Council Tax-asked for employer details?

[yvette18]

Hi,

 

I was late this month paying my council tax, so they sent out a final demand!?

 

I'm not in arrears and haven't defaulted so don't know why they are being so heavy handed.

 

I telephoned to explain that I would pay June and July's payment this Friday, bringing me back up to date.

 

"John" told me I have lost the right to pay by installments now but he could arrange a monthly payment plan? So I just carry on paying the same amount every month as before except this a "Payment plan"??

 

He then asked for my employer's name and address, when I asked why he said it was "in case I default in the future, they can get the money from my employer" I refused and told him "you know where I live, you can come and get the money whenever you want if I fail to pay"

 

Surely they cannot take these details "just in case"? Also, don't they have to take me to court first to get an Attachement of Earnings Order?

 

Anyone got any info on this question? I felt bullied by this man!

 

Yvette....trying so hard to keep my head above the financial waters!!

[dw190]

Hi,

 

I was late this month paying my council tax, so they sent out a final demand!?

 

I'm not in arrears and haven't defaulted so don't know why they are being so heavy handed.

 

I telephoned to explain that I would pay June and July's payment this Friday, bringing me back up to date.

 

"John" told me I have lost the right to pay by installments now but he could arrange a monthly payment plan? So I just carry on paying the same amount every month as before except this a "Payment plan"??

 

He then asked for my employer's name and address, when I asked why he said it was "in case I default in the future, they can get the money from my employer" I refused and told him "you know where I live, you can come and get the money whenever you want if I fail to pay"

 

Surely they cannot take these details "just in case"? Also, don't they have to take me to court first to get an Attachement of Earnings Order?

 

Anyone got any info on this question? I felt bullied by this man!

 

Yvette....trying so hard to keep my head above the financial waters!!

 

Yes they need a court order for an attachment of earnings. This is only useful if they know your employer.

[OrangePrimate]

Yes they need a court order for an attachment of earnings. This is only useful if they know your employer.

They dont actually 'need' a court order for an attachment of earnings! They can be very very cheeky and if clever enough can get you to 'volunteer' the info and 'agreement'!!

This happened to me 3 years ago, got a bit behind with the payments and they were sending me nasty letters threatening court action etc. I phoned thme and explained the financial difficulties i was having at the time. Very pleasant chap on the phone (another 'john' like the OP!) said that i had lost right to pay by instalments, but it was down to him to make judgement call and if i could promise to pay etc etc....He asked about income and then wanted my employer details 'to confirm my employment status, that i had means to make future payments'. call finished all happy with a continued payment plan (to be paid at local council offices via payment book as per normal).

The following week my boss showed me the letter he had recvd from the Council. It said that I HAD AGREED to allow my employer to deduct ££.PP from my wages and for him to pay City Council via bacs to account...blah blah.....

I went up the ruddy wall!!!! I guess you imagine the call then subsequent visit to City Council offices. Threatened them with allsorts!

finally paid off the arrears (via payment book!)

[buzby]

You'd be surprised how many people volunteer information simply because they are asked. They have no right to receive this information if you do not wish to disclose it.

[edthescreamer]

the same thing happened to me last year,got all the paperwork thro the post to fill out for the arrangement and lo and behold wanting all my work details.scrumpled it up and put in bin.quick phone call and told them i would pay on line never heard anything again.

 

p.s waiting for same letter this year .note to self just pay thr thing on time and over 10 months not 8.how stupid am i

[yvette18]

Hi,

 

Thanks for all your replies, I will be very wary in future about giving my details to anyone!

 

What I didn't tell "John" when he asked for my employer details was that I am HR, Payroll and Accounts in a small company and I open all the post, so I would have received the letter telling me to deduct from my own salary!!

 

Yvette

[dw190]

They dont actually 'need' a court order for an attachment of earnings! They can be very very cheeky and if clever enough can get you to 'volunteer' the info and 'agreement'!!

This happened to me 3 years ago, got a bit behind with the payments and they were sending me nasty letters threatening court action etc. I phoned thme and explained the financial difficulties i was having at the time. Very pleasant chap on the phone (another 'john' like the OP!) said that i had lost right to pay by instalments, but it was down to him to make judgement call and if i could promise to pay etc etc....He asked about income and then wanted my employer details 'to confirm my employment status, that i had means to make future payments'. call finished all happy with a continued payment plan (to be paid at local council offices via payment book as per normal).

The following week my boss showed me the letter he had recvd from the Council. It said that I HAD AGREED to allow my employer to deduct ££.PP from my wages and for him to pay City Council via bacs to account...blah blah.....

I went up the ruddy wall!!!! I guess you imagine the call then subsequent visit to City Council offices. Threatened them with allsorts!

finally paid off the arrears (via payment book!)

 

As much as they may get the details and your agreement. An employer need do nothing unless ordered by the court.

[OrangePrimate]

As much as they may get the details and your agreement. An employer need do nothing unless ordered by the court.

I know, that why my boss handed me the letter to have the pleasure of ripping it to shreds!

 

The whole thing about the phone call was, he was asking me the questions in a way that 'its for confirmation of employment staus', i didnt think for one minute it was a sneaky way to get the money taken from my wages!

Lucky i got on well with my boss and he did the wages or i wouldnt have known anything about it until the money had gone from my wage packet!

