Dilema

[Fergusthepiper]

I work away from home and left my Son to pay rent, council tax etc as he was living at home with me, I was only home every 7-10 days for 2-3 days.
Anyways to cut a long story short, my Son wasn't paying and was hiding up all the post.
I found out about it when Rossendales sent a letter that my Son missed, demanding that I pay the full amount of £3700 or in instalments of £450 a month, neither of which I can afford, they won't listen to reason either, my Son has since done a disappearing act and I currently stay with my parents, somehow Rossendales got their address and are now threatening to send out a van.
I can afford to pay around £50 a month. . .
Where do I stand on this? The house has since been repossessed but because I knew nothing about the arrears until it were too late, I couldn't come to some arrangement with the local authority.

[ploddertom]

Re: Dilema

You need to speak to someone at the Council and ask the following questions:
1 - how many Liability Orders they have against you
2 - the dates they were obtained
3 - the addresses they were for
4 - the period of time each covers
5 - how much each one was for
6 - how much is still outstanding
7 - the dates they were passed on for enforcement
8 - the dates & amounts of any payments

[Fergusthepiper]

Re: Dilema

Hi Ploddertom and thanks for your reply
I called the council concerned .. North Norfolk District Council on 2 occasions now and I also wrote to them but have not yet had a reply
when I phoned them, I was put through to recovery where the guy I spoke to on both occasions told me that I hadn't supplied the correct information, one being my name, 2 being my DOB and 3 my married name from when I was married... and he wouldn't give me any information and got quite snotty when I told him he must have things wrong, afterall I do know my maiden name, which I currently use, I know my DOB and of course I know my married name. He asked for my mobile number which I refused to handover, he then said if I couldn't give him a mobile number he couldn't verify me, I pointed out that I never have given my mobile number out in the past to anyone other than family, friends and work .. yet he insisted they had one on file and began to ask me about previous numbers I might of had. I hung up in the end, in case I said something I'd later regret. :blah::blah:

[Inca]

Re: Dilema

I always get round the 'number' question by saying the last 3 digits.

[ploddertom]

Re: Dilema

Isn't it a surprise that you cannot get info out of the Council probably because the Council seem to have outsourced their back office functions to a company called Capita. They are known for not being helpful so you have to deal with Bailiffs.

If you still live within the same Council area I would involve your local Councillor(s). At the same time I would commence payments direct to the Council making sure you pay the same amount all the time - £10 every Thursday for example. Paying weekly quickly builds a payment history and will make things awkward should the Council take things further, also it shows you as a "can't" pay rather than a "won't" pay. Pay by online banking, Council website or automated phone line.