Merton council enforcement agents

[the range rider]

I was paying £150.00 per month, for council tax. I was late paying by 5 days and now they have slapped on a further £250 and are enforcing the whole debt which I don't have. Is this lawful, being just 5 days late. I have emailed them and they said I have to deal direct with the bailiff and I have lost my right to pay monthly. Please can someone advise me.

[ploddertom]

Re: Merton council enforcement agents

Is this for an old debt?

[the range rider]

Re: Merton council enforcement agents

[QUOTE=ploddertom;764103]Is this for an old debt?[/

Its for our current Council Tax 2017-2018 for Sutton they have moved the debt to Merton Enforcement.

[ploddertom]

Re: Merton council enforcement agents

You are required to pay your Council Tax in full on 1 April each year but can be offered the chance to pay by instalments each month - usually over 10 or 12 months. To pay this way some Councils insist on DD and ,may give a variety of days in the month to pay. Otherwise payment is usually due by 1st of the month by any other means. If you fail to pay on the due date (depends on your Council as to how strict they are) then the Council must write to you advising you are in arrears and give you 7 days in which to catch up. This can happen twice. If you don't then they can demand the rest of the years payments immediately.

If you still fail to pay then they must inform you they are taking you to Court to obtain a Liability Order and must give a date when this will happen. If a Liability Order has been obtained then they can seek to enforce the debt by various means - of which one is instructing Bailiffs.

Therefore do you know which stage you are at?

[ploddertom]

Re: Merton council enforcement agents

Have a read of this page which explains their process

https://www.sutton.gov.uk/info/20051...of_council_tax

[the range rider]

Re: Merton council enforcement agents

Thank You. The debt was passed onto Merton Enforcement agency as I couldn't pay Sutton council.

I made an agreement / payment plan on the phone but received no contract or terms or conditions. I've made all the payments regularly, but was 5 days late because of illness. They since said I have broken the agreement and a bailiff want the full amount + £250 for his fee.

all for being 5 days late. Which I have paid and therefore upto date.

[ploddertom]

Re: Merton council enforcement agents

Do they have a Liability Order? If so from when? Have you received a Notice of Enforcement?

[the range rider]

Re: Merton council enforcement agents

Yes they have this, and I made a payment plan over the phone

[ploddertom]

Re: Merton council enforcement agents

Yes they have this, and I made a payment plan over the phone

In that case they have done nothing wrong. Payments must be made in clear funds as they are scheduled there is no room for manouevre. May seem unfair but that is how it is.