Time limits on Council Tax arrears

[Stylofax]

I was contacted in 2012 regarding Hounslow Council Tax Arrears from 2003. I visited the CAB, where I was told that after six years the debt would disappear and I should disregard any bailiff letters.

I have now had a FINAL BAILIFF REMOVAL NOTICE hand delivered to my door with threatens to remove my belongings. Is this legal?

I have never received a Liability Order to my current address. They have sent my debt to two different bailiff companies and instructed me to deal with those companies, one of whom has delivered the Final Notice Bailiff Removal. The following day, I received a letter by post from the same company stating NOTICE PRIOR TO REMOVAL OF GOODS - which says there will be a minimum charge of £95 will be incurred.

I would like to know:

Firstly - is this legal? I thought the statue of limitations for debt was 6 years.

I have never received any notice of any court action - what rights do the bailiffs have in this situation?

The charges seem very high surely it should be - as you state - shouldn't it be £24 per visit?

Thanks in advance for the help and please keep up the great work with your website.

[Guest]

Re: Time limits on Council Tax arrears

Unfortunately, whilst a LO must be obtained within 6 years of the bill being issued, there is no time limit on a LO itself.

As for receiving notice-I posted to someone else further down, exactly this-A summons is deemed served if it is sent to a debtors last known place of abode. if you didn't receive the summons and the order was made in your absence, you can apply to the High court to get the order quashed by judicial review.

With regards fees, you need a break down to include dates fees were occurred, amounts and headers under Schedule 5 in which the fees fell.

[bizzybob]

Re: Time limits on Council Tax arrears

The CAB are wrong, if the LO was obtained within the 6 years, what bailiffs are Hounslow using?

[Stylofax]

Re: Time limits on Council Tax arrears

I never received the LO - so how do I go about getting it quashed? Is there any way I can request a copy of the LO?

Thank you in advance for any advice!

[Stylofax]

Re: Time limits on Council Tax arrears

They have split my debt between Newlyn and JBW. Newlyn are the company that hand delivered the 'Final Notice Bailiff Removal' document.

I don't know when the LO was obtained or even if they really have one - am I able to ask for a copy? I never was hiding, when I moved I immediately began paying the Council Tax at my next address, so I should have been quite easy to locate.

Thank you in advance for any advice!

[ploddertom]

Re: Time limits on Council Tax arrears

Did you asvise the Council you were moving and did you provide them with your new address? If so then you may have grounds for complaint but if not all the Council are obliged to do is sent any notices to your last known address.

[Stylofax]

Re: Time limits on Council Tax arrears

Hand on heart - I am not positive I told Hounslow my new address but it was so many years ago (2003) that I can't really recall.

[ploddertom]

Re: Time limits on Council Tax arrears

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

On top of that you need to ask them to prove they have a LO from that long ago. It is not enough for them to just say you owe it