Sheriff officer refusing to hold Disputed Council tax account

[sk8agrrl]

My bf and I both received a charge for the payment of money notice hand delivered to his address for council tax arrears.

 

I do not live at my bfs address and am more than concerned that they are chasing me for the debt, even although we are not financially linked in any way. I live at my own mortgaged property where I have my own council tax agreement, separate to him.

 

I tried to contact the sheriffs officers Walker Love to explain the situation and ask them to put the account on hold until I had spoken with the council and sorted the matter with them. Walker Love refused saying only the council can put hold on disputed accounts. The council said differently in our correspondence meaning no one is taking responsibility for holding the account to allow us to sort the problem.

 

My bf has been waiting for notification of council tax benefit since he moved to the property in march. He has filled in various forms with no response. The council cannot claim not to have received his forms as they sent back his evidence. Despite this he is being chased for the full amount in arrears and as he is receiving less jsa than normal due to a dwp cock up that they are slow to rectify, there is no way he could afford to pay this back.

 

Can anyone give me help or advice on this matter or point me to appropriate letter templates to get the sheriffs officers off our backs and to get the council to fix the CT benefit issue once and for all.

 

Thanks in advance.

[IdaInFife]

The SO's are correct that if there is a dispute with the council tax then your local council office should take back the account until it is resolved.

 

 

What council are you under?

 

Have you ever been resident at you partner's address? as this should be the only reason why your name would be on it.

 

When did you receive the charge for payment?

 

If you have never been resident at the address and have council tax bill and other utilites in your name at your own address, then this part should be easy to solve.

 

becasue this has gone on now for nearly 6 months, there may be some struggle with your BF's claims.

 

Also when was the lat you BF delat with anything about his benefits? does he still have the reciepts from the council office of handing in the forms and anything else they asked for?

[sk8agrrl]

Thank you for your speedy response.

 

I come under Glasgow and he is a neighbouring authority. I have never lived at the address and have managed to rectify that situation with the Council this afternoon as after multiple phonecalls they checked my status with Glasgow. I'm still concerned with their inability to sort his CT benefit. He was last returned his proof of income evidence last week but apparently it came with an empty 'with compliments' slip so no handling receipt. Ive never applied for CT Benefit, is a handling receipt normal procedure?

 

Im still concerned as to why my name is associated with the address and believe that the misinformation comes from a breach of data protection act with an estate agent when we had viewed his property as a couple. This is another issue however that I'm going to address with them.

 

It turns out this last form was his third CT application form since he signed on. He has an appointment with the local MP next week but until then he is still in limbo with the Sheriffs Officers.

 

With all the cost cutting measures our wonderful government are making to public sector depts, it would be more financially efficient to rectify bureaucratic cock ups or ensure they didnt happen in the first place..

 

/rant.