Court Summons for CTX, Resolution of discretionary award still pending

[Shendor]

Hi,

Sorry if this post comes off as part seeking advice and part rant

but I've turned green and turned Hulk with letter I got this morning.

 

I'm in receipt of Housing Benefit, JSA and Council Tax exemption, but

 

I got a letter back in August saying under ConDems new Eugenics program I need to pay some Council Tax and was sent a bill for £19pcm.

 

I honestly couldn't afford to even pay that, so

 

I marched off to my benefit office in Harringay to ask for advice

- they made me fill in a 'Discretionary Payment Award' form.

 

I got it all stamped having shown the evidence and forms needed. Form is stamped 26th October 2013.

 

I phoned in early December to see where my claim was at, having heard nothing, and

they said it was still being processed and to wait another few weeks.

 

As of beginning of February 2014 I'd heard nothing, so

I phoned again - still being processed. Then

 

last week I get a letter for Court Summons for non payment of Council Tax.

I owe a mighty £95 - but they've added £125 for 'Court Summons Fee'

- (which to my understanding involves someone near a photocopier printing off a letter and licking a stamp).

 

I once again marched off to Harringay Benefits Office full of self-righteous indignation

only to be told it's MY Fault I didn't pay Council Tax

even though I received no further demands or letters, phone calls or anything

- so wrongly assumed my claim for relief was in hand and let sleeping dogs lie...

 

My question, and my rant, is

 

what can I do about the Court Summons Fee?

I accept I owe the outstanding CTX and

am happy to pay it as well as I can

- a couple of pounds a week,

but how does this fee help anyone?

 

I'm living on food banks and grace

- luckily I have a reasonably strong mind but

I can imagine this sort of bullcrap could easily push a desperate person over the edge and for what?

 

It will cost Harringay council a helluva lot more than £95 to take me to court,

instruct bailiffs,

have more personnel sat at more typewriters to post letters, etc.

.. What's the damn point?

Ideological? for the sake of it? I'm at a loss.

[id6052]

Some LAs will waive the Court Summons costs if you pay the CT balance before the court date.

[Shendor]

I was hoping they might, but I just got a PIN number in the post from Harringay LA so I can log on and pay online, and my balance is including the court fees, so even if I got a payday loan to pay off the outstanding CTX of £95, the £220 stands with no breakdown of money owed, so I'd just be paying off the full price, grrrrrrrrri

[id6052]

try phoning them or going to their office

[Ros1609]

When my ex husband disappeared without paying his share of the outstanding bills from the marital home I got a Court Summons for the Council Tax. I had to pay the full amount then claim back the fees. Its worth going into your local Council Offices and talking to someone ASAP because if it goes to Court then they will send the bailiffs which will incur more fees