Hi all, I have a letter direct from the local council's own court baliff demanding I pay my council tax bill with 14 days or he will ask the courts to commit me to prison.

If I ignore this, would my entry in to the Royal Navy in January next year be effected? Would I have a police warrant for my arrest, or not?

He can ask the courts to summon you. But there is NO chance at prison unless you stand in front of a judge and clearly state you will never pay it.

Ignore the bailiffs empty threats for now. As anything like that is a long way off. The bailiff would have to go back to the council for further instructions, then the council would go to court to ask a courts decision etc.

Again, summons for non payment is a very long way off.

can i ask why you havent paid it? There ar emanypeople on this forum that can advise on paying it and avoiding any hassle at all.

Suffice to say, deal with paying it off now at a rate you can afford and a summons wont even be considered. The bailiff is just using it to threaten you and is actually against regulation for them to do so.

Hi,

I'm going in as a Marine Other Rank, i.e not an officer.

Would an arrest warrant for the non-payment of council tax have the cops showing up at the gates to Lympstone asking for me?

Also this is not a private baliff this is a letter from my local council from their "court recovery officer".

I've had three hearings/liability orders heard at the magistrates court over the last 3 year period,

I did not attend any occasions and have never responded to anything,

so it is now at the commital to prison stage.

just want to know if ignoring this will get me a warrant for arrest on the police PNC and will they bother to come all the way to Devon to arrest me?

It's £320 in total.

I did not pay becuase I never used the property that I was privately renting so did not see how I should have to pay the CT

To clear one element up.

You dont have to use the property you rented but you will still be liable for the council tax for the period of your tenancy.

can you name the council please

the fact that you didn't appear at any of the liability order hearing is immaterial

you don't have too.

the fact that you've totally ignored everything to this date is

BUT as has been said, its a court bailiff, and that's a very last resort.

you don't have to respond to court bailiffs at all over any CTAX debt

but , you should be making some kind of approach to the council to get it sorted

the fact that you never used the flat is immaterial, you were responsible for the CTAX whilst you were renting

unless it was included in the rent

just to dispel one myth

its NOTHING to do with the police.

and no

you wont get arrested at your barracks

but as its such a small sum

ring them up [ the council]

explain what has happened

and arrange to pay it

they'll accept small monthly payments.

dx

It would be better to take action to settle this amount before you go into the RN, the council in question could eventually trace you and put in place an attachment to earnings order which would not look good for you with the RN.

WD is correct that you need to try and sort this beforehand because if the Council eventually get an Attachment of Earnings (AoE) irrespective whether you are in Training or with your Regiment (if they trace you) they will go via the MOD Paymaster for the AoE therefore your training establishment (if still in training) or your regiment would be aware of this.

Just making you aware of this in case it does get to that stage.

Also have a wee look at this link: https://www.moneyforce.org.uk/Your-career/Before-you-join-the-Services/What-you-will-have-to-pay-for

Hi,

 

Also this is not a private baliff this is a letter from my local council from their "court recovery officer".

 

I've had three hearings/liability orders heard at the magistrates court over the last 3 year period, I did not attend any occasions and have never responded to anything, so it is now at the commital to prison stage.

 

just want to know if ignoring this will get me a warrant for arrest on the police PNC and will they bother to come all the way to Devon to arrest me?

 

It's £320 in total.

 

I did not pay becuase I never used the property that I was privately renting so did not see how I should have to pay the CT

There are over 3.5 million Liability Orders issued each year and courts will NOT consider committal proceedings for a debt of just £320. The 'threat' of committal is just that....a threat. However, it is a threat that WORKS (as has been demonstrated here). It has got your attention and led to you posting on the forum.

Whether you like it or not, you owe the money.

If you genuinely dispute that you should not have been charged council tax, then it is for you to take your complaint to the Valuation Tribunal. It is not for the council to resolve this dispute.

, would my entry in to the Royal Navy in January next year be effected?

you've prob seen this already, but for ref

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/get-ready-to-join/apply/~/media/3cd18a33f80c4133967cfc4351756df6.ashx

as the guys say, committal is an absolute last resort and is v unlikely.

if liable. try paying it, or come to an arrangement within yr means.

you've prob seen this already, but for ref

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/get-ready-to-join/apply/~/media/3cd18a33f80c4133967cfc4351756df6.ashx

I wasn't aware of this clause.

Financial commitments – Debt and Bankruptcy

Thank you so much for providing this link !!!

I assume that other military roles have similar provisions? I know that the police force does.

This will be extremely useful as I am putting together a report regarding proposals to register Liability Orders with Registry Trust.

 

Thank you so much for providing this link !!!

 

.

 

I assume that other military roles have similar provisions?

 

.

seems a std consideration.

eg 3.6 here re army https://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/AFCO_Form_5_Application_Notes.pdf

I have known cases where serving soldiers have been perused for council tax debts.

An attachment of earnings order was issued against one, who flatly refused to pay anything before that point. Within a week of the order being issued the money had been paid in full and his CO confirmed he had been given a bollocking and warned that refusal to pay his debts was a severe disciplinary offence as far as the army were concerned - I'd imagine it was down to the potential risks of having serving soldiers in debt and the leverage that this could give people against them.

You don't have to use the property you rented but you will still be liable for the council tax for the period of your tenancy.

Not always, it depends on the tenancy agreement - http://lgfa92.co.uk/liability-of-tenants-after-vacation-high-court-decision/

 

This will be extremely useful as I am putting together a report regarding proposals to register Liability Orders with Registry Trust

I'd heard that mention elsewhere - any further information on it ?

I'd heard that mention elsewhere - any further information on it ?

There is a lot of further information on this matter and it was the subject of a very interesting presentation that I attended a short while ago. Given the significant importance, it is a subject that I will probably address in a separate thread.