Thread: business rates help

Hi all

i used to own my own business in hertfodshire and was renting weekly a fully equiped premises from a shady character back in feb 2007. the weekly rent was allways paid on time. Problems started when bailiffs would turn up out of the blue and ask for the landlord. this went for on quite a few months. then one day in july 07 my landlord came to me and demanded that i get £2000 from a family member or friend to pay for 1 of his bailiff bills or the goods in my premises will be reposessed. The bailiff was from the councill and was demanding business rates. so in my haste of losing the equipment from my business i was convinced by my landlord to go to the councill and explian that the goods were mine and not his. i made up an ficticous invoice and applied for the business rates to be worked out in my name. so i came to an agreement with the business rates dept to stop the bailiifs from persuing him and that i would arrange for a payment schedule to be payed from my account. In november 2007 i was diagnosed with having a brain tumour. i decided that it would not be wise for me to continue the business and left just after xmas 2007. i decided that i would need to get a job so i started employment in feb 08 with a company much closer to my home address and very very much less responsibillity. I had a operation to debulk the tumour in november 2008 and i have had 6 weeks of radiotherepy, while on a course of chemotherepy that will last untill june 09. The problem exists now i havebeen contacted by the council at my mother in laws address saying that we have tried to contact you many times but you have ignored our requests for payment. I advised the councill that yes i do take responsibillity for not informing them tha i have left the premises but i feel that it was exceptional circumstances. The address that they have on thier system is my mother-in-laws address, which is ware i am iving due to my conditon. I have also just been made redundant and cant afford to pay the £1800 pounds. I am so feeling pressured by this when i just want to concentrate on my wellbeing. PLEASE PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP

kind regards
Ben

Hi Ben

Sorry to hear of your illness hope you will soon be on
the mend.
You say that your Landlord got you to pay the BRates
why, who was responsable for them you or him
I think a trip to your local CAB office if your up to it
take all the paperwork and explain what has happened
You need someone on your side to explain this to the
Council the Cab are very busy BUT are very good at
getting your point across and Councils do have to
listen and reply to them .

Sorry to here about your job things can only get better

Good Luck

Tonks