Self-inflicted, grrr.

[Bookworm]

I didn't think I would qualify for Council Tax Benefit, though I have been meaning to check for a while.

 

I finally did check with their calculator online last night, and it turns out that I should be able to get 40-45% off my bill, and so by my own fault, have wasted a huge amount of money which would have been better in my pocket than theirs.

 

Let this be a warning to all: Don't assume, check. You just never know.

[tomterm8]

Is it possible to reclaim some of the council tax you have paid?

[jowalshy]

I am sure I read something about reclaiming overpayment of council tax somewhere. Not sure where though. I'll have a wee snout about.

[jowalshy]

Just about the banding - sorry. But I think that it is worth a try, you never know. :-|

[Bookworm]

No, you can ask for it to be backdated, but you need a good reason and in my experience, they never ever do it. :-|

[sea-sidelady]

Hard lesson. But the plus side is it will be in your pocket from now on.

[MilkTrayMan]

...I finally did check with their calculator online last night...

 

No, you can ask for it to be backdated, but you need a good reason and in my experience, they never ever do it.

???...Some experience then eh...of ONE day in trying??...

 

 

...

[Bookworm]

No, my dear wind-up merchant, it may surprise you, but in the leafy suburbs of Surrey, a) there are actually many people who claim housing/council tax benefit and b) I started helping people with their claims/problems long before CAG. Since CAG, I just reach further afield.

[MilkTrayMan]

Nothing windie-uppie about anything.

Can only Post according to info Posted previously on a Thread.

...Perhaps it is ONLY Croydon Council that makes backdating a DEFFO no-no then...Perhaps NOT?!

 

 

...

 

 

(EDIT).

[Bookworm]

I wouldn't be surprised, MTM, one of the highest council tax in the country, one of the worst services.

 

BTW, now I'm off the sugary stuff, any chance of changing from MTM to G&BM?

[MilkTrayMan]

Whoooosh!

...

[tomterm8]

She wants fake, non sugary chocolate, rather than the proper stuff such as milk tray.

[MilkTrayMan]

Oh...Ok...Forgot about a woman's NEED to get hysterically incoherrent just they are sufferring withdrawal symptoms, PLUS cos the day has got a 'Y' in it!

It was the 1st misplaced comma that threw me!...

...lol...

[Bookworm]

Oooh, someone is asking for a smacked botty.

 

No withdrawal symptoms, dear, I'm nor really a choccie kind of person anyway. Sorry, if you had to rely on the likes of me, you'd be out of a job!

[tonycee]

Sir Martin Lewis of MSE land, is on,

It pays to watch, tonight 7.30pm, talking about council tax.

[dave]

No, you can ask for it to be backdated, but you need a good reason and in my experience, they never ever do it. :-|

 

They did for me.

 

When my house was unoccupied (for 7 month), I had no idea I wasn't eligible so paid it as normal.

 

However, a change convo with someone in the pub (as it always is) brought it to my attention that I should have paid it.

 

Phoned them up and they said, "No problem, we'll send you a cheque."

 

Of course the cheque didn't turn up, until I was harrassing them about 4 times a day for it.

 

Finally did get it though - 5 months later!

[Bookworm]

Well, I was both right and wrong:

 

They didn't backdate the claim (not good enough reason).

 

But my claim has been assessed at close enough 100% rebate, for the past year, it works out that my total liability was about £7!!! big fat juicy rebate cheque of nearly £200 owed to me, and by gum, it will be coming in handy at just the right time!!!

 

(Mr BW is sulking because of all those months we could have saved ourselves a big chunk of our income going out... )

[Lula]

well done Bookie, and tell his nibs to shut it and get on with the important business of waiting on you hand and foot

[MilkTrayMan]

...my claim has been assessed at close enough 100% rebate, for the past year, it works out that my total liability was about £7!!! big fat juicy rebate cheque of nearly £200 owed to me...

Another CAG success story eh!...

Feel free to consider making a voluntary donation to CAG, in recognition that WE have helped U achieve a financial return that U wouldn't have otherwise thought possible...

Any small financial contribution by yourself, will help this website continue to survive + be able to provide much needed Consumer Advice for those that are least able to afford it + who perhaps need it most.

It might be beneficial for others who are in a similar plight to what U were re: Council Tax Benefit, if U could maybe retrospectively Post your progress as U successfully went through each stage of the Appeal Process??...:idea:

I hope that U also choose to 'stick around' + help others who may follow in your wake...

...:grin:

[Bookworm]

Funny you should say that....

 

I have been mulling for the last hour about the appeals process. For things like Disability Living Allowance, for example, the success rate at appeal is staggering, which has led to the conclusion that DSS says "no" by default, near enough, and that as soon as it gets in front of an independant tribunal, the claim then gets assessed properly.

 

Anyway...

 

I am wondering whether it would be worth appealing against the non backdated part, and thinking about the possible arguments I could use.

 

I'll let you know on what I decide to do, of course. But thanks for the support, MTM. What would I do without you?

[MilkTrayMan]

...thanks for the support, MTM. What would I do without you?

No probs BW...Am glad that CAG has been of some help!

If U need some further help re: Scanning your Docs + Posting them, don't be afraid to ask for assistance if U struggle to manage it.

...Not everyone is 'Au Fait' with computers!

...:grin: