Hi all

I've checked through some similar threads regarding old council tax bills but just wondered if someone could give me a bit of advice regarding my specifics.

For some background,

I moved into a rented house near London together with 2 other people who were in a couple for a few months, from roughly May 2005 - November 2005.

The people I was living with made life unbearable so it was agreed I would move out and we severed all ties.

When I moved out, they were supposed to repay me my £800 deposit, but this never happened, however I was quite happy to be out of there so never pursued it.

A few months later, the lettings agency contacted me trying to chase rent payments.

It turns out after I had moved out, a couple of months later the other tenants abandoned the place and tried to dump all bills onto me.

Nothing else came of it, so I believe the letting agency was happy to just keep the deposits and nothing else happened.

Yesterday I received a council tax bill for about £520 though it doesn't have any other information or the time period the charge has been raised for.

It came to my address, but is addressed to all 3 of us.

I have no forwarding address for the other 2 people, and would rather never deal with them again, and indeed may struggle to make contact with them now.

Some other things of note shown are the date of issue, 01/Feb/2013, and reason for this bill is : New Bill.

I imagine a phone call would clear up some queries, but I feel like this should not be due and I don't want to accidentally accept the liability.

I haven't lived in the property for over 7 years now, and believe while I was there we would have paid any bills that were due, although I'm not sure I could prove this.

I'd be really grateful for any advice anyone could give me on what to do about this bill, which I can't really afford to pay, and feel I shouldn't have to.

Is there any hope that it is statute barred or a liability order hasn't been requested and issued?

I don't understand why they would wait this long to attempt collection,

when I have been on the electoral register in a couple of different addresses since then and had no idea anything was outstanding.

Moved to the Council Tax forum.

sadly you are responsible if it was not paid.

there is no harm in contacting the coucil concerned and ask your questions

ctax cannot be sb'd sadly.

dx

Thanks for your reply dx. I've just phoned the council as you suggested and basically confirmed what I thought.

I feel I've really been screwed over here, so am wondering if there is anything else I can do to recover part of this bill from the other 2 occupants.

The other 2 people paid all bills, and I transferred money to them. Clearly this was ridiculous of me, however I was young and naive and have since learned. I have therefore paid my share of the council tax when I lived there. There was never any payments made to the council, so that money I transferred was effectively stolen. My deposit of £800 was stolen. Now the council has found me I will have to pay the whole bill or they will chase me so I will be paying the share for the other 2 people as well.

Is there anyway I can try and pass for a start the fair share two thirds of costs on the the other 2 people, or maybe even recover the deposit and money I initially paid over? Clearly this was all a long time ago, and I was happy to let it go but this is just adding insult to injury.

you need to prove the your residence.

you would only be liable for the sum whilst you were physically living there.

dx

The council tax bill of £520 is actually only for a 4 month period, which is close to the amount of time I lived there.

I don't think I could prove I moved out say a month earlier than that as I'm not sure on exact dates right now.

The lady I spoke to told me someone attempted to set up a payment plan after moving out, but all payment attempts failed.

I'm not sure why the council didn't chase it further then, or chase the person who was trying and failing to make the payments.

I am therefore liable for the almost the whole amount, but the council should be chasing the other 2 and not me, or at least all 3 of us.

As I understand it, now they have found me I will have to pay or they will get the bailiffs on me.

Is there anyway I can at least try and get money from the other 2 people for 2/3rds of the bill, if not the money they have already stolen from me?

how if the council cannot find them, which i would assume they have better resources than you?

you dont stand a chance.

Sorry for being blunt, but thats the way it works.

dx

One of the 2 I can find no trace of, (possibly even emigrated),

but the other has an active facebook account.

That doesn't give me address or phone due to the information being private, but there is a contact email.

It is an active account so I know she is still alive and in the area.

It's not like she has disappeared from the face of the planet.

I don't know if this can help me in anyway or not,

but I don't think I should have to pay a bill that I have paid once,

for these people who have stolen from me.

maybe try your local citizens advice, get them involved. double check that the bill is correct

some info http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/tax_e/tax_council_tax_ew/council_tax.htm#Whohastopaycounciltax

correct give the council that info

dx