Help re old address please

[Maisie999]

Hi All, I have recently been contacted by my local council regarding outstanding council tax at a property I lived at 8 years ago. I only lived there for seven weeks but they are demanding six months payments. I had to move out due to mental health issues and went to stay back at my parents. I wrote to them about six years ago with letters from bank and phone bills etc to prove I had moved out after seven weeks. They are now saying that the letters I sent aren't good enough (too poor quality as the council photocopied them at the time and never sent me my originals back!) and I now owe the full six months. I don't mind paying the seven weeks but I don't feel I owe the full six months. Is there anything I can do? The property was rented between four of us, I moved out early and the other three stayed there but obviously never paid the bills!

[Bazooka Boo]

Which council is this?

 

Are you still living in the same area?

 

I do believe, and I hope I will be corrected if I am wrong, BUT, unless they have already obtained a liability order then this will be time barred, so they have lost out. Do you know if they have got a liability order against you?

[Maisie999]

Which council is this?

 

Are you still living in the same area?

 

I do believe, and I hope I will be corrected if I am wrong, BUT, unless they have already obtained a liability order then this will be time barred, so they have lost out. Do you know if they have got a liability order against you?

 

 

Hi. I live in a neighbouring area now I will pm you it but don't want to put it on here, don't know why but I really don't trust the authorities! All they have said is that they will have got a liability order as they get them all done in bulk a set time after non payment??? I have asked for proof but they say they don't have to give me any! I have asked for it to be taken to court but again they refuse. I am truly scared as it's for council tax and don't want to get a criminal record or anything bad happen.

[ploddertom]

Sounds like the type of trick Liverpool City Council pull.

 

Best bet is to get on to your local Councillor(s) and explain to them asking they intervene on your behalf. Another question that needs answering is why has it taken them so long + what was their write off policy at the time this happened.

[ploddertom]

All they have said is that they will have got a liability order as they get them all done in bulk a set time after non payment??? I have asked for proof but they say they don't have to give me any! I have asked for it to be taken to court but again they refuse. I am truly scared as it's for council tax and don't want to get a criminal record or anything bad happen.

 

It is simply not good enough to say they don't have to provide it - they do. Otherwise what is to stop me saying I have read this read and now charge you for doing so.

 

They must provide proof the debt exists.

[Maisie999]

Thank you all very much. I shall get onto my local councillor and also write back to the council and ask again for a copy of the liability order. Thank you

[Bazooka Boo]

I have asked for proof but they say they don't have to give me any! I have asked for it to be taken to court but again they refuse.

 

Then they are blagging you, and are attempting to defraud you, a criminal offence, I 100% guarantee they will not put that in writinbng.#

Stay OFF the phone, keep everything in writing from now on, get a paper trail of evidence.

If they ring. laugh and hang up.

[Maisie999]

They have written back stating that I do owe the full amount. This is really making me ill, I suffer badly from mental health issues and I can't cope with the added stress from this. Should I offer them a token payment every month?

[Bazooka Boo]

I have MH issues too, easier said than done but don't let them get you down, if they really did have as leg to stand on here, then they would have acted almost as soon as you failed to pay.

 

If I were in your shoes, I would simply write them a letter headed FORMAL COMPLAINT, sent recorded delivery OR if they are local to you take it to their offices in person and have them sign for it in your presence and a witness.

State that you are not liable for any debt they claim is owed by you and unless they can provide strict proof as to your liability the matter is closed and a formal complaint is being raised with the local government ombudsman.

 

If you've not exhausted the council's own complaints procedure, then the LGO will bat it back to you saying you need to do so, so ideally what you are asking for from the council is a ''deadlock'' letter, OR if this has been going on for longer than 8 weeks with no satisfactory resolution, then you can escalate the complaint beyond the lethargic council.

[ploddertom]

https://www.writetothem.com/

 

Get your MP involved.