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Hi everyone hope you can help me, in Jan 2009 my husband and myself were made redundant and having found ourselves in this position we became in debt. After stuggling a year and both doing voluntary work my husband got a job which left just myself on benefits. Then a few months ago I became sick and was put on sickness benefit for several weeks why undergoing hospital tests. Since then my sickness benefit has stopped and I am in the process of going to see about claiming jobseekers again till I can find work myself. However we could not come to an agreement with the council on a payment plan for council tax so they took the two bills we owe to court. The first bill is for £450.00 the second for £1200 which takes us up to next April. The next thing we know Bristow and Sutor are on our back for the £1200 which they said they would except no lower than £400 a month, As our monthly income is only £930.00 out of which we have to pay £60.00 water £360 rent that would only have left us with £110 a month to live on. We told them that we couldnt pay that amount and asked if we could pay £100 and look at a new payment arrangement once I find employment. They told us no at which point I got upset and at first agreed. The next day after a troubled night I decided to phone the council to see if they would take back the debt they said no but they did say they would speak to Bristow and reccomend I pay £200 a month for the next 6 months as thats the most length of time they can give me. If I didnt agree to this arrangement then I would have to pay what the baliff was asking so I had know choice but agree. They then imformed me the other bill of £450.00 had been passed to Jacobs and they would contact me shortly. They did this morning by posting a letter through my door without knocking.
The letter states they will call back in 24 hours for full settlement unless an agreement can be made by letting him in which I wont do. The balance is now £506.25 plus costs but dosent say ammount. They also state all payments for this liability order must be directed to them and not the council as they will not accept responsibility for problems resulting from payment made to the council when they should have been paid to them and they will still collect. Hope I'm not confusing everyone or that you feel yourself about to nodd off
But I'm really worried to even go out the house incase they call back when I'm not here and break in. Its not that we are refusing to pay but I would prefer to deal by letter as I cant afford their phone charges and I'm not sure what ammount to offer them and what to do if they refuse. Also why would they only have my name on the bill and not my husbands is that because when I was getting my sick benefit the council tax was in my name. If this is the case do they need to take my husbands wages into account . Please help I really dont know what to do. Thankyou for your time I know its late but I cant sleep with worry.
The letter states they will call back in 24 hours for full settlement unless an agreement can be made by letting him in which I wont do. The balance is now £506.25 plus costs but dosent say ammount. They also state all payments for this liability order must be directed to them and not the council as they will not accept responsibility for problems resulting from payment made to the council when they should have been paid to them and they will still collect. Hope I'm not confusing everyone or that you feel yourself about to nodd off
But I'm really worried to even go out the house incase they call back when I'm not here and break in. Its not that we are refusing to pay but I would prefer to deal by letter as I cant afford their phone charges and I'm not sure what ammount to offer them and what to do if they refuse. Also why would they only have my name on the bill and not my husbands is that because when I was getting my sick benefit the council tax was in my name. If this is the case do they need to take my husbands wages into account . Please help I really dont know what to do. Thankyou for your time I know its late but I cant sleep with worry.
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