Council Tax - Court Summons

Quentin · 14 June 2008 at 12:30PM

You can return the form which accompanied the summons accepting the debt is owed.

This will avoid you attending court.

CIS · 14 June 2008 at 12:33PM

At the court you literally just see a council officer at a desk - the magistrate remains in the court room and you don't go in unless you want to dispute your liability - you're not so there is no reason to go in to the actual court.

If you ring up on Monday and offer to make monthly payments until the year end then their shouldn't be a problem , especially on direct debit. I would certainly accept an offer of payment from one our charge payers if it could be cleared by the year end,

ell1es · 14 June 2008 at 12:49PM

Will let you know what happens on Monday....Thankyou CIS & Quentin x

hodgester · 16 June 2008 at 12:48AM

ell1es wrote: »

Thanks for that, does going to court mean that it would/wouldn't be like a tv courtroom scene? It says if we believe that we have a valid reason (debt & struggling-does that count) that we don't have to attend. What do you think I should say when I ring up on Monday? Sorry for being a pain...I am stressed!!

Do not turn up at Court. Financial hardship is not a valid defence. You should only attend court if you are certain that you a) are not the liable person for the amount owing on the summons or b) you have proof that the debt is paid and the council do not accept it. Whilst most magistrates are buffoons, clerks of the court tend to give very short thrift to tales of hardship. You can save yourself a lot of stress and potential embarrassment by staying away!

ell1es · 16 June 2008 at 4:42PM

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!!
After stressing all weekend and today, I rang up after work, the woman was nice as pie as I said I had sent my DD form off, she took details again and is going to work out amount owing when the amount we paid on Sat comes out, and she offered me the 2 extra months up to March to catch up!!!

So thanks again xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

:beer: Have one on me!!

hardcore · 13 February 2009 at 9:47AM

5 months ago i recieved a letter from the council saying that i owned them some money as i had been claiming as a single parent from the date which i moved into my property when i was not. so i decided to call them up to find out what was going on as i had only claimed as a single parent for one week rather that the 6 months they were refering to. as they were no help over the phone i decided to go down to the council office and speak to them face to face taking with my all of the revelent documentation and it was cleared up there and then. however yesterday i recieved another letter saying that i owed the council £204.46 which is two months council tax. so once again i called up the council and asked why that was. in reply i got told that they sent out a new booklet for me in the novemeber saying that i my council tax was £170 in the december and then £169 from then on. i told them that i was only due to pay £100 a month as that is what my booklet told me to pay they refused to believe me that the booklet which i had infront of me was true as it was not on there system and that i had indead recieved the new booklet which i had never been posted. they told me that unless i paid them the money in full in 3 days time which was when this payment was due i would be taken to court. however i cannont affort an extra £100 this month.

SalPot · 15 March 2010 at 11:24AM

Hi
I received a court summons on Saturday 13th March, they want £402.00 plus £46 for costs. Its for the current year 01 April 2009- 31 March 2010. I have already called and requested some kind of payment arrangement when we had a red letter reminder through but the lady said I had to pay it (£402) in one go or in 2 instalments both of which we cant afford having so many debts at the moment. I am going to call them today having now got this summons letter and ask the same question. If they want to get paid we will have to come to a better, cheaper arrangement but they need the money before the year end so am I right in thinking it cant be resolved? and am I also right in thinking they wont incorporate what we owe with the next financial years ( 01 April 2010) council tax, so that we pay a little more than previously i.e £89 (what we paid before a month for council tax) plus a manageable monthly instalment, clearing the arrears? I am so worried coz they are stubborn.. how can I pay them if I havent got it?

The reason we're in this mess is we missed a payment as theyd cancelled our DD I then went in in person to pay it and set up DD again that was Nov. They told me we could start paying again from Dec or Jan well coz of Christmas we said Jan please. So Dec wasnt taken and unfortunately we missed Jans so they said well you havent paid us since Nov I said well we've only missed one payment coz you said we could have Dec off! She said, "we wouldnt have said that at all" lying gits. Im not even sure if they have set the DD up come to think of it.. anyways so now I am here. Any advice?

MPH80 · 15 March 2010 at 1:07PM

I had to pay it (£402) in one go or in 2 instalments both of which we cant afford having so many debts at the moment.

Your council tax is a priority - like your mortgage or your rent - all other debts come behind it.

Reason: you can be fined or go to jail for non payment.

So put your other debts to one side, let them screw over your credit rating, and sort out your council tax.

She said, "we wouldnt have said that at all" lying gits.

I suspect what they asked you was more along the lines of "would you like the direct debit to restart in December or January?" that's not the same as having a month off ... I would be exceptionally surprised if they said "hey - have a month free of payment on us".

M.

John_Pierpoint · 15 March 2010 at 1:55PM

You might want to prepare a statement of affairs and a budget to see if the three of you are ever going to get out of your debts, by muddling along. There is no point in getting into ever deeper debt.

You would find a more sympathetic audience on the debt free wannabe part of the forum;
the rest of us on here have to pay our taxes on time or get fined.

lendusaquid1 · 16 March 2010 at 1:24PM

If they give you an order then you give them a bill!!.Just make sure its more than what they want, and make sure they pay first.

You could also agree to pay on condition that they show you the contract which must include the signature of both parties.

Council Tax - Court Summons

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