Advice on statute of limitations please

[gartom]

I've just received a phone call from my landlord advising me they have just received a letter from my local council asking for a £300 overpayment of housing benefit to be paid back.

 

According to the letter (that I haven't seen yet) this goes back to 2002/3, I haven't claimed HB in at least 8 years as I went back to work full time.

Apparently the council can chase my landlords for the debt as it was paid directly to them, which obviously places me in a difficult situation, I haven't as I type this had a letter from the council.

 

Does the statute of limitations apply to local councils?

 

I will ring them tomorrow and try to get to the bottom of it but would quite like my facts/rights straight in my head before I do.

 

Thanks

[BRIGADIER2JCS]

Any govenment debt can become SB BUT

the claim is yours not the landlords.

I'll see if any of our benefit experts

can help you.

[sequenci]

Hello there.

 

The 6 years would run from when the local authority make their final decision that there is an overpayment, do you know when this was? If it is recent then they could be well within their rights to try and chase. What you should do is raise a formal complaint on the grounds of maladministration and see if they will look to write it off.

[gartom]

Thank you.

 

As yet I don't have much information as I was completely unaware of it until my landlords phoned (Housing association). THe girl I spoke to said they are chasing them for the money!

 

I intend to fight it, I had run ins with them 10 years ago when they stopped paying my HB, didn't inform me or my landlords leaving me £600+ in rent arrears.

I went to Parlimentary ombudsmen on the grounds of maladministration and lo and behold the council backed down and paid all my rent arrears

 

I will insisit on all paperwork from 10/12 years ago being made avaliable to me as I don't have it and neither do my landlords, which to be honest surprised me. I'll keep you all informed of what happens and if anyone has anything to help please drop me a line.

 

Thanks again:-)