Excel debt recovery

[tonypg]

Can anyone help.please?
I received a letter today from excel.debt recovery regarding a council tax debt from when I was married 8 years ago. The amount owing with all the add ons is now £3,600. I live in my own, earn between £750 and £1000 a month,after rent and general.living costs there isn't much left.
Excel are insisting on a minimum payment of £306 a month,if I do not agree to this by tomorrow they are sending the bailiffs around tomorrow night which will incur additional costs. If I can't pay they say the next step is jail..I am worried sick as there is no way I can realistically pay £306 a month. I have been off sick for the last 6 weeks.following an op on my throat .
Can they legally insist on a payment that is beyond my means? I can't get a loan to pay this off as I have had a DRO , any advice greatfully received..thanks

[charitynjw]

Re: Excel debt recovery

Hi tonypg & welcome to LB

Why has this taken 8 years to crawl out of the woodwork?

Do you accept or dispute the alleged debt?

Are you aware of any LO?

[Snoopy1948]

Re: Excel debt recovery

Hi Tonypg ...

Council tax debts of that age remain recoverable and it seems that you have just been unlucky enough to have just been contacted on this matter.

The first thing is not to panic as this is just an initial letter of introduction sadly laced with the usual threats that tend to be unrealistic. IT is certainly unrealistic for them to be talking about committal to prison as my understanding is that only the issuing local authority can caution that, and in any event you have to be guilty of either wilful refusal to pay or culpable neglect.

You should not entertain obtaining a loan to pay this off and in any event you would almost certainly not qualify for one.

In your case, I would make swift contact with your local Citizens Advice Bureau and ask them to approach Excel on your behalf, qualify the debt ( with a breakdown ) and exactly how it arose,. whether it was jointly and severally held with your ex wife and ask them to prepare an income and expenditure statement to show your current disposable income and what payment from that is achievable should the liability clearly be yours. I would let Excel know that this is what you intend to do in the first instance.

The only other question I would ask you is were you entirely unaware of this debt at any time and have you been culpable in neglecting it?

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/