 

Yvette,

that would have been so funny, you having to deduct yourself! i would have been tempted to put it through....for the grand sum of 1p per month!

[sequenci]

you could consider raising a complaint in writing about their actions; if you do not get a satisfactory response you can then consider complaining to the local government ombudsman.

[megan34]

What I'd like to know is how they have the right to take you to court and make you pay through wages/baliffs etc for the whole twelve months in advance? Ive never understood how they can do this - if you owed it from the past 12 months then yes but the future 12 months? I dont know how they get away with this - how do they know just because you missed one payment that your gonna miss a few more? I cant think of any other situation whereby you 'default' on future payments in advance:mad:

[OrangePrimate]

What I'd like to know is how they have the right to take you to court and make you pay through wages/baliffs etc for the whole twelve months in advance? Ive never understood how they can do this - if you owed it from the past 12 months then yes but the future 12 months? I dont know how they get away with this - how do they know just because you missed one payment that your gonna miss a few more? I cant think of any other situation whereby you 'default' on future payments in advance:mad:

You know, that is a very very good point Megan! never occured to me before that this is a payment in advance! Water Rates are the same arent they?!

Thinking about it, apart from those 2, we dont pay in advance for other utilities or service charges. Can you imagine having to pay your gas bill up front! I suppose it is because Rates and water are set charges and all other utilites are usage variable.

It is bad really, what if you paid a full year up front then moved to another City or County, bet they are not that quick at refunding (if they even do!!) sheesh never considered this before or have heard anyone say they have tried to get a refund due to moving away. Dont even know if they do!!!

[bp]

Hi everyone, i've just started working on council tax and yes my employer does ask for your work details as part of making an arrengement. This does not happen straiight away, you 1st have to get a warning within the current year. They give you a date for paying your bill usually by the 1st of each month. The only time you get a choice of dates is if you pay by dd (and yes we can all work out why that is!) Anyway, your 1st reminder HAS to warn you of what will happen if you don't pay up on time i.e loss of paying over 10 installments. They do ask for employer's details as part of the agreement of making the arrengement however, they are not allowed to contact your employer unless you default, you don't have to agree to this but if you don't, no arrengement will be made. Now i'm not one for defending council tax (personally i hate it!) but we do give people more chances, because before it gets to the point where we ask for employer, details, you would have had 1st reminder(with warning of what will happen if you don't pay up), court summons (granted with court costs) but even the court summ will have the option of an arrengement at the back and if you don't pay, thats when employer details will be asked for. So not every council is as bad. as to the last point about asking for the full balance, put it blantly as they see it, (don't shoot me as i'm only the messenger!) you have already proven that you are a "bad payer" so they cannot trust that you'll keep to your payment (remember this is how they see it) If you move however, they CANNOT keep the money you have overpaid it is yours so they have to repay it you can't be held liable for a debt when yo are no longer in that house.(unless you still own it or your tenancy agreement is still ongoing).

 

I always advise people to avoid getting an attachement of earnings cause its based on how much you earn and takes no account of your outgoings, i've had two in the past and it nearly drove me into depression. Council tax and car insurance are the only bills i pay by dd and that's because if i fall behind, i could lose my job all council tax employees have to make sure their accounts are up to date.

 

Good luck to everyone. As i said, i'm new at it but if there's anything you need to know, just ask, i'm just getting used to the legislation so if i don't know, i'll ask

[scarlett79]

Hi dont know if you can help me but when I moved in to my house june 2003 I recieved my council tax bill and was told I had to pay for the full year because I couldnt just pay for half the year, but I cant see how thats right as I didnt live in the property 6 months previous so why did I have to pay for a year when it should of only been 6 months? I cant think it meant paying upfront as I had no debt as this was a house id just bought so is it right I had to pay that and if yes why? Thanks.

[patdavies]

Hi dont know if you can help me but when I moved in to my house june 2003 I recieved my council tax bill and was told I had to pay for the full year because I couldnt just pay for half the year, but I cant see how thats right as I didnt live in the property 6 months previous so why did I have to pay for a year when it should of only been 6 months? I cant think it meant paying upfront as I had no debt as this was a house id just bought so is it right I had to pay that and if yes why? Thanks.

 

You should have only had to pay for 10 months; there is no way that you would only be liable for a half-year.

 

Council Tax runs on the financial year; April - April

[bp]

Hi don't know if you can help me but when I moved in to my house June 2003 I received my council tax bill and was told I had to pay for the full year because I couldnt just pay for half the year, but I cant see how thats right as I didnt live in the property 6 months previous so why did I have to pay for a year when it should of only been 6 months? I cant think it meant paying upfront as I had no debt as this was a house id just bought so is it right I had to pay that and if yes why? Thanks.

 

 

Hi, as said before, you should not be liable for this. Did you buy your house but didn't move in straight away? If so then yes, you would be responsible for it. however, there should be a discount either because the house was empty or if you were doing some refurbishment work on the house and it was uninhabitable then there should have been an exemption. if it was that you just bought your house and moved in straight away, you should only have to pay from the date of the completion of the sale not before. You should write to them, tell them that you were wrongly advised by one of their staff, request that the money which was overpaid be returned to you but include the property completion details as well.