Hi all,

I have read a few threads about this and it seems that there's a bit of a pattern when it comes to local authorities and how they try and bully people into paying debts they don't owe...anyhoo, if you are able to offer any advice whatsoever, I would be very grateful as I'm in a really difficult situation which has come out of the blue...

I lived in Hackney between late 2000 and early 2001. I paid council tax for the property in which I lived during that time. OK so far.

Now I live in Southwark and have only recently returned to the UK from a short period of time in NZ...I recently got a letter (without any covering letter or explanation) saying that I owed council tax (amounting to around £1200) for the period 1/4/03 to (specifically) 21/7/04.

As you can see this is over 2 years after I moved out of the property in question.

Now it would seem at first glance that this is something easily defendable...however;

1) I do not have a copy of the short-hold tenancy agreement from that time any more (it's over 10 years ago and I have lived in several other paces since then and having emigrated, destroyed most of the old documentation from that time, foolishly thinking I wouldn't need it ever again!)

2) The letting agent form that time no longer exists...not an uncommon situation.

3) After having done a property search on Land Register, the flat in question was sold this year, so the landlord at that time is God knows where...

4) Barclays Bank today informed me that they are only obliged by law to keep records of statements and account activity for 6 years...so I can't even get a copy of my statements from that time to show I wasn't paying the letting agent, and hence not living there!

5) Having spoken to both Wandsworth and Stevenage Borough Councils (the two places I lived in during the period of time in question), they tell me that without a current council tax account number they are not obliged to assist me and furthermore (in their own words) 'probably don't have records that far back anyway.'

Apparently Hackney Borough Council issued a Liability Order on me in 2004. I have never seen this document and the only thing I've heard from them since is when this bill arrived.

It's a complicated story (as these things always are of course), but I need some advice on where I go with this, because at the moment Hackney are saying that unless I can prove when I moved out they are going to pursue me...

What I don't understand is why they are not also claiming against me for the period immediately after I stopped paying council tax (remember I moved out early 2001 and they have a payment in April 2001 on their records), but some two years afterwards? Presumably someone was paying it and they are happy that they got their money, or they can;t find the tenants that moved in after me and as muggins here was the last person on the bill, they presume (or hope) it was me after all...

I'm lost as to who to approach...I've tried my letting agent from subsequent properties I lived in over the disputed period but they also inform me that they are only legally obliged to hold records for 6 years...

Any info gratefully and appreciatively received!

Dan

I would ask for a copy of the liability order..

Opps, just realised how old this thread was. lol..