Rossendales - Council Tax

[SirHumpy]

I have an ongoing issue with the local council about the council tax.

 

 

they messed up my direct debits (sent it to them 3 times) and then refused to honour agreements we made over the phone

(I know should have been in writting) to repay the arrears.

They have since added the liability order and worse still stopped replying to my emails.

 

To be fair I have stopped trying for the last few months to get through to them and not made anymore payments,

though we have made payments in the past on this years CTax.

 

 

Now I have had two visit letters dated a week apart, but pushed through the letter box only a few days apart from Rossendales, charging visiting fees of 24.50 and 18.00.

 

I know I dont have to deal with them, but do I have to pay the fees?

- I want the council to deal with the situation as I'm planning to apeal the liability fee in the first place

and complain about the level of service they have given in the second.

I can pay off the council between now and March.

 

Should I fire off the letter in the sticky to Rossendales amending it to say something about a dispute with the council over the amount owed and that I will deal with the council directly.

[ploddertom]

Rossendales as yet appear to have done nothing wrong - unless you can argue the Visits were not made when they said they were.

 

As for the Council it would appear that they are guilty of maladministration. Appealingthe Liability Order willprobably get you no where as the argument as to whether you are liable is basically down to a yes or no answer. In your case I would contact your local Councillor and get them to take things up with the Council.

 

In the meantime adopt a siege like mentality and refuse to have anything to do with the Bailiff, he will eventually hand it back to the Council when he realises he is getting nothing from you. You should also start paying the Council either online or via automated phone to show a willingness to pay, do this on a regular basis and an affordable amount.

 

PT

[impecunious]

If you can't get any sense from the Council Tax Dept at Manchester City Council, try contacting this guy:

Pete Bradshaw

Technical Officer North 1

Council Tax Unit

P O Box 147

Manchester

M15 5TU

Telephone 0161 219 6133

Fax 0161 953 8226

E Mail [email protected]

 

 

After getting no joy from front-line staff within the Council Tax Dept, I was finally transferred to this guy. He's no push-over but, from experience, once the situation is explained to him, he'll do his best to help.

 

My CT liability was over £1,200 (dating back to 2005-06 - accumulating whilst I was in receipt of Incapacity Benefit - MCC didn't process the CT benefit forms properly). Rossies were instructed and proceeded to a heavy communication campaign over a period of some 15+ months. I eventually gave up with Rossies when they consistently tried to pressure me into making an arrangement I had no way of fulfilling and I then insisted that MCC take the account back. They did. I'll be paying them £12.50/month for something like 96 months until the debt is clear but it's manageable and its the amount I determined as being realistic and sustainable given my other financial commitments.

 

Don't give up - there is a way!

 

Good Luck!

 

 

 

Impecunious!

[SirHumpy]

I am upto date with my Council Tax now (after being in arears and getting a Liabilty Order).

 

Rossendales continue to hassle me, I have never bothered with them just paid the Council directly, and ignored the visit letters they posted. They didnt bother to even knock on my door and just pushed the piece of paper through it.

 

Today I found a postcard in an envelope on my doormat when I got home - called an "enforcement notice". On calling the bailiff on the card he says that dispite me being upto date the liability order means they can demand full payment - is this right?

 

The bailiff was actually very nice (I will wait and see!) and said he will pass it back onto the Council - I'm going to phone them to check!

[seanamarts]

im confused!

have you paid off the liability order?

More info would help

[SirHumpy]

Sorry!

 

I am only just upto date in the last two weeks (ie I have paid what I should year to date).

 

Is the libility order for a set amount? - if so does that mean the bailiff can demand it all at once?

[seanamarts]

Bailiffs can say and do as they like, whether its in the regs or not is a different matter.

How much was the liability order for.

How much are the fees and charges the bailiff wants.

Did he do a levy

if so what did he levy on.

You may have to pay the two visit fees whether he visited or not.

How much is the bailiff demanding off you. Her cannot demand the whole amount on the liability order if you have paid it off.

The liability order is what you owe the council, not the bailiffs. The council and bailiffs fees are two separate amounts.

[SirHumpy]

I never pay the bailiff charges, they tried to charge me for visits last year - but I refused to deal with them.

 

He did no levy as I wasnt in, and I have no car.

 

I dont know what the order amount was for as I didnt get one! - however the Council said I did.

 

I owed £880 and Have paid £500 to the Council.

 

The Bailiff didnt seem to have the correct upto date amounts (unless he was including his charges).

[seanamarts]

I suggest you contact the council and request how much is owed on the liability order.

They should also have a record on what is owed to the bailiff ie his fees.

I cant see why he has contacted you demanding you pay up, did you tell him you had been paying the council?

If no levy has been made then the most you would owe the bailiff is £42.50.

[SirHumpy]

He said the Council contacted him to tell him to collect the rest straight away.

 

I told him I was dealing with them and was upto date - he said due to the liability order I wasnt.

[seanamarts]

I wouldnt take any notice what they say, he is looking for a quick buck. Call the council in the morning as suggested and see what they say.

[SirHumpy]

Hi, hoping you can advise.

 

Last tax year I had an issue paying Council Tax and owed £300 at the start of the new year - this included the liability order costs they added on.

 

Currently Rossendales have got involved again this year, due to the balance from last year

 

. I offered to pay £100 per month, starting at my next pay date,

they refused this and said I had to start two weeks before this - which I couldn't do.

 

I didn't receive this reply (it was via email, but went into spam - gmail doesn't like them!) - and

 

I contacted the council who agreed to give me a months grace to sort things out.

 

I have made the bailiffs aware of this but they say they will not accept a payment plan with me as I have broken the original one (the one that went into the spam folder),

and want £300 upfront, or they will progress onto the next stage.

 

My questions are:

 

1 - Can the same bailiffs charge fees when they have already charged fees on the account (but failed to collect the last tax year)

- this seems to be charging to collect the debt twice.

 

2 - Is it reasonable to refuse an offer to repay in these circumstances,

I haven't been given a real chance to start paying, and assumed that the months grace, that doesn't end for another week, that the matter was on hold.

 

3 - If they progress onto the next stage is there someway of appealing this?

- should I do it now to put the matter into dispute, would this stop they moving onto the next stage.

 

4 - Do I have to deal with the bailiffs, last year I refused and sent any payments to the Council.

 

5 - Doesn't a payment agreement have to be agreed by both parties before it can be broken?

 

Thanks

[i hate bailiffs]

The only reason they want it to go to the next stage is because they can charge lots for it

By sending a bailiff out £235 will be added to the bill

 

Serious grounds for a formally complaint to the ceo of the council

Copy in local MP and local councillor's

Get on to them tomorrow should get fast results