Problems with the Council

nuclearcat

I have been paying £36 a month extra which I can barely afford - this is a 6 month arrangement instead of paying £216 all at once which I assume has been offered so that they hope I forget and then they can slap a load more fines on top for being a day late.

Anyway, there were 3 tenants in this house & the other 2 moved out at the end of January & I cleaned up a horrible mess which took a month and started to look for others because I'm quite sensitive about who I share with and I wanted to pick. But it turned out to be far harder than I thought it would be - I had one move in 5-3-09 and another sometime in May. The landlord wanted us to sign a joint tenancy but we insisted on individual contracts for our rooms because we didn't want to be jointly liable for someone else deciding screw it, I'm disappearing with rent arrears, so I had these guys in a house I have invested all my emotions into, with no contract. I have mental health problems (quite bad ones) & was praying for a washout summer but as soon as it got to August my health had fallen to pieces as I was suffering from chronic heat exhaustion with insomnia. I didn't get on with the first one at all - eventually he left, as did the other & the landlord knows the property market is going west & has decided to sell.

Which means over the year I've had zillions of recalculations from the Council on who owes what but, including some with negative financial figures on them, but eventually they sent a letter saying you and the first tenant owed £108 for April, but we've doubled it because we're annoyed. He's nowhere to be seen so presumably is hoping I will cover his !!!!. I have a good credit rating and I don't know for sure but since I am leaving this property soon if I just abandon it I assume the figure will just grow and grow and grow and end up in a CCJ which means it'll be hard to get any credit in the future. How do I convince them that this just isn't fair given how confusing all their bills have been, what with them changing every 5 minutes, there having been postal strikes in London etc. Or am I wasting my time trying to reason with the jobsworths? Or is it a citz advice one? Help please. Thanks?

DarkConvict

I'm not sure what to say on this, all tenants are jointly liable for the council tax whilst they stay there, but with so many coming and going, and you been on your own at one point so a 25% discount comes into force at times too.

The landlord could have managed this better and had CT included in the monthly rent, I would advise speaking to the council + your local county councillor and do get in touch with the citizens advice (CAB). They can't just double the amount for no reason. I think it would be fair to state that you have had multiple evaluations of the amount owed and they have differed so much you would like it worked out and a breakdown given to you, on the amount owed to this day.

Such as how much you owed in a month and how much you paid in a month.

Tixy

[Hi nuclear

Some of your post isn't very clear but I didn't want to read and run

QUOTE=nuclearcat;discussion/2034259]I have been paying £36 a month extra which I can barely afford - this is a 6 month arrangement instead of paying £216 all at once which I assume has been offered so that they hope I forget and then they can slap a load more fines on top for being a day late.

Usually a council will try to get you to pay any arrears before the end of the current year - which is the end of March - when did you extra £36 start? If its due to finish before March you could ask to spread it out until then. Are you paying the current ct bills over 10 months or 12? If paying over 10 ask if you can switch the remainder to be paid so its over 12 in total which will reduce your bill.

Anyway, there were 3 tenants in this house & the other 2 moved out at the end of January & I cleaned up a horrible mess which took a month and started to look for others because I'm quite sensitive about who I share with and I wanted to pick. But it turned out to be far harder than I thought it would be - I had one move in 5-3-09 and another sometime in May. The landlord wanted us to sign a joint tenancy but we insisted on individual contracts for our rooms because we didn't want to be jointly liable for someone else deciding screw it, I'm disappearing with rent arrears, so I had these guys in a house I have invested all my emotions into, with no contract. I have mental health problems (quite bad ones) & was praying for a washout summer but as soon as it got to August my health had fallen to pieces as I was suffering from chronic heat exhaustion with insomnia. I didn't get on with the first one at all - eventually he left, as did the other & the landlord knows the property market is going west & has decided to sell.
This shoulds like it has been tough for you - did you make sure you have claimed the 25% discount for the period you live alone.

Which means over the year I've had zillions of recalculations from the Council on who owes what but, including some with negative financial figures on them, but eventually they sent a letter saying you and the first tenant owed £108 for April, but we've doubled it because we're annoyed. He's nowhere to be seen so presumably is hoping I will cover his !!!!. I have a good credit rating and I don't know for sure but since I am leaving this property soon if I just abandon it I assume the figure will just grow and grow and grow and end up in a CCJ which means it'll be hard to get any credit in the future. How do I convince them that this just isn't fair given how confusing all their bills have been, what with them changing every 5 minutes, there having been postal strikes in London etc. Or am I wasting my time trying to reason with the jobsworths? Or is it a citz advice one? Help please. Thanks?

I know you are frustrated with them but it obviously didn't actually say this - what did it actually say?[/QUOTE]

Have you got copies of all the letters and assesments etc they have sent through to you - I think it would probably be a good idea to get someone to go through these all with you - perhaps CAB or if you have a family member or friend who is good with numbers and this sort of thing? You need to establish whether what they are billing you for is fair and compare it to how much has been paid.
Whatever you do don't just abandon the debt - council tax is a priority debt and they won't just forget it - you will end up in serious trouble - CCJs or worse if you ignore it.

Sometimes people are advised to speak to their local councillor to help reason with the ct department on your behalf to get a longer repayment plan.

Good luck

DarkConvict

NuclearCat, out of interest are you a student, as they no not have to pay council tax.
So if tenents have run up a bill you wouldn't be liable

STUDENTS

The 2003 Act also states that from 1 April 2004 students can no longer be joint and severally liable for Council Tax

http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/az/az_details_new?az_selected=129


Also, if you are suffering with mental health problems, the council should be more lenient in helping you. I found this

Just send a letter to the bailiffs informing them you are a vulnerable person under the "National Standards For Enforcement may 2002".

tallyhoh

Hi, Is this for rent or council tax?

DarkConvict

Which part?

woody01

Sounds like the council is being fair to me.
£36 per month, knowing how councils work, is very reasonable.

tallyhoh

DarkConvict wrote: »

Which part?

Sorry, all of it. I can't see where the calculations from the council mention whether they are for rent benefit or council tax.

DarkConvict

Look like all council tax to me

tallyhoh

DarkConvict wrote: »

Look like all council tax to me

I assumed it was but it doesnt actually say.

nuclearcat

I'm reliant on internet cafes at the moment. Whoever said the LL is an amateur is dead right. He was getting the letters from the council and not telling me that there was a problem/or forwarding them so when I found out the debt was quite big.

But I was on IS for some of it (no I'm not a student).

I'm good with numbers.

Acc 1: was alone, was on IS - not liable, payments were made and they won't give them back. Result = debts elsewhere, fees and charges.
Acc 2: 2 people, no connection, different rooms, different rent, moved in on different dates = HMO. LL has lied about a joint tenancy that doesn't exist & so they think we are liable. But ignore all correspondence. Further debt, ...
Acc 3: same story but worse.
Acc 4: I am liable and up to date.

I'm going to a lawyer today. LL is also trying to evict me whilst causing so many problems that I spend all my time sorting them out as opposed to flat hunting and this has been going on for 7 months now. He seems to think the worse he makes thinks the less I'll want to be there. That's true, but as someone says, I can't ignore the council tax problem and they are so useless that I'll likely lose the paper trail if I move out as well.

Phuq basically.