Council tax - I am being made an example of

[laineynic]

2 Months ago I had Jacobs bailiffs on my doorstep, I wouldn’t let them in and sent the letter that was posted on CAG. It was referred back to the council and I thought that it could be sorted out and I could make an arrangement to pay it back at a reasonable amount.
I spoke to a lady at the council and she told me that I needed to fill in the income expenditure form. Then she could work out how much we could pay. I completed the form truthfully and sent it back. A couple of days later I received a letter from the council in which she told me that I would have to pay £100 a month on top of the £133 we pay for this years. I told her that we just can't manage to pay this at that rate and asked her to half it to £58 a month. This would mean it would take 10 months to pay back what we owe. She said no - she said that we had been given enough time to clear it and had to pay it now or face the bailiffs. She was downright rude.
I was very angry on when I cam of the phone so I wrote everything sown and made a complaint about her attitude and the way I felt I had been treated. I have every intention of clearing the council tax but to pay it back at this amount is going to mean we will fall behind with everything else.
Yesterday we got a response to my complaint - The Head of the revenue department said after a in-depth investigation he had come to the conclusion that the council had every right to deal with me in the way they had. His in depth investigation was so true that he has made errors.
The arrears are for 3 properties one of which is my partner when he moved into my house brought his arrears with him. The council official said that I had had arrears for several years on all 3 properties. Only a minute technical error but still I am being accused of something that is not true.
Secondly it went onto say that I had been in constant arrears and had cancelled an arrangement that had been set up in April - not true as the council only sent the income expenditure form to me on the 27th of the month and during April I had paid £100 of the bill. During all communication to them and them to me an arrangement had not been made as they required the income expenditure form, I paid it any way. But during this time they applied for a liability order and slapped £58 on my arrears so that has wiped out the £100 I paid.
Our monthly expenditure show is not regarded as low - true but we have a £810 a month mortgage, a secured loan of £146, gas and electric is £168, I can list all the things that they call priority and it still leaves us with only £240. Take of the additional £100 and we have £140 to pay everything else.
He believes the council tax office acted correctly - "The principal local tax officer feels that considerable amount of time and resources has been devoted to this lady case over many years and there have been times when she has not adhered to the arrangements" "in view of all this the council must now take a firm stances on recovery of this debt in fairness to the mast majority of council tax payers who pay their council tax instalments"
I admit I have struggled for years to pay the arrears, nut the reason I fell behind was due to a marriage break up, my own personal illness and spending 5 years caring for my grandmother at home and having no financial support. I tried to work and look after her and my 2 young children, but I had to work part time so that I could get home to her. I saved the authrorities thousand in having Gran at home and not in a home. But what good did it do as far as they are concerned it make no difference and I owe them and they want it.

The previous departmental manager knew me and supported me. I had almost cleared them when this happened in April and they got Bailiffs involved. Now I feel that I am being made an example of because I complained. 2 years ago I owed £2500 and have done everything I could to clear the arrears. This year Hoped that they would honor the arrangemtn that had been made previously.

[old_andrew2007]

this reply is to bump your thread, however you could consider seeing your local councillor most hold regular surgeries, ask them to look in to your concerns,

[laineynic]

Following this posting, I filled in a complaints proceedure that was on the internet. My complaint went to the hief Execuitive. I told him that I had been treated unfairly and treated with a lack of understanding from a dpartment that are supposed to be there to help you.

After 14 days of enquiry he wrote back to me, h had done a full investigation of the situation and he felt that the department could have been a little more understanding. He has made a new arrangement for me which has knowcked £50 of the monthly payments. Before he stepped in I was asked to pay £233 I am now paying £183.

I don't now if complaining would make a difference to anyone elses problem, but i did help mine. I feel that even though this is a compulsory tax we are still a customer and we deserve customer services.