, as my partner isn't working, and is currently going through the whole ATOS system (she has been diganosied with Fibromyalgia which means she unable to work and her doctor has adivsed she been signed off as disabled but ATOS in their infintied wisdom has deemed her fit to work)

so it just my money coming in paying everything at the moment untill the DWP hear her appeal. the last thing i want is them taking me to court and then sending out to baliffs

[ploddertom]

Re: Council tax Bill for july 2014 to january 2015

The Council will be heartless - they just want the cash & also look at the extra costs of issuing a summons as extra revenue & they will want this paid off before the end of march so it helps clear their books. They may also use the argument you would have known there was money to pay so it should have been kept to one side.

I would contact your local Councillor(s) and ask them to intervene saying you can afford to pay £xx every week/month - you may have to supply I&E to help - but do not forget the new CT Bills will be due as from April 1.

[beary1977]

Re: Council tax Bill for july 2014 to january 2015

thanks will get onto our local counciler asap happy to send an I&E to them, have one already made for other issues.

[ploddertom]

Re: Council tax Bill for july 2014 to january 2015

I would also mention your partners condition as if things do go further then they would find it hard to ignore they were given all facts about the household previously as it could render you potentially "vulnerable".

[Endlessnine3]

Re: Council tax Bill for july 2014 to january 2015

My council have just sent me a bill as they have back dated it due to us winning a dla appeal
the other half rang them up and they said they will add it on to next years bill so that may be worth a try

[beary1977]

Re: Council tax Bill for july 2014 to january 2015

have heard back from the council basic waffle saying it was our responabilty to inform them of the change of address as the canvess notice were not return to them they couldnt update their records. lots of waffle but this paragaph made me very angry

"I can confirm that notices have now been issued to you both to confirm your current outstanding balance on both accounts stated above. As you have previously been advised, should you fail to clear the balances as stated on the notices issued recovery action will commence"

they wont play ball and still expect us to fork out the whole balance asap or they will pass the debt to their enforcement muppetts at JBW. they wont even entertain the idea of a payment plan. it's almost like they have decided it going to JBW and that's that.

Any advise on how to play this, my partner is now suffering from Post Concussion Sydrome after a fall on the week, in which she suffered a sevre concussion and was admitted to hospital.

[ostell]

Re: Council tax Bill for july 2014 to january 2015

You may find that the council tax department has been contracted out to JBW and they have an incentive to gain further costs from you. Ask you local councillor.

[Debt Camel]

Re: Council tax Bill for july 2014 to january 2015

Contacting your councillor is a good idea.

In addition put in a formal complaint - it looks as though the correct form is here https://apps.n-somerset.gov.uk/forms/customercomplaint/

In the complaint say that you are happy to pay but cant pay the full bill at once, that it is unreasonable to expect you to do so when a bill is issued so late in the year.

Ask for them to hold off on any enforcement, including a summons, whilst the complaint is being investigated so that additional charges are not added to your account.

Say that your partner suffers from [details], that you can supply doctors / hospital details if necessary. Say she has been in hospital in the last week.