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Hi
A bit of background on what's happened I moved house last July I get council tax benefit and I put in a new claim for council tax benefit to be changed over to my new address. They never did change the council tax benefit over despite me going into the office to do this twice! They kept sending out bills which were for the wrong amount this went on for months. I did make payments but they weren't enough so I fell behind.
Unfortunately in January I had to move again as my landlord gave me notice and had to go through the whole process of trying to change the council tax benefit over again. I was in my new property by this point and did get a letter at this address saying I was being taken to court for my previous address.
I rang the council to sort it out and was so relieved when they set up a payment plan for me at £21 a month. I owed £102.00 well fast forward a month and it turned out they had set up a payment plan for my current address and not my previous address! I only found this out when I got a letter saying I had been taken to court and incurred £65 court charges.
I rang the council numerous times and had to do the council tax benefit claim online in the end I didnt know I could do this until a friend told me and it finally got sorted out.
By now I had the bayliffs at my door demanding £170 I put in a dispute with the council over this debt and the court costs this was in May. The bayliffs have been coming to the house every two weeks since May I have never let them in or spoke to them.
I did phone Equita direct and they wanted £100 before they would set up a payment plan I told them I could not afford this and paid them £40 which they reluctantly took but would not set up a payment plan with me. They then wrote to me saying I defaulted on payments but I didnt because they refused to set one up.
I finally got a response off the council last week from my complaint in May and they said they have reduced the debt to £98.50 because of the 'circumstances' but mentioned nothing about what Im meant to do about the bayliffs. Equita came around again today banging my door down I ignored them I kept trying to speak to the contact officer who sent the email about my complaint but he would not take my calls. I spoke to a woman in the end who was a total cow and said I must pay the bayliffs the £300 they said I owe I point blank told her I wasnt paying a thing to Equita as the £300 they are asking for is illegal as they havent even done a levy.
The council have basically admitted they have messed up their end on the email they sent me. Ive wrote them both letters today I told Equita I am paying the council directly and will not deal with them and Im 38 weeks pregnant and if they continue to pursue me in this bullying manner Im contacting my MP. I have wrote the same sort of letter to the council and made an online payment to them today.
Am I going about this the right way? sorry for long post but felt i needed to tell everything for your help.
A bit of background on what's happened I moved house last July I get council tax benefit and I put in a new claim for council tax benefit to be changed over to my new address. They never did change the council tax benefit over despite me going into the office to do this twice! They kept sending out bills which were for the wrong amount this went on for months. I did make payments but they weren't enough so I fell behind.
Unfortunately in January I had to move again as my landlord gave me notice and had to go through the whole process of trying to change the council tax benefit over again. I was in my new property by this point and did get a letter at this address saying I was being taken to court for my previous address.
I rang the council to sort it out and was so relieved when they set up a payment plan for me at £21 a month. I owed £102.00 well fast forward a month and it turned out they had set up a payment plan for my current address and not my previous address! I only found this out when I got a letter saying I had been taken to court and incurred £65 court charges.
I rang the council numerous times and had to do the council tax benefit claim online in the end I didnt know I could do this until a friend told me and it finally got sorted out.
By now I had the bayliffs at my door demanding £170 I put in a dispute with the council over this debt and the court costs this was in May. The bayliffs have been coming to the house every two weeks since May I have never let them in or spoke to them.
I did phone Equita direct and they wanted £100 before they would set up a payment plan I told them I could not afford this and paid them £40 which they reluctantly took but would not set up a payment plan with me. They then wrote to me saying I defaulted on payments but I didnt because they refused to set one up.
I finally got a response off the council last week from my complaint in May and they said they have reduced the debt to £98.50 because of the 'circumstances' but mentioned nothing about what Im meant to do about the bayliffs. Equita came around again today banging my door down I ignored them I kept trying to speak to the contact officer who sent the email about my complaint but he would not take my calls. I spoke to a woman in the end who was a total cow and said I must pay the bayliffs the £300 they said I owe I point blank told her I wasnt paying a thing to Equita as the £300 they are asking for is illegal as they havent even done a levy.
The council have basically admitted they have messed up their end on the email they sent me. Ive wrote them both letters today I told Equita I am paying the council directly and will not deal with them and Im 38 weeks pregnant and if they continue to pursue me in this bullying manner Im contacting my MP. I have wrote the same sort of letter to the council and made an online payment to them today.
Am I going about this the right way? sorry for long post but felt i needed to tell everything for your help.
but its fun! 
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