Council tax

[balanke]

I am being chased by an enforcement company to seize my goods for unpaid council tax claimed in advance. I am unable to pay the full amount up front and they will no longer accept staged payments. I will be able to pay but later in this current year. Any advice please? KR

[ploddertom]

Council Tax becomes fully payable on 1 April each year. You may be offered dispensation to pay in instalments over 10 or 12 months by your Council. To cut a bit of a story short if you fail to pay then the Council will take you to Court and obtain a Liability Order against you, if you still then do not pay they can instigate one of a range of enforcement procedures - normally using Enforcement Agents for a private company who can also levy their own fees on top of the debt you owe (although these are fixed nowadays).

From what you say you seem to have ignored all demands to date and if a visit has been made will have been charged an extra £310, if any goods are seized then this could ramp up the costs considerably. The only way forward at present is to try and agree a payment plan with your Enforcement Agent - but be warned he does not have to accept it. Any proposal made will only be short term - possibly 3 months. You could also try and ignore him/her and hope it is eventually sent back to the Council.