Hi,

We have been paying the council tax every month as normal we were told to to pay £86.50 so we paid £90 just because it was easier, We also asked the council for a statment to see where we stood regarding it.

So the other day we recieve a letter from scott and co debt collectors asking for £508 or we would be taken to court etc......

My partner went to the local council to pay the normal £90 which they accepted no problems but then said we had to deal with scott and co from now on.

When my partner got home she called scott and co and they said she had to pay £100 per month to start on the 25th of this month she said she just paid £90 but they said she had to pay that £100 per month or be taken to court being threatened by that she reluctantly agreed.

So we are haven to pay out £190 in the space of 2 weeks which is way out of our budget.

Can anyone advise on where we stand on this issue because we really cant afford this amount every month.

Thanks for any advice

Keith.

Hi and welcome to the site,

When you say you have been paying £90.00 a month, was this for a debt you owed, or is that your bill that you are presently paying, and if so, where does the £508.00 that you owe come from ?

Hi and welcome to the site,

When you say you have been paying £90.00 a month, was this for a debt you owed, or is that your bill that you are presently paying, and if so, where does the £508.00 that you owe come from ?

The £90 is the monthly amount we pay toward the council tax to the council.

We missed 1 payment so the £508 is the full amount for the remainder of the council tax year that is amont scott and co are asking for.

Thanks for your reply

Keith

Hi,

the following is from the CAB in Scotland...

In Scotland

When you have not paid an instalment of council tax on the date it is due, your local authority must issue a reminder, asking for payment within seven days. If you fail to pay within this period, you lose the right to pay by instalments and a full year's council tax becomes payable.

When you have not paid an instalment of council tax within 28 days of the date it is due, the local authority may apply to the sheriff court for a summary warrant to show that you are liable to pay the arrears. It must offer you time to pay the debt. If you cannot reach an agreement with the authority to pay off the arrears, or you can't keep to the payments under the time to pay order, the authority can enforce the summary warrant by making deductions from your income support, jobseeker’s allowance or wages or having sheriff officers seize a person’s goods to the value of the amount owed. Many of your possessions will be exempt from seizure.

If you are in arrears of council tax, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau.

Also, are you in receipt of benefit, because you can claim housing and council tax benefit.

Hi,

the following is from the CAB in Scotland...

 

In Scotland

 

 

 

When you have not paid an instalment of council tax on the date it is due, your local authority must issue a reminder, asking for payment within seven days. If you fail to pay within this period, you lose the right to pay by instalments and a full year's council tax becomes payable.

 

 

When you have not paid an instalment of council tax within 28 days of the date it is due, the local authority may apply to the sheriff court for a summary warrant to show that you are liable to pay the arrears. It must offer you time to pay the debt. If you cannot reach an agreement with the authority to pay off the arrears, or you can't keep to the payments under the time to pay order, the authority can enforce the summary warrant by making deductions from your income support, jobseeker’s allowance or wages or having sheriff officers seize a person’s goods to the value of the amount owed. Many of your possessions will be exempt from seizure.

 

 

If you are in arrears of council tax, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau.

 

Also, are you in receipt of benefit, because you can claim housing and council tax benefit.

We never recieved a reminder for the month of September we paid a installment at the end of August but it was due again at the end of sptember but I forgot all about it and on the 9th of October thats when we recived the letter from scott and co, So no reminder or even the 28 days you mention I dont mind paying it but we just paid £90 last week and they are wanting £100 next week, we both work so n benifits here.

Thanks again

If they have stated that you have to pay £100 every month, then surely you dont have to pay the £90 as well, so in theory you're only paying the extra £10. It looks like you may need to write the extra payment off that you have already paid, and just pay the £100. every month but please ensure that you try not to miss any further payments.

My calculations work out to you now owing £318. ( £ 508.00 -£90.00 - £100 ) = £318.00 which really works out to you paying this debt for just over 3 months.

I know it's not really the answer you wanted to read and i'm sorry but it looks like you just need to grin and bear it until the debt is clear, and then try your utmost to pay it on time next year because you now know you will have the same trouble again.

Good luck