Council Tax Arrears Walker Love (Scotland)**Payment offer accepted**

[Polly58]

Hi

 

I have a problem with Walker Love over arrears of Council Tax. this is in scotland

 

I have been paying them £20.00 per week which they have been reluctantly accepting whilst I have applied for a Council Tax Reduction.

 

Whilst I was away at Christmas they have put a Charge for Payment through my door.

 

I told them that I would not be home during the Christmas/New Year period.

 

They have dated the Charge for Payment 27th December

- how on earth can anyone respond to this over the holiday period?

 

They are threatening wages arrestment, sequestration. freezing of bank account and auction of property.

 

According to them they have never heard of Council Tax Reduction and I should not be staying in a High Banded Property if I can't afford it.

 

I have only stayed in the property for 23 years lol.

 

I work part-time and receive working tax credit.

 

Can anyone give me any advice?

[stu007]

Hi Polly58

 

I have moved your post to a separate thread in the Local Authority area of our forum at this link: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?414097-Council-Tax-Arrears-Walker-Love

 

I have renamed your thread title "Council Tax Arrears Walker Love"

 

Hopefully the caggers will be along to give you some advice.

[Polly58]

Hi Stu - many thanks.

[stu007]

Your welcome and a warm welcome to CAG.

 

Please be patient I am sure the caggers will be along to help you.

 

In the meantime please have a look around the forum as you may find useful advice to assist you.

 

1. Do you have a Liability Order?

2. If yes what is the date of the LO?

3. Are we dealing with England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland?

[Polly58]

Hi Stu

 

- I have been on the site and reading other people's problems.

 

I am in Scotland - the paperwork that was hand delivered is a Charge for Payment of Money.

 

I cannot sleep with the worry of this matter and will be up early in the morning to move my car just in case the Bailiffs turn up.

 

I have noted from comments on the website that I do not have to let them in.

 

I cannot believe that once people have let Bailiffs into their home they are then charged a walking levy fee - absolutely ridiculous.

 

I have also noted from the website that Bailiffs cannot freeze anymore than £413.00 in a bank account.

 

I only earn slightly above that amount and they want to freeze it?

 

I think it is ridiculous that they are allowed to serve these papers on people when Council offices,

 

Solicitors and debt advice offices are all closed.

 

Thanks

[stu007]

will add Scotland to your thread title.

[Polly58]

Thanks Stu - I am hitting my head off a brick wall with this Company

- however, you cannot get blood out of a stone and I am sticking to my payment of £20.00 a week.

 

A new Council tax bill will appear in April 2014 and if I offer anymore then I won't be able to pay the new bill.

 

I have already explained this to Walker Love but they are not listening.

[ploddertom]

Hi

 

I've moved you again to the Scottish Debt Forum and will ask a couple of people that know more about this drop by.

[Polly58]

Thanks ever so much - any help would be very much appreciated.

[maroondevo52]

Hi Polly,

 

I wouldn't worry about any Bailifs turning up, as you are in Scotland this is not a possibility.

 

The Sheriff Officers are a different kettle of fish though and do have powers to Arrest Wages and Bank Accounts ect,

as you have been served a Charge for Payment have a look at this 'link'........

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?185249-Have-you-received-a-charge-for-payment-arrestment-summary-warrant-(1-Viewing)-nbsp

 

You say you have been paying them £20 a month,

 

was this arrangement made with them and do you have it on paper,

 

if yes,

 

have you missed a payment as that would be the reason for them getting the Charge for Payment which adds about £98 to your arrears.

 

If you can tell us about the monthly payments and what has happened before regarding any other 'charges' from Walker Love we will be able to give you more advice

 

Regards,

 

Scott.

[Polly58]

Hi Scott,

 

The £20.00 weekly payment was refused

 

but I just kept on phoning every Friday and paid it.

 

I had phoned the Council regarding a Council Tax Reduction

- the next time I phoned Walker Love they said that they had amended the bill by taking one quarter off the bill for single person discount.

