Does anyone know who handles GCC Council tax arrears recovery???

[Beth83]

Can anyone tell me who currently handles GCC Council Tax Arrears recovery?

 

I was previously paying Scott+Co but got a call from BPO Collections to say they had taken over, I'm now paying them.

I got a letter from Scott+Co this morning to say they are taking me to court for not paying them, they have withdrew £85.46 for Court Order from my bank account and I've been charged £25 arrestment fee from the bank!!!!

 

Any light that can be shed would help, thanks x x x

[maroondevo52]

Hello and Welcome, Beth.

 

I would suggest you phone Glasgow City Council and ask them who is collecting their Council Tax debts, if they say both Scott & Co and BPO, I'd phone Scott & Co and ask them what the score is.

Were you up to date with your payments to Scott & Co.

[Bang!]

I wonder if this is a new thing just started.

 

Yesterday I got a call that there was a debt collectors letter looking for GCC council tax, for a flat I rent out, from 2008. The tenant did a moonlight, but obviously never told the council they were there, although I did.

 

No letters beforehand from GCC or S+C, just entirely out the blue.

[maroondevo52]

Thread moved to Dealing with Debt in Scotland Forum.

[Beth83]

Yes I was upto date with payments so have no idea why the account would have been passed over, everything is closed until wedges so the best I could do just now is contact the bank and stop all payments until someone figures out what's going on x

[Bang!]

Council tax was the main reason for people visiting the CAB in all the years I was there, volunteer and manager. They live in their own wee unrealistic world.

 

I would never give them my main phone number - nor bank account details/arrange a DD as they are all open to abuse.

[maroondevo52]

I'm paying Scott & Co at the moment and they keep coming up with different amounts I'm due them, I paid them £250 the other week then noticed on their receipt they had added £254 in charges !!!

Where they get that from I don't have a clue, I'm going to SAR the council see if I can get to the bottom of it, I'm sure I'm getting done.

 

I've always dealt with Scott & Co, never had any dealing with BPO and if you were up to date with your payments there's no way the debt should have been passed on.

 

When did you stop paying Scott & Co and start paying BPO ?

[Beth83]

I'm paying Scott & Co at the moment and they keep coming up with different amounts I'm due them, I paid them £250 the other week then noticed on their receipt they had added £254 in charges !!!

Where they get that from I don't have a clue, I'm going to SAR the council see if I can get to the bottom of it, I'm sure I'm getting done.

 

I've always dealt with Scott & Co, never had any dealing with BPO and if you were up to date with your payments there's no way the debt should have been passed on.

 

When did you stop paying Scott & Co and start paying BPO ?

 

I only made the payment changes last month, so I've only paid BPO once and put a stop on this months payment until everyone is open after the holidays and I can get some answers, but I won't get the money back that they have already arrested x

[Joemcm35]

The following information applies to all firms of sheriff officers who are collecting council tax or any other debt.

 

Sheriff officer fees which are derived from debt enforcement (ie bank arrestment, earnings arrestment, attachment, etc) are regulated the the following http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2011/432/pdfs/ssi_20110432_en.pdf

 

Sheriff officers must hold a Consumer Credit Licence when collecting debt, and they must adhere to the Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance: http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/OFT664Rev.pdf

 

In general this guidance states that when collecting debt they have to treat debtors fairly; be transparent when dealing with debtors; exercise forebearance with debtors exercising difficulty; and act proportionately when recovering debts given the debtors circumstances.

 

Beth83 and Maroondevo52 - you have grounds to make a complaint under the OFT Debt Collection Guidance. In the first instance make the complaint quoting this guidance. if this is not resolved to your satisfaction then you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service who can investigate the complaints as debt collection comes under the Consumer Credit Licensing:

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumer/complaints.htm

 

Best of luck.

[IdaInFife]

Also i know that fife council call centres are still operating - phoned them today and they are open tomorrow so would assume so is gcc