Dear all. I'm hoping someone can help me with this one. We've had a history with this business for many years. They seem to magically make new accounts appear from nowhere and up to now we have several. Anyway, this latest letter announcing a new unpaid account of more than £1000 has got me very angered. It's basically a letter threatening us to pay up or go to prison for up to 90 days. Here's a taster of the letter's contents: "As you have failed to make payment arrangements on this account with us, the next stage in the recovery procedure is to formally report this to the Local Authority, recommending that they make application to the Magistrates Court (their emphasis) for a hearing to consider your committal to prison. The Magistrates Court costs associated with this application will be £305.00 payable by you." Whether or not I do owe the money on the account is not for dispute at this time. However, my question is: can a bailiff company legally use tactics or language like this to encourage you to pay them money? I was unaware that debt collection companies were authorised to recommend non-payment for prison custody. I hope somebody clued up with this type of legal stuff could advise me as to the legality of this letter and what I can do in response. I can provide the full letter in full if required and requested. Many thanks and regards.

Hi everyone, I hope I have posted this in the right place, apologies if not. I am at my wits' end here and going out of my mind with worry and just need some advice, I thought some people here might be able to advise or that someone may know a lot about this kind of thing. I'll try to outline the situation briefly so as not to bore you! Basically, I have had a court summons (committal) for council tax arrears. My partner and I were living together and sharing the rent, bills, food etc etc, but when I became pregnant he didn't want to know and 9 months after the baby was born he walked out and left me to bring up the child and to struggle with paying the whole rent and all the bills and food and baby things on my own. I carried on working and my parents had to look after my baby, but even working didn't cover everything, I was only in sales so I was bringing home £800 a month, and once rent had gone from that I was left with about £50 a week to pay for everything else - food, bills, baby etc etc. It ended up that I had to quit work because I was so depressed and stressed, I had a kind-of breakdown I think, I saw my GP for depression and had to claim sickness benefit (ESA they call it now) for a while. That was only £270 a month so I still had no money left for anything other than food, baby and electricity. (the flat where we lived had a prepay electric meter so it wasn't even as though I could pay the bill and then have constant electric, if I didn't put money on the key regularly we had no power) After I stopped claiming ESA my mum helped me out with money for about 5 months (only tiny amounts, like £20 here and there) and then I started claiming Income Support, which I am getting now. I know it sounds pathetic but I just haven't been able to cope mentally. I had a very traumatic pregnancy (due to being told daily that I had ruined his life) so that made me depressed, and then after the birth I have had nothing but fianacial and emotional worries from day one. I have been suicidal at some points. I have not been able, at any stage, to afford to pay my council tax and so I have become in arrears. I received some letters but I just couldn't cope. I was terrified and upset, and now it has got to the committal stage. My little boy is slightly autistic and therefore very demanding and he takes up all my time and I just haven't had the time or energy to sort out other things. I am very stressed and unhappy, not only because of my finances but the breakdown of my relationship, and everything has just got out of hand and on top of me. I have to go to court for this in two weeks' time and I am absolutely terrified. I am not unwilling to pay, I have just never had the means. I have done all the maths and have worked out everything that I have had coming in, while I was working and after I quit, and at no stage have I had more than £70 a week to live on and pay all the bills and buy food for us, surely the magistrate will see that I have struggled? I can get bank statements printed from my bank to show the amounts of ESA, IS and wages that have been paid in, as well as the small amounts from parents. I know that they look for 'wilful refusal' or 'culpable neglect' (which I understand means you have the money but spend it on luxuries you don't need instead of bills) but I don't feel that I fit into either of those, I have never refused and certainly have not 'neglected' payments while I jet off on foreign holidays (haven't been on holiday since I was a child!!) or buy a big new TV (I don't even have a TV!!). I am just so scared that I will end up in prison. I have read so many scary things online, some people say no way will people go to prison, others say yes you will, I am going crazy here on my own and am so so scared, I can't eat or sleep, I just keep crying, does anyone have any advice that might put my mind at ease? I am a respectable 30-year old lady who has tried and failed to manage all my bills and rent completely on my own and now am in trouble over it, my hands are shaking even as I type this. Thanks guys xx EDIT: forgot to say the amount owed is £2000 (including court costs), it built up between 2010 and 2012, partly when I was working, partly when I had quit, partner left late 2009 so was on my own from 2010 onwards

Hi, Im just after some advice. I've got a pre committal hearing in the morning for £4k of council tax which takes me upto 31/3/14. Im self employed and honestly have not had the means to pay, I want to pay and agree the council need the money for services but im on the bones of my bottom. I admit I have not acted on the letters but they just keep coming and putting food on table roof over head and diesel in van to earn tomorrows food ect has been priority. I have arranged this meeting tomorrow and I specified the time and day, (Friday as I have some cheques due to clear my bank this evening @ 9pm) Two things, will this be a friendly chat or will it be into the magistrates court? Secondly do I make a payment of £2200 before the meeting? If it makes a massive difference I could beg/borrow to get up to £2700 which would clear up to this years as I have another cheque clearing Friday evening. Thanks for the help

Hi All, I really need some advice regarding liability for Council Tax. My partner declared himself bankrupt last year and his Council Tax Bill was included in the assessment to determine whether he had enough debts. The Council are now chasing me for the debt, the debt has been handed to BALIFFS, however they have not gained access so the debt has been returned. I have now received a letter for an appointment with a Court Officer at the Council as they are considering a Committal Hearing. I have tried to speak to them on the phone however it is extremely difficult. When I have tried to point out that they have removed my partners name from the bill and the debt is now solely in my name I am being told it was always solely in my name and this is not the case. I want to be prepared for the meeting at the end of the week:- FIRSTLY TO DETERMINE LIABILITY SECONDLY I AM CONSIDERING REBANDING AND FINALLY I AM CONSIDERING ASKING FOR A SARS. There are a lot of inaccuracies with the bills and I need to get this sorted also. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Does anyone know what happens at these meetings? KIND REGARDS S13