Council tax: Removal of goods notice

stx

Hi Folks,

Firstly I hope this is the right section to be posting this in, if not I do apologise.

I recently had let out my flat and the tenant left abrubtly without cancelling the tenancy agreement or paying many of the overdue bills. I have started sorting out the flat and while checking thru the mail I noticed a hand delivered removal of goods notice from the council's baliff's stating that they want full payment in 24 hours and that they will be re-attending my address and may remove goods even in my absence.

The property is a conversion where I own the ground floor and share an entrance and the other owners (first floor) have let them in the main door but they have not stepped inside my flat (we have seperate doors after the main door): does this count as entering the property ? Can they break down my door if they have already gained entrance to the main door?

Obviously I do not want this as its not my debt to begin with so I was wondering is this even legal ? can they simply go in and remove goods when I am not there ? I thought they had to be let in by someone.

Thanks, appreciate your time.

AGB863

As long as the tenants were registered with the local authority for council tax, there is no problem as they were liable for the bill. If that is the case you need to notify the council tax office saying that you had rented out the property and that the tenants have "done a bunk".

If they were not registered, do you have a signed tenancy agreement showing who they were? As you may be able to show this to the taxation office to try and get the bill squashed.

stx

Hiya,
Thanks for your reply

Yeap the removal of goods notice is in their name, but as I work I am not able to be in at the property during the day and only have been visiting it to do some work to it and get it back on the market. What I am worried about is the baillifs getting a bit over zealous and taking whats left in the flat which actually belongs to me as the notice says they will be back within 24 hours and I won't be able to be there and the earliest I can telephone the council is late afternoon due to shift work