Notice before Proceedings

counciltaxer

I am being taken to court by croydon council for non payment of council tax and housing benefit overpayment, despite the fact I am paying my council tax and housing benefit by agreement of instalments.

Despite many calls to croydons customer services, who have admitted to me their payments and demands IT systems are not joined up, and speaking or emailing customer services, actually makes no difference to the system which issues demands for non payment.

Despite my many calls and emails, over the past 6 months, I am now being taken to court and I am at a loss to know what else to do.

I have offered to send all my receipts and statements, but to no avail.

I do not have the time for this as I am looking after my best friend who is suffering from cancer

please help

Anthillmob

if they aint listening then get down the CAB with your proof, receipts, copies of emails etc.

[Deleted User]

If you are paying as agreed,then personally i`d be inclined to let them take you to court and present the evidence to the court,if i was feeling cheeky i`d even be tempted to say "m`lord while we`re here im struggling with the repayments can we negotiate a reduction"

Rictina

Hi counciltaxer.

I know you say you have no time at the moment, but if I were you I would make an appointment to see someone at the Council, take all your paperwork, receipts, bank statements etc, & have it out with them face to face, you carnt beat it.

These people are just robots, they dont relise or care what they are doing to your feelings.

Best of luck.

Rictina.

Anthillmob

Rictina wrote: »

Hi counciltaxer.

I know you say you have no time at the moment, but if I were you I would make an appointment to see someone at the Council, take all your paperwork, receipts, bank statements etc, & have it out with them face to face, you carnt beat it.

These people are just robots, they dont relise or care what they are doing to your feelings.

Best of luck.

Rictina.

excuse me we are not robots, there is a very small minority that let those of us who want to help, down.

also consider the fact that a note has probably been passed to the assessors but it is caught up somewhere in the mountains of new claims and post that comes with them. times like these we are absolutely snowed under and some councils dont prioritise that well.

where i work we have designated officer at this moment in time to deal with new applications and what is classed as 'post'.

i work on the 'post team' and just deal with randome bits of information people send in for their claims or notes passed from customer services [who again ae not robots], the backlog on this is back to december 2008 and myself and the other 2 members of staff working on 'post' are working are !!!!!! off to get through what we can each day.

so please, we are not robotos, we are working as best and quickly as we can and unfortunately not one single claimant is more important than the rest and you will have to wait your turn unless you can proove its urgency.

and to just add to my moan, when you fill in a new app for HB OR CTB then for goodness sakes provide all your proofs/evidence with the claimn and then we can get it done that same day usually when we start dealing with it rather than have to ring you or write and ask that you provide X, Y, Z within 1 month and then your claim sits somewhere waiting over a month to be assessed.

Rictina

Anthillmob wrote: »

excuse me we are not robots, there is a very small minority that let those of us who want to help, down.

also consider the fact that a note has probably been passed to the assessors but it is caught up somewhere in the mountains of new claims and post that comes with them. times like these we are absolutely snowed under and some councils dont prioritise that well.

where i work we have designated officer at this moment in time to deal with new applications and what is classed as
'post'.

i work on the 'post team' and just deal with randome bits of information people send in for their claims or notes passed from customer services [who again ae not robots], the backlog on this is back to december 2008 and myself and the other 2 members of staff working on 'post' are working are !!!!!! off to get through what we can each day.

so please, we are not robotos, we are working as best and quickly as we can and unfortunately not one single claimant is more important than the rest and you will have to wait your turn unless you can proove its urgency.

and to just add to my moan, when you fill in a new app for HB OR CTB then for goodness sakes provide all your proofs/evidence with the claimn and then we can get it done that same day usually when we start dealing with it rather than have to ring you or write and ask that you provide X, Y, Z within 1 month and then your claim sits somewhere waiting over a month to be assessed.

Sorry, but its just the way the system makes you feel. Of course that is my personal opinion, not everyone has to agree with me.

Without predjudice.

Rictina.

hippy-chicy

Totally agree with you Anthillmob. Thats a very sweeping statement that has been made.

We to are in excatly the same situation with a backlog and we are working overtime every weekend to try and get it shifted. This is just the way it is at the moment all over the country.

Rictina

Why are you ganging up on me ?

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. To start with I was only trying to help someone out.

Personally, I have been through hell & back in the last 6 months. My Construction Company has been put into Administration, gone personally Bankrupt, lost my Range Rovers, BMW, family home, friends, life style etc.... Basically been stripped of everything I have ever worked for. Do you know what that feels like ???

I was just trying to help someone, as I sympathise with them.

Please try not to be judgmental of others, try to understand others needs.

I`m not saying that every single person who works in these Council departments are "Robots", just some appear to be that way. As it happens most of the workers in my Council area are very helpfull & polite. There is good & bad everywhere, as I`m sure you know yourself.

Please try to understand, unless your world is perfect.

Kind regards.

Rictina.

"Without Prejudice"

dmg24

Rictina wrote: »

Why are you ganging up on me ?

No one is 'ganging up' on you. However you were very rude. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but you may consider using some tact when posting something that is likely to offend many people.

Rictina wrote: »

Personally, I have been through hell & back in the last 6 months. My Construction Company has been put into Administration, gone personally Bankrupt, lost my Range Rovers, BMW, family home, friends, life style etc.... Basically been stripped of everything I have ever worked for. Do you know what that feels like ???

I am sure that we all have sympathy for the loss of your Range Rovers and your BMW. Poor thing.

Rictina wrote: »

"Without Prejudice"

Is there a reason why you keep writing that?

healy

dmg24 wrote: »

No one is 'ganging up' on you. However you were very rude. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but you may consider using some tact when posting something that is likely to offend many people.



I am sure that we all have sympathy for the loss of your Range Rovers and your BMW. Poor thing.



Is there a reason why you keep writing that?

I am wiping the tears away as I write just thinking of the sad loss of these much loved cars, please can we have moment of silence!

Good to see you about dmg, I hope you are ok.

Rictina

Hello all. ( Ill just wipe away the tears )

Personally, you are offending me. What would your children feel like for the loss of their family home which they grew up in, I dont think you have any idea. My 5 year old son had just settled into his new school & doesnt understand much about why we had to move house. My 14 year old daughter carnt stop crying, she feels ashamed & embarrased. You are being quite cruel.

If it wasnt for local goverments with all the bureaocracy, red tape, ranson strips, rules & regulations, then new houses would therefore be more affordable for everyone, especially first time buyers. If you must know in a previous development I succesfully completed, my Company gave a way 20% of the units, at 20% off the value of each unit, paid £70k towards a childrens play area the otherside of Town, & contributed £30k towards a new Cycle way to be built in the near future, all that was just to get Planning permission. I went to one Council meeting in the Town Hall & most of the members were falling asleep ! Now thats why I made the comment in the first place. Call me bit, rude, offending, call me what you like, but I do have reasoning behind it.

If you wish to continue to rub salt in my families wounds, just carry on.

BBFN.

Rictina, John, David & Hayley.