Thread: Council Tax, Bailiffs Help

This morning I received a Notice of Liability Order - Council Tax for £462.90 which is claimed to be outstanding from a liability order for £1,312.74 made against me on 25th September 2006.

For one reason or other the first I heard of the original order was when the bailiffs (Chandlers Ltd, Certificated bailiffs of Bromley) called round on 10th November 2006. I made an agreement with the bailiffs and continued to make regular monthly payments until 10th August 2007 when my payment was refused as there was a £0.00 balance on the account. I was concerned that they were wrong and asked them to double check which they did. I asked them to check for a third time which they also did. They emailed me on 10th August 2007 to confirm that "Your account has now been resolved. I can confirm that your account is clear, and no further action will be taken against you."

I noticed that on my 2008/9 Council tax bill that the amount of £462.90 and I queried this in a letter posted to Swindon Borough Council on 13th March 2009. I didn't receive a response so I sent another letter on 30th March 2009 which was send "signed for" so I knew that Swindon Borough Council received the letter on 31st April 2009. I have not received any response to date, other than receiving the Notice of Liability Order - Council Tax for £462.90 which was dated 10th May 2009 and received this morning 13th May 2009. I phoned Swindon Borough Council and was told (1) I was liable, and (2) a letter would be sent out "later this week" (which after a while turned into "by the end of next week") regarding my query over the £462.90. I pointed out that left me little time to respond to the 14 days from 10th May 2009 threatened in the Notice of Liability Order, to which I was told "it still stands".

I know that (1) I completed what was asked of me by the Bailiffs and (2) any error has ocurred between Chandlers Ltd, Certificated Bailiffs of Bromley and Swindon Borough Council (I recontacted Chandlers who said that they did have a gltch in their system and I have requested confirmation of this to be sent to me).

My initial reactions/thougts/questions are:
1. Why should I pay for a screw-up between Chandlers and Swindon Borough Council?
2. Can I be taken to court twice for the same debt?
3. What my next action should be

Any thoughts?

first thing i would do is write to the council disputing the account and asking to recall the debt from the bailiffs (you don't want more bailiffs charges added to debt )
then i would write to chandlers asking for a screenshot of your account
i would also get in touch with my M.P.
you could also send the council a Subject access request this will cost you £10
hopefully tomtubby bailiff expert will see your post and give you more/better advice

OK

Just to clarify.

I have queried the £462.90 with Swindon Borough Council and am still awaiting a response after 6 weeks!

The £462.90 is not being collected by a bailiff but is being threatened (14 days to pay this amount or else).

I have a screenshot of my account from Chandlers dated 10th August 2007. This shows nothing to pay.

I have involved my local Councillor.

if the bailiff has threatened to come obviously the council have not recalled the dept from the bailiffs get back in touch with council and councillor and get this done as a matter of priority
not much else i can say you doing all the right things

So you have not as yet received a summons for the £462?

If this is correct and you have a printed copy of your account showing zero amount owed, you have no problem. You can copy that and send it to the council and ask them to show how you owe it.

If and when a summons arrives, you go to court and dispute that you owe it. You can show the judge your copy and won't have to mention anything about any glitches etc; that's nothing to do with you, you have everything you need in your printout.
It will be up to the council to show that you do owe this money.