Sudden Council Tax

BitterAndTwisted

No, they won't. All Council Tax staged payments need to be made by 1st of January. As PasturesNew explained we make 10 equal payments from April to January with no payments in February and March. This means the Council Tax people will be concentrating their efforts in chasing any unpaid C Tax between now and the end of March before the first instalment for the C Tax year starts again on the 1st of April.

Council tax is a priority payment which needs to be paid BEFORE any other bills, including utilities.

PasturesNew

It's nearly New Year's Eve ... might not be too late to find somebody willing to pay an arm and a leg for last minute babysitting.... although I've no idea how much rates are. And if you say "well, I was going out boozing myself", then I'd say "and there's another bunch of money saved to pay it"

Esqulax

Ok, never realised how relentless they could be!
Well as the letter says, i have till the 5th.. i get paid on the 30th, so i'll withdraw the offending amount and hide it in my spare bank account and pay straight from there.

Nah, i dont go out boozing anymore, waste of money really

Just as i was getting everything back on track aswell
Ah well, Its a new challenge!

caeler

I suggest you give them a call and see what they can organise for you. I usually pay over 10 months but moved midway through the year and after the time it took them to recalcuate the payment I'm making an extra one in Feb so they might accept you paying them up until March, then going straight on to next years in April. Good Luck.

RobertoMoir

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Council tax is a priority payment which needs to be paid BEFORE any other bills, including utilities.

This is true. Council Tax is a debt that can (in theory, its not "easy" in practice) get you sent to jail for non payment. It's probably unique in that quality in anyone's list of normal household bills, and as such absolutely needs to be considered a priority payment.

Having said that, Esqulax, most councils in my experience will accept a payment plan, however they will probably want it cleared up for April (which is still much better than "pay it all now!") and you will need to stick to this religiously or they will apply to a magistrates court for a liability order, which will cost more money and enable them to place the debt with bailiffs and other fun people who (with the exception of charming exceptions such as myself obviously) you're probably better off not dealing with if you don't have to.

For future reference, council tax is a tax on you at the property you currently live at (e.g. it's not a tax on the property that a previous resident could have paid off for the year or whatever, nor can it not be due because you already paid at another address) - if you haven't paid it then please assume that means it hasn't been paid at all and deal with it sooner rather than later.

CIS

TBH if you came in to the authority I work in then (I work in council tax recovery), as the court summons hasn't been granted, providing that you made payments of say #120 p/m for jan feb and mar then I would allow the remaining balance to be spread alongside next yrs charge.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Esqulax wrote: »

Ok, never realised how relentless they could be!
Well as the letter says, i have till the 5th.. i get paid on the 30th, so i'll withdraw the offending amount and hide it in my spare bank account and pay straight from there.

Nah, i dont go out boozing anymore, waste of money really

Just as i was getting everything back on track aswell
Ah well, Its a new challenge!

You have until about a couple of minutes before it goes in front of the judge to pay it if you can run from the council offices to the court in time holding the receipt...

1984ReturnsForReal_2

RobertoMoir wrote: »

Having said that, Esqulax, most councils in my experience will accept a payment plan, however they will probably want it cleared up for April (which is still much better than "pay it all now!")

Stratford (Warwickshire) take people to court after 2 reminders & get judgement for the full amount.

Esqulax

I'll do that in the morning.. they're open at 8.

On a side note... they dont care if its tight..if i pay it and cant afford my rent.. ill be out on my ear anyway, and so dont need to pay it...

idle thought!

Ok, so the plan is.. phone them tomorrow and explain the situ, fully expecting them to say 'computer says no'. come the new year, upon getting paid, clear it, then pick up the mess after that

1984ReturnsForReal - I mean i get paid 30th of this month i.e 2 days time

1984ReturnsForReal_2

I know what you mean.

It doesnt really matter what the letter says... So long as the money is paid to the council by the time it goes in front of a judge you are fine...

The earliest court date will be mid to end of Jan or even Feb.