Outstanding council tax

[OSOTW]

I have been living in NZ for a year now. Quite out of the blue my mum received a letter addressed to me at her house from the council. It was a liability order saying I had outstanding council tax. I thought I had paid everything up until the time my house was repossessed. What happens next? I heard that you can get arrested for non payment - but with me in NZ what would happen? I don't know what to do and I def don't want my mum caught in the middle of it all!

[sir_gilmour]

OSOTW welcome to The Consumer Action Group community.

 

You haven't received any replies to your problem yet so you might be better off posting your story again directly in the sub-forum which deals with your kind of situation. You will get lots of support there.

 

Also, spend some time looking round the forum. Once you understand the layout, you will be able to get best use from this Consumer Community. It is a big forumm and may take some time. But it will be worth doing.

Good luck.

[OSOTW]

Thank you sir_gilmour, I will look around and try to find the right one!

[i hate bailiffs]

this is your supposed debt so they can do nothing to your mum

the council need to provide proof

 

what they normally do is get a liability order for the whole year eg if you default on payments in June they will get a order saying you owe to the following April

sounds like you were out of the property for the time in question

 

there will be no removing your mums property or kidnap of the dog and parrot for payment

 

there will be no arrest as you out the country

it is not a crime to owe council money as many do

 

i would love to live in NZ but cant see that till retirement:sad:

[Conniff]

Moved to council tax section

[revshelp]

Hi there,

 

You need to contact the Council to establish for what period they have you liable (as council tax is calculated on a daily basis), how much you've already paid, and whats outstanding (and how much of that is made up of court costs). If theres any discrepancies you need to challenge them and ensure details are updated.

 

As you are in NZ there's not much they can do to enforce payment, however, if you are intending to return to the UK soon they are likely to pursue you in the future. So your best bet is to pay any outstanding amount in lump sum or in instalments (via the councils website or bank transfer). Don't listen to the council if they say you have to pay the bailiff directly as this will only incur extra charges for you.

 

If your worried about your mother being bothered, get her to photocopy the liability order (for your records) and return the original stating person not known at this address on the envelop.

[OSOTW]

this is your supposed debt so they can do nothing to your mum

the council need to provide proof

 

what they normally do is get a liability order for the whole year eg if you default on payments in June they will get a order saying you owe to the following April

sounds like you were out of the property for the time in question

 

there will be no removing your mums property or kidnap of the dog and parrot for payment

 

there will be no arrest as you out the country

it is not a crime to owe council money as many do

 

i would love to live in NZ but cant see that till retirement:sad:

 

Thank you! (I love your style of writing by the way) It is a fantastic place to live over here! If you can get here you will love it - it was def the best move I have ever made!

[OSOTW]

Hi there,

 

You need to contact the Council to establish for what period they have you liable (as council tax is calculated on a daily basis), how much you've already paid, and whats outstanding (and how much of that is made up of court costs). If theres any discrepancies you need to challenge them and ensure details are updated.

 

As you are in NZ there's not much they can do to enforce payment, however, if you are intending to return to the UK soon they are likely to pursue you in the future. So your best bet is to pay any outstanding amount in lump sum or in instalments (via the councils website or bank transfer). Don't listen to the council if they say you have to pay the bailiff directly as this will only incur extra charges for you.

 

If your worried about your mother being bothered, get her to photocopy the liability order (for your records) and return the original stating person not known at this address on the envelop.

 

Hello and thanks for taking the time to respond for me. I am not planning on moving back to the UK - life is pretty good over here but I would like to visit in a couple of years and I was worried that if they issued an arrest warrant that I would be picked up when I landed at the airport for a visit and be unable to return home to NZ. I have no idea how it works but I know I have def not broken any laws!!!!

[revshelp]

I would like to visit in a couple of years and I was worried that if they issued an arrest warrant that I would be picked up when I landed at the airport for a visit

 

That could happen, but I guess its not too likely, committal to prison by the magistrates court is intended to be a coercive measure to make you pay.