council tax arrears

littlespanner

I recieved a letter recently about council tax arrears, a liability order had been made out in my name saying i owed £***.**. WHAT ,rewind!! firstly i knew nothing about this debt so i contacted the local CT recovery department. They informed me the debt was from 01/04/2001 - 18/06/2001. I backtracked to then ,it was when my partner and me split up,fair enough it may not have been payed at that time but he checked before and after them dates and it was payed on time in full.I asked him why had it taken so long to be notified as i had no correspondance what so ever , no letters ,no court letter date or nothing. i still live at the same address so it wasn't because of that. he said after 2006 ,because of shortages of staff ,every arrear before then was sent to a debt recovery agency. AND. I'm now waiting for an appointment to clear this matter up with a council employee but i would like some advice on this as i feel i have been treated totally wrong. 7 years to finally contact me !!! must be a record!!:mad:

littlespanner

I recieved a letter recently about council tax arrears, a liability order had been made out in my name saying i owed £***.**. WHAT ,rewind!! firstly i knew nothing about this debt so i contacted the local CT recovery department. They informed me the debt was from 01/04/2001 - 18/06/2001. I backtracked to then ,it was when my partner and me split up,fair enough it may not have been payed at that time but he checked before and after them dates and it was payed on time in full.I asked him why had it taken so long to be notified as i had no correspondance what so ever , no letters ,no court letter date or nothing. i still live at the same address so it wasn't because of that. he said after 2006 ,because of shortages of staff ,every arrear before then was sent to a debt recovery agency. AND. I'm now waiting for an appointment to clear this matter up with a council employee but i would like some advice on this as i feel i have been treated totally wrong. 7 years to finally contact me !!! must be a record!!:mad:

VfM4meplse

I would contact the CAB for specific advice. I have empathy with you having been on the receiving end of total beaurocratic incompetence from my local council tax office.

PS Don't ever expect to have a call rtned from the council tax office. Chase them instead, in fact tell them they I have wasted your time and now you are returning the favour.

BYALPHAINDIA

Yes contact your local CIB, I'm afraid using the word 'Solicitor' doesn't make them scared anymore.

They don't mess about when they want your Council Tax.

Propose to them that you have 'limited' incomes and you will pay them 10.00 a week.

There's not much they can do, As you are on of thousands in the same boat.

Good Luck.

maninthestreet

littlespanner wrote: »

I recieved a letter recently about council tax arrears, a liability order had been made out in my name saying i owed £***.**. WHAT ,rewind!! firstly i knew nothing about this debt so i contacted the local CT recovery department. They informed me the debt was from 01/04/2001 - 18/06/2001. I backtracked to then ,it was when my partner and me split up,fair enough it may not have been payed at that time but he checked before and after them dates and it was payed on time in full.I asked him why had it taken so long to be notified as i had no correspondance what so ever , no letters ,no court letter date or nothing. i still live at the same address so it wasn't because of that. he said after 2006 ,because of shortages of staff ,every arrear before then was sent to a debt recovery agency. AND. I'm now waiting for an appointment to clear this matter up with a council employee but i would like some advice on this as i feel i have been treated totally wrong. 7 years to finally contact me !!! must be a record!!:mad:

Unless council tax is different, debts (apart from mortgage arrears) that have not been acknowledged for more than 6 years are not legally enforcable.

BYALPHAINDIA

You could have moved in the 7 years??

If you still have the envelope, Send it back = No Longer At This Address.

SaraSeahorse

http://www.helpwithdebt.org/debt-blog/20080729/the-limitation-act-1980-i-could-be-so-good-for-you/

"
Council Tax

The council should not go to the magistrates court and ask for a liability order for council tax if the application is made more than six years after the council tax became due. This is under Regulation 34(3) Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992.
Council tax appears to be “due” when the council sent a demand notice to you which may not be at the same time the council tax rate was set. It is important that you check when the demand was sent as this affects when the 6 year limitation period begins. You can also complain to the Local Government Ombudsman if the demand was not sent out “as soon as practicable” after the rate was set.
"