 

I explained that a Council Tax Reduction was based on your income

- they said they had never heard of this scheme.

 

I came home after Christmas and received the Charge for Payment document

- there was no form inside for Time to Pay.

 

When I phoned them on Friday 3rd January 2014 they said

"you have been issued with an attachment"

I said

"yes I have got your paperwork" I would like to make a payment

 

- they said "well there is no formal agreement"

to which I replied

- the Council Offices are closed until Monday 6th January 2014 and I cannot get in touch with them

so therefore I want to make my £20.00 payment.

 

This is a nightmare - I only work part time and I am in receipt of working tax credit

- they are threatening

- to auction my property

- according to them I should not be staying in a High Band Property if I cannot pay the council tax which it carries!

 

I explained that I had lived here for 23 years and my circumstances had changed.

 

I remained calm on the phone but was actually shaking when I put down the receiver.

 

I am terrified that they will arrest my wages

- however, according to tables published by National Debtline they can only take £13.00 per week

- I don't understand why they will not accept £20.00 per week.

 

No, I have not missed any payments

- although I can assure you that when I call them to make these payments they give me the impression that they don't want to accept the payment of £20.00.

 

They always start off the conversation with "this is not an agreement" we will take further action.

 

I just remain calm and say that I would like to make a payment via debit card.

 

If they arrest my wages and take the £13.00 per week will I still have to pay the £20.00 per week?

 

This was a voluntary arrangement on my part which they point out to me every time I have made a payment.

 

Many thanks.

[Polly58]

Hi Scott

- have just read the link regarding Time to Pay

- when I phoned Walker Love on Friday to make my weekly payment I was told that this was not an agreed agreement

and they had issued an attachment

 

- I asked the girl about a Time to Pay document and she told me that I was too late to do this.

 

After reading your link

 

- I do not think that this statement made by the employee of Walker Love was/is true.

 

Thanks for taking the trouble to respond

 

- I will let you know what happens on Monday when I actually go in person with all the paperwork to the relevant Council in question.

 

Nitemare stuff

 

- thanks.

[maroondevo52]

Hi Polly,

 

Thanks for the info,

 

I know where your coming from I've been on the Sheriff's 'hit list' for a good few years now, like banging your head against a brick wall sometimes.

 

Your right staying calm on the phone as they could not give a jot how angry you are and as for them telling you you should not be staying in a High Band property,

easy for them to say without knowing you or your circumstances.

 

Like you say there is a maximum amount they can take if they arrest your wages and often this works out better for you as sometimes it's less than you were paying.

 

The £13 a week it all you would have to pay they cannot make you pay anything above this.

 

You should also remember that if they do arrest your wages they can also arrest your Bank Account at the same time

but again they can only take a certain amount as there is a protected amount of £460.62.

 

Regarding the threat to sequestrate you, you would have to owe them a minimum of £3,000.

 

You have 14 days from the date of the Charge for Payment to get something sorted.

 

I am still dealing with Scott & Co at the moment, should be shot of them in about 4 months.

 

What do you feel is the best way to go for yourself,

if you have other debts you could think about a Debt Arrangement Scheme(DAS)

 

This wasn't something I wanted to do so managed to work out a payment plan with Scott & Co.

[Polly58]

Hi Scott,

 

Perhaps I am too late then in applying for a Time to Pay order

- although no-one in the Council or Sheriff Officer's residence has/had actually suggested that option to me.

 

I paid them £60.00 to cover three weeks

- the first week I was on a training course and then the next two weeks I was going to my sister's for Christmas and New Year

- the first I knew about the Charge for Payment was when I arrived home on Friday 3rd January

and the paperwork had been put through my door.

 

The actual date on the Charge for Payment is 19th December 2013.

 

I am sure I made the three weeks payments of £60.00 on the 14th December and I did tell them that I would not be available for the next three weeks.

 

When I called the Council on 3rd January 2014,

before I phoned Walker Love I received a message that their offices would not be open until 6th January 2014.

