Council Tax Fine do I have to pay it?

DjP

Hello all.

I think I already know the answer to this question but here goes anyway:

I received a reminder to pay my council tax. It said that I needed to pay within 7 days or lose the right to pay by instalments, and if I fail to pay in a further 7 days than legal action will be taken against me, and I will have to pay further costs.

I got this missive (date of issue) 23/04/09

Unfortunately my father has just died and I haven’t been in my flat to deal with things like this. I realise this is not the government’s responsibility, to find out where I am and hand deliver the letter. But I missed those deadlines.

I heard no more from the Tower Hamlets. But I paid the full amount on 20/05/09. So late.

I thought that would be it.

But I have since got a letter dated 22/05/09, saying that although I have paid the original amount, I owed a further £75. Which as a summons has been issued, this amount has been levied on my account. And I must pay this before 13th June to avoid further action.

So my question ... is this fair?

I think the answer is probably going to be yes.

I paid £796.90.

I live in a smallish one bedroom flat.

By myself.

And I earn much less than £16,000.

Does that mean they owe me money?

And they have a year’s money so surely they will make extra on the interest.

Is there any way to argue out of this fine?

And is it boorish to mention the unfair bank fines?

I had to borrow deeply to pay the almost £800 I have paid. And I feel sick that I now have to find another £75.

Thanks for reading any help would be most appreciated,

Thanks
x

BlameTheGame

I dont know where in the country you are living but you should get a 50% discount on your council tax for living in the flat on your own. Where i live thats about 450 quid for Band A annually.

If youve had this discount and you still failed to pay then you need to pay the fine.

pinksleepybear

It's 25% discount, not 50%

DjP

Hi,

Tower Hamlets

I can't see where it says what band or discounts I have got.

I will look again x

DjP

Tax Band C

£1062.53

I did get a singles persons discount so 'saved' £265.63

Do low earners get more off?

I think I read somewhere that if you earn (your household) less than £16,000 then you do. Well I'm on far less.

thanks for the help so far x

pineapple123

The answer is yes Im afraid you will have to pay, I have had it happen to me and apparently once they issue a summons thay are unable to stop you being charged, though you do not have to go to court if you pay your 'fine'.
I think its really unfair as my local council are very hard about this and pride themselves on collecting nearly all there council tax every year on time regardless of indiviuals circumstances.
I was so annoyed at being fined that I left it to the last day possible (friday afternoon) then paid them out from my copper jar in mixed bags which did not impress them, and I know it's childish but they are really unhelpful and unsympathetic.
Now I pay by standing order as I feel they get enough of are hard earned money without raking in more.

Poppy9

You could ask the council if you can pay this £75 over 2 or 3 months. Just be honest and write a nice letter explaining that your father was ill/died hence the delay in paying original bill etc. and that you just don't have £75 at present to pay this in one go.

Close your letter with something like

"I apologise again for the delay in the original payment, but as you can see it was due to exceptional circumstance. I would appreciate if you would consider my request to pay the outstanding amount in installments".



It will only cost you a stamp and unlike a phone call you won't get upset and get annoyed and annoy the person you are calling.

Valli

BlameTheGame wrote: »

I dont know where in the country you are living but you should get a 50% discount on your council tax for living in the flat on your own. Where i live thats about 450 quid for Band A annually.

If youve had this discount and you still failed to pay then you need to pay the fine.

No 25%

Under the circumstances OP - ie you were not at home because you were dealing with father's illness?/death I would write to them, outlining your reasons for missing the bill payment and send a copy of death cert. as proof. They might have a heart!

There should be a total amount eg £1000 then a credit shown ie -£250 single occupancy discount.

Sorry for your loss.

PS leave the interest out of BTW - it's already cost them more chasing up payments...

lincroft1710

It is doubtful if council will be sympathetic despite the sad circumstances. They're more likely to suggest you should pay by direct debit, then you don't have to remember to pay every month. Regrettably councils hear "sob stories" all the time from non genuine as well as genuine people, so they are inclined to take hard line. However it is probably still worth writing.

I think you will find that £75 is what court charges council to levy summons, although it may be less and total includes council's admin charge.

CIS

The cases charged for the cost of the Summons are legally enforceable in themselves (they are not fines as a fine can only be issued by the magistrate after the Liability Order has been given) and the Liability Order (and any extra cost) can be awarded against the cost of the summons.

Some council's will withdraw the costs (we will in out authority, based on circumstances) if you ask but there is no legal requirement to.

DjP

Hi,

A quick update, and another querry ... this time I think I may be in the right, where as last time I thought I might be in the wrong ...

I'm bouncing around (ie not staying at my home all that much) as a result of the afformentioned death in the family.

Well ... the letter (dated 22nd May 2009) said that I had paid my council tax, but still needed to pay £75 (which had been levied on the account, as a summons had been issued). The letter goes on to say, 'This must be paid before 13th June 2009 to avoid further action'.

Like I said I'm bouncing around, so not yet dealt with it.

But today I found a letter dated 10/06/2009.

I say letter but it's actually a 'Notice of libility order', it goes onto say, 'on 08/06/2009 Thames Magistrates' Court issued a libility order against you for not paying your Council Tax. You must pay £95 within 14 days'

Now that can't be right can it. They have added £20 onto the bill. And anyway I paid my council tax, it was just the summons I didn't pay, as I wasn't told about it before this. But the dates ... they said I have until 13/06/09 to avoid further action. Yet on 08/06/09 they took further action.

What should I do?

And why have they done this.

Can I charge them £95 for misleading information ... mmm worth a try.

Surely I don't have to pay the extra £20?

Thanks again for any help you can give,

x