council tax?

**purpleprincess**

They must be! It's not the norm though to be that soft! £85 court fee at my local council applies from the date the summons is issued, irrelevant of whether you pay it in full before the court date, so it then becomes the balance due plus £85.

**purpleprincess**

We don't have summons costs and liability order costs, we have straight summons costs at £85.

The key is however to get in touch with the office with statement of income and outgoings and ask to pay over 12 months for this year only and say that you'd be willing to pay it by DD. But next financial year you'll have to pay it over 10 months like everyone else.

THE_LONE_RANGER_4

stone the crows £85,00 bloody quid the fees only apply if you go to court here arnt the councillors down to deciding things like when to go to court and setting fees,there was a big stink a few years ago when ours wrote off poll tax that was not paid ,also ours dont call in balliffs if your employed and it goes to court they apply for attchment of earnings councillors said they didnt like the idea of balliffs when an attchment of earnings could be done

THE_LONE_RANGER_4

just checked ours is £35,00 summons cost if you pay before court date you can deduct the summons cost these type of things are decided by local councillors ive just been told

moneymare

We check with the Magistrates Courts - as long as they deem costs to be reasonable, we are ok

**purpleprincess**

Yes the councillors do decide, and our magistrates court deemed that £85 was reasonable, hence our costs being £85. It is different country-wide, I know of some councils just charging £30 right up to others charging £100. The main point is to contact the local authority in the first instance to prevent getting any kind of summons costs!

THE_LONE_RANGER_4

oh yes ,just said what i did in my area im sure if they approach the council they will allow more time it was just an option sailing close to the wind i know but anything to survive and get through it