I am Hacked off.........

bathgatebuyer

I'm just having a rant but I am constantly fed up with the incompetence of others causing me stress.

4 years ago, I was up to my knees in about £34K worth of debt. I was acting as a carer for someone and had no income. 4 years later, my debts are down to a few thousand, and I'm well on the way to being debt-free within 12 months :j

Anyhow, last month I got a bill for unpaid council tax from 06/07 despite never having been advised. I got a '14 day final notice' threatening summary warrant in the event of non-payment of the £470. I have tried phoning the Council number and could not get through.

So, I asked my local councillor (who is a friend) to use one of her contacts in the council to find out what is happening and obtain a Statement of Account. Today I found out that they are alleging £200 worth of arrears from 2004/05 which - "due to staff shortages" - they have not pursued until now.

What?!:mad: Any time I received a bill, I pay it. As no bill has ever been sent, how the hell are we meant to know what we owe or not?

Needless to say, this has now turned into a formal complaint about the shambles that is the Council Tax department. I'm livid that 4 years down the line - and only by me instigating a request for a Statement of Account through my Local Councillor - do they actually tell me what is owed from previous years.

1 step forward and 9 back. I am very angry at the moment as I now have to find more money to pay debts that I should have been told about a long time ago. Maybe if they knew how to collect council tax they would not have 'staff shortages'. :rolleyes:

Thankfully it's the weekend coming up, and I'm going to the gym to batter the hell out of a punchbag.

Uniscots97

Judging by your name I think you live in same area as me, in fact we live quite close. If its council taken from your name I can sympathise, they aren't the best. can you not go see them? I've PM'd you hope you don't mind.

wanttobeasaver

Bathgater...............thats awful i hate that when that happens:mad: :mad:

Surely you wont have to pay it as tghey should have let you know.........

Take it to the local press............:p

whitewing

Oh, I quite agree. It's so horrible to be trying so hard and then have nasty surprises like this. If it's any consolation, I am finding the nasty surprises fewer and further between since I joined MSE and got to grips with budgeting. But it does still make me want to give up completely, if it comes to anything unscheduled above about a fiver.

We'll get there. Have a nice weekend anyway.

twirlypinky

I think most council tax places are useless, regardless of where. I've been trying to get a balance owed from my old council for two weeks now, using the email facility on their website. It's hard for me to phone because of where I work. No response, ever. It's driving me insane.

Also, I'm with you on the shocking bill too, I'd just paid off loads of overdraft, and then reduced my limit, when British Gas hit me with a £400 i was expecting to be about £50. Not happy!

moneymare

bathgatebuyer wrote: »

I'm just having a rant but I am constantly fed up with the incompetence of others causing me stress.

Anyhow, last month I got a bill for unpaid council tax from 06/07 despite never having been advised. I got a '14 day final notice' threatening summary warrant in the event of non-payment of the £470. I have tried phoning the Council number and could not get through.

So, I asked my local councillor (who is a friend) to use one of her contacts in the council to find out what is happening and obtain a Statement of Account. Today I found out that they are alleging £200 worth of arrears from 2004/05 which - "due to staff shortages" - they have not pursued until now.

What?!:mad: Any time I received a bill, I pay it. As no bill has ever been sent, how the hell are we meant to know what we owe or not?

Needless to say, this has now turned into a formal complaint about the shambles that is the Council Tax department. I'm livid that 4 years down the line - and only by me instigating a request for a Statement of Account through my Local Councillor - do they actually tell me what is owed from previous years.

1 step forward and 9 back. I am very angry at the moment as I now have to find more money to pay debts that I should have been told about a long time ago. Maybe if they knew how to collect council tax they would not have 'staff shortages'. :rolleyes:

Thankfully it's the weekend coming up, and I'm going to the gym to batter the hell out of a punchbag.

On our annual Council Tax bill, it clearly states at the bottom as to whether there are any arrears outstanding from earlier financial years. Whether your local authority do the same, I am not sure an it will also depend on whether you have moved house in that time and been given a new account number.

So, for example, on the 2008/09 bill issued in March 2008 it would state at the bottom of the bill......Please note that there remains an outstanding balance of xxxx from earlier Financial Years. Please contact the Recovery Section on xxxxx xxxxxxxx to discuss.

bathgatebuyer

No, nothing on the invoices advising of previous years arrears. If I knew there were arrears from previous years, I would have made good as my career relies upon me having a clear credit record.

I'm so hacked off right now. I despise this.

Ames

You have my sympathies, my council are useless too. Although it was made worse by CAB making me sort out a deduction from my IS because 'you could go to prison if you don't pay' even though it was in dispute because I didn't owe it!

I'm so glad that right now I'm on full CT benefit, I don't know how I'd cope with their incompetence otherwise!

RAS

What about making a formal complaint and suggestign that you will contact the Local Authority Ombudsman unless they sort this out without going all legal?

bathgatebuyer

My local Councillor has sent a complaint to the Leader of the Council which will be followed up by a complaint to the Local Govt Ombudsman if required. I don't mind paying what I'm due, but I do expect to be told about it in something less than 4 years later!

What I really object to is the complete disturbance to someone's life. You get things settled, get a budget together, struggle by from month to month to get out of debt and then something comes along like this. I just feel as if I'm constantly having to worry about where I'm going to find money for this or that - it's a constant weight around my neck. At times in the past I've had crippling panic attacks with worrying about money and I hate the fact that something like this can come out the blue and undo all the good damage I've done of trying to get my life back on track again.

whitewing

bathgatebuyer wrote: »

I just feel as if I'm constantly having to worry about where I'm going to find money for this or that - it's a constant weight around my neck. At times in the past I've had crippling panic attacks with worrying about money and I hate the fact that something like this can come out the blue and undo all the good damage I've done of trying to get my life back on track again.

You are not alone with that feeling, although I haven't quite got so bad I've had full blown panic attacks. Don't give up, though. It does get better and more manageable (very) eventually. And sometimes, as things get better, you will occasionally get the odd nice surprise.