Another Council tax Problem

[Terry011]

I'm new here so please be gentle!

Just wondering if anyone has any advice. Cut a long story short my partner and I are owing 4 years council tax from previous years when we where going though a bad time, but thing are a little better now we are paying this year bill and are up to date but the previous years owed are causing a problem with bailiff etc.

I wrote to my council explaining our situation to them with a offer of £100 per month to pay the arrears, they did respond but their response was that I would get a reply in 15 days but we heard nothing since.

Now all that has changed is the bailiff company chasing the debt (Equita) I rang them today offering £100 per month, but they said they would happily accept that but the action wouldn't stop, they want payments of £1200 a month.

I want to pay this debt, but can only do it a rate that would not cause our family extreme hardship.

Please any help or advice in this matter would be really appreciated.

[Debt Camel]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

Do you have other unsecured debts?

[Terry011]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

Yes we have mail order and credit card debts which we can and are paying and we would like to pay the council tax arrears, but we cant at the rate the bailiffs would like.
If possible we would like a solution that would get the debt paid off without putting us in hardship.

[stevemLS]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

What is the total outstanding CT debt?

[Terry011]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

its about £6500 but with the bailiff costs which they have added it has made it £7200, is there any possible way that the council will take back the debt so I can pay them the original amount?

Would it be wise and or possible to just pay the £100 pounds a month I am offering to the council on top of what we are paying for this years and future years bills?

[stevemLS]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

Hmm, you can ask but they are not forced to.

I think most councils would refuse a payment plan which meant that it was going to take 5.5 -6 years to pay back. Sorry.

My best suggestion to you would be to get CAB to help you draw up an income and expenditure statement to show that you are paying the maximum you can reasonably afford, I can't imagine there are that many people that could afford £1200 pm. Then submit that to the council direct.

They probably will not be willing to withdraw the statutory collection charges that now are there - have they got liability orders from the Magistrates Court for the outstanding amounts.

[Terry011]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

Thanks for your reply and yes they have got liability orders for the years owed. I was thinking of that but would the council ignore a income and expenditure statement in the same way they have ignored my previous letter to them explaining our situation?

[stevemLS]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

They have discretion.

Some councils seem particularly obdurate when a LO has been obtained and the matter handed over to bailiffs.

The other thing that occurs to me that you could do is seek to enrol the assistance of your Ward councillor, that can work wonders, sometimes.

My reason in suggesting you seek CAB advice in preparing your I/O is that it lends it a degree of credibility that debtor prepared statements can lack.

[Terry011]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

Thank you again for you advise, I will write to the council again with a expenditure statement and my local MP with copies of them and my previous letter ASAP.

Hopefully they listen!

I will let you know how I get on, but still any other advise will be welcomed.

[stevemLS]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

Try your councillor as well as your MP, they can be quicker and more direct than the MP. They usually have weekly surgeries where you can just show up with your problem, probably listed on your council's website.

[wales01man]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

When you have completed an Income and expenditure sheet as long as there are no silly things being paid for it will show if the most moronic Bailiff and council employee what you can afford as long as you pay what you can afford how on earth are you going to pay more.
Be honest and persist with this get help from who or wherever you can

[Terry011]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

Thank you for your reply, I've been on to the national debtline and they have said pretty much the same thing. They gave me a link to a expenditure form with I will fill out and with that write letters to the relevant people.

Hopefully they will see that what I'm offering is a reasonable amount for someone in my circumstances.

Thanks again

[Crazy council]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

Hi

sa well as the letters to the councilors and Mp, send an offer of payment you can afford to the head of paid services ( called the 151 officer )

Send your income and payment plan to them, ASK THEM IF THEY CONSIDER REUSING YOUR PAYMENT OFFER APPROPRIATE AND REASONABLE, make it clear thats all you can afford, ask them to suspend action for 14 days whilst they consider it.

[Debt Camel]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

we have mail order and credit card debts which we can and are paying.

I am sorry but I think you need to consider paying token payments to these non priority debts and paying more to the priority council tax arrears.

[Terry011]

Re: Another Council tax Problem

I understand where your coming from with that comment but I see no point in creating a problem where there isn't one. Ok my fault that I'm in this mess but I'm looking to pay it now, but at a rate that I can survive.

Even if I gave (non priority debts) token payments or nothing it still wouldn't amount to £1200 a month the amount they would like me to pay monthly!