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I hadn't paid April instalment of council tax and this month (May) they sent me a reminder for both April and May (as one). Should I have not received a reminder firstly for April (which I had not) rather then one reminder for the two months together ? Many thanks..

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Morning CD,

 

I too would've thought that the CT dept would send out 2 letters for each month rather than the 1 letter.

 

As here in Thurrock ours certainly do. They are also extremely quick about it & if you miss a 2nd month you receive the "pay up now or loose right to instalments & face court/bailff costs etc".

I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every single minute of it!!

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Thanks for the reply, I was wondering in as much as they would do things in a certain way, like a reminder after each month, legally, do they have to ? otherwise I could argue they have not followed correct procedure ?..

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I think under the rules if you miss a payment and do so twice in a year the LA can issue a pay it all now or get taken to Court.

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I think under the rules if you miss a payment and do so twice in a year the LA can issue a pay it all now or get taken to Court.

 

I understand that part, its the reminder after the first month missed that I was questioning..

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No, because a lot of councils are now issuing 'bulk' reminders and doing everything via contracted out back room staff. Check to see if your council isn't sharing back room staff with another neighbouring council.

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Also a lot of councils have a 'do it online' system where you can check and pay both rent and council tax via this portal.

 

This is a useful tool especially in my area where high unemployment is prolific... its called 'My Southend'

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No, because a lot of councils are now issuing 'bulk' reminders and doing everything via contracted out back room staff. Check to see if your council isn't sharing back room staff with another neighbouring council.

 

The give away is the return address on the back of the envelope. Mine has an address way up north.

If I'm late with a payment, a single reminder usually comes through towards the end of the month it is due. I suspect each LA will have their own policy of when to issue reminders and when to send out the threat-o-grams.

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An interesting read from Wandsworth Council on Council tax Collection Guidance this is the latest edition I believe follow the link below, but each Council have their own methods of collection and reminding the bill payers.. >> More:

1. Introduction

 

 

1.1 The purpose of this document is to describe the various methods and ways to be adopted for the collection of Council Tax liabilities.

 

1.2 It also gives advice on gathering information on contact with the customer so that entitlement to relief’s, discounts, benefits etc. can be brought to the customer’s attention.

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I hadn't paid April instalment of council tax and this month (May) they sent me a reminder for both April and May (as one). Should I have not received a reminder firstly for April (which I had not) rather then one reminder for the two months together ? Many thanks..

 

There's nothing in regulations which states any time line for the issuing of a reminder notice once a payment is missed.

 

Regulation 23 states that a council 'shall serve a notice' where payment has not been received in line with that shown on the demand notice but doesn't make any requirement as to how soon this has to be issued.

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I have since paid for the month of April but not for May, does a reminder now have to be sent for May ?..

 

It depends :

 

Did you pay the reminder within the time specified on it ? - if so then further action ceases in respect of the amount shown on the reminder.

 

Did the reminder include May's amount ?. If not then (providing you cleared the first reminder in time) a second reminder will be issued for May's instalment in due course.

 

A lot of councils have taken to issuing reminders later in the month to allow time for payment to be cleared and so that they only need to do one reminder run a month if they offer multiple payment dates.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi CD,

 

After your post it got me thinking & as I hadn't paid May's yet (usually online but system is down a lot).

 

I thought I would see how Thurrock Council Tax react now by not paying on time for last month. Payment is due by 10th of the month.

 

Thurrock wrote to me on the 15th issuing me with a "Council Tax Reminder" in very big letters. It went on to state I had to pay by the 21st May, if not recovery action will proceed & I'll loose the instalment payment plan.

 

So I didn't pay & awaited the next letter.

 

And waited.

 

And waited.

 

By 1st June, no other letter came.

 

So I thought I'll ring them to see what's happening.

 

I got told I had lost the right to paying by instalments & that Recovery Action had already started!!!

 

I asked why, as I'm only 1 payment late by 3 weeks.

 

I was told it didn't matter, a letter had been sent & that's all you get now. If you do not pay up by the date given (mine was the 21st) then you loose the payment plan option & straight to recovery action.

 

That did shock me as it goes, as they've changed their ways from what I originally told you before.

 

I did ask was there anyway I could pay up what I owed & keep the instalment plan. At first I was told no. So I did a bit of pleading & then got told I must pay the O/S £ & then pay by DD. I said I can't do DD & again was told well that's it or recovery action as it was out of their hands as my account had already been passed over!

 

So there you have it, Thurrock just send out 1 letter & if you do not pay by the date given you face recovery action within 3 weeks of a missed payment.

 

That indeed is very shockingly fast!!

 

P.S. I managed to sort out my account by stating I've never been in arrears ever & in fact I over pay every year so I'm in credit. This was checked & verified & after speaking to A another, I was allowed to pay my O/S £ & keep my instalment plan....

 

Suffice to say I'll never miss one again.. Lol

I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every single minute of it!!

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When the reminder is issued then, once 7 days has gone by from the payment date shown and the amount is still un-paid, the full balance becomes due and they don't need to issue any further notice until they (if they want to) issue a court summons.

 

Negotiation with some councils will get you re-instated with instalments but some will play hard-ball and say no.

 

I used to get whinged at when I worked for a council as I withdrew action and used my discretion with people every day ("You're the office making the decision, we pay you to make the decision blah blah blah" followed by "Why did you make the decision ?" etc etc")

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