Hi

I have a council tax bill for current 2010/11 for 1027.

At the start of the year i was unemployed then in feb started pt work then to ft work in may. So i had a small amount of benefit at beg of year.

Whilst the change to ft work was going on the council then sent me a overpayment of benefit letter for 300.

They set installments for 56 a month.

Then as i had to work a month before i got paid, i had my whole bill for this year sent to liability and bailiffs at end of june.

I was talking to the council (who wouldnt accept installements) and they told me they were sending to bristow and sutor.

So before anything could arrive on my doorstep i rang them to sort it out.

They were very unhelpful, and demanded installments of 295 a month, which i couldnt afford. The council got involved and got them to accept 127 followed by monthly installemnts of 126.

So far i have made to bristow and sutor the following installment amounts

127

127

126

126

Im due to send another 126 at end of nov.

Then i have also made to the council for benefit overpayment the following

56

56

and im due to send another 56 at end of month

On the 12 nov i moved from that property into another property (same band) and i have notified the council.

They say i have to keep paying both installments to bristow and sutor and to the council, untill the end of their fin year.

But in total im paying 176 for this years council tax! Iv already paid over 600 and at the end of this month (nov) will have paid 776.

So with a further 4 months left of their fin year....i will have paid a grand total of 1390. I have spoke to the council and they say that i still have to pay, they cannot reduce my installments and it will stay with the bailiffs (even though the benefit overpayment hasnt)

Its very messy and i really cannot afford to pay out all this on a monthly basis. I am in the process of seperating from my ex husband, so i have been told i will get a discount too, they know this but said that i still have to carry on paying what im paying.

They would then refund any difference or carry it over to 2011/12 council tax.

Can someone tell me if this is right please.

Keep paying you Benefit overpayment to the Council, it is likely that sum is correct. As for your Council Tax ring the Council and ask:

1 - how many Liability Orders they have against you

2 - for what periods of time (dates) they cover

3 - how much each one was for

4 - how much is still outstanding on each one

5 - the dates they were given to the Bailiffs

It is important you get the sums involved from the Council, do not believe any amount the Bailiff tells you. You mention a parting of the ways with your OH, not wanting topry but are you on your own now and if so how long has that been as you will then be entitled to Single Person Discount on your CT.

PT

I don't think this is correct

my understanding is that your liability for council tax for your previous address ended on the 12 November (the court liability order should be adjusted to reflect the fact that you have moved amount due for 12nov till may should be taken of the liability order )

liability for your your new property should start on the 13 nov and a new council tax bill for this address should have been sent to you

Keep paying you Benefit overpayment to the Council, it is likely that sum is correct. As for your Council Tax ring the Council and ask:

 

1 - how many Liability Orders they have against you

2 - for what periods of time (dates) they cover

3 - how much each one was for

4 - how much is still outstanding on each one

5 - the dates they were given to the Bailiffs

 

It is important you get the sums involved from the Council, do not believe any amount the Bailiff tells you. You mention a parting of the ways with your OH, not wanting topry but are you on your own now and if so how long has that been as you will then be entitled to Single Person Discount on your CT.

 

PT

I'm sorry but councils often don't get sums correct as they tend to go off on the wrong initial premise ....errors then get compounded OR they put a over simplified or too literal structure on matters ...then they get liability orders at the magistrates and express an arrogant incredulous surprise that anyone would have the temerity to challenge them ......I've been upstairs with my Ward Councillor and got the Director at the Town Hall to drop court costs as it was patently obvious they'd had botched everything all the way through ....the problem is once the brain dead machine kicks into gear , it's difficult to stop .

The amount of snotty verbal bullying is unbelievable , they'll begrudgingly back off if someone goes to say their MP or Senior Councillors for a while , but then they maliciously come back . The problem is at the very top and the pressure put on junior staff and sections operating in a compartmentalized manner ....communication failures and cultures of fear ...often even if something is challenged and fundamentally flawed ...no one has the authority to deal with it ....New Public Sector "Management" has a lot to answer for .