 

Walker Love have not actually stated what their method of diligence will be

- however, as I only earn £417.00 per Month plus working tax credit

- certain direct debits are taken from my account then I cannot fathom out why they would take this route.

 

Surely, I should be given some respite to make a Time to Pay Order owing to the fact that all this took place over the festive season

and Walker Love knew that I would not be at home during this period

- what do you think?

 

Or do you think that when I get in contact with the council just to tell them to arrest my wages

and they will get £13.00 for the first three weeks and then I will lose my job!!!!

 

I think I will kick up blue murder at the Council Offices as at the end of the day it is them that are enforcing this issue

- good luck with your own issues

- at least you have a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

I am positive that I should have been issued with a Time to Pay Order at the very start of these events beginning with the Summary Warrant.

 

I could be wrong but if I am right I will be posting the next sequel on this site in the hope that it helps someone else.

 

Thanks once again.

[maroondevo52]

Polly, I'd go with the 'Time to Pay' and offer what you can afford and stick to it without you having to struggle to much. ask the Council about it when your in on Monday.

They are obviously trying to get as much as possible from you. Don't let them get you down, there will be an end to this, let us know how you get on at the Council.

 

Good luck with that and remember there is always someone here to give you more advice if needed.

 

Best wishes,

 

Scott.

[florish]

Polly,

Would it be an option to have a chat with your local Council Member?

[Polly58]

Hi - florish, many thanks for your reply. I am going into the Council offices first thing tomorrow in person with all the paperwork. There has been an amendment to the total amount as the Council have awarded the single person discount. Walker Love knew I was waiting on a Council Tax Reduction - which is based on your earnings and is put in place to protect people on low incomes. I have read literature sent to me by National Debtline and according to this paperwork a Time to Pay Order should have been issued at the time the Summary Warrant was issued. Now I have had a Charge for Payment which was hand delivered as there was no stamp on the envelope and still no Time to Pay Order included. Will let you all know what happens.

[Polly58]

Hi Scott, Will let you know - in my opinion, as this Charge for Payment took place over the festive season I should be given more time for a Time to Pay Order to be processed. However, I am a mere mortal struggling to get by just like everyone else. I will not be leaving their offices without a definite answer to this problem. As I said, I thought there was something queer when Walker Love were reluctant to accept my payments. In fact I even said to my pal - "I thought they were there to recover debts but they are moaning every time I want to make a payment". Perhaps they get more fees by making it difficult for people to set up repayment schemes and then they can abuse the powers that they are given by the Courts to threaten people and extort more money from them all in the name of Costs.

They should be working from tables according to people's income before they refuse a repayment scheme - well - that is my opinion. Many thanks

[Polly58]

Well - all sorted - they have accepted £25.00 per week for arrears and at first the Council said I was not due a Council Tax Reduction - I had been onto the Council Tax Calculator on the Money Expert Forum which clearly showed that I was entitled to a reduction. After asking how they had arrived at their decision - I pointed out that they were assessing the claim incorrectly. Three times they did it again on their computer and every time the result was that I was definitely due a reduction. Honestly, it would be worthwhile going onto that Council Tax Calculator and checking it out if anyone has any queries. Please note that the Disability Premium in working tax credit is not classed as income. This was where the problem lay. They were using the whole amount of working tax credit as income. It was the Martin Lewis site - they have a calculator thing where you can check it yourself - it takes about ten minutes. If I had accepted the Council's word then I would have to pay full council tax. I am soooo pleased that I checked it out before I appeared at the Council offices. Honestly, they could not believe that they had worked it out wrong. Many thanks for everyone's help on this site and I hope that everyone gets their problem solved. xxx

[maroondevo52]

Well - all sorted - they have accepted £25.00 per week for arrears

 

Good to hear you got them to accept your offer, try to keep up with the payments as if you miss any they will hit you with another 'charge for payment'.

 

Come back and tell us when you've got shot of them for good.