Help - Council Tax rights

Rate_Tart

Hi,

I bought a house in Oct 09 and contacted the local council at the time to sort out my Council Tax. After receving nothing in the post, I contacted them again in Dec and their response was: "We still have a systems fault which isn't yet rectified so cannot bill you. We advise you keep the money aside and get back in touch if you don't hear from us by March". My question is can they do this? I am obviously required by law to pay Council Tax but a) they are not billing me and b) when I contact them they are advising me they can't bill me & I can't make payments yet! Just wondered if there is some legality / consumer right / small print that means I don't have to pay if they're making it impossible to pay!!

Thanks in advance

dmg24

They have advised you that you are liable, so irrespective of the payment date, you will have to pay. Put the money into a short notice, high interest account until you hear from them.

RobertoMoir

Rate_Tart wrote: »

Hi,

I bought a house in Oct 09 and contacted the local council at the time to sort out my Council Tax. After receving nothing in the post, I contacted them again in Dec and their response was: "We still have a systems fault which isn't yet rectified so cannot bill you. We advise you keep the money aside and get back in touch if you don't hear from us by March". My question is can they do this? I am obviously required by law to pay Council Tax but a) they are not billing me and b) when I contact them they are advising me they can't bill me & I can't make payments yet! Just wondered if there is some legality / consumer right / small print that means I don't have to pay if they're making it impossible to pay!!

Thanks in advance

Well keep in mind it isn't a bill, it's a tax. It's not like buying spuds and finding the shop under-charged you.

They are not making it "impossible to pay" - they have plenty of time to send you a demand and when that arrives you will certainly be able to pay. If you are concerned about how inefficient they are and how this will affect your household budgeting (certainly a very reasonable point) then you should contact your local councillor. I bet they will get to the bottom of it quickly enough.

Rate_Tart

Thanks for such prompt responses, always worth a try. When they do finally get their backsides into gear I'm certainly going to ask them to split the arrears across the remaining months, might as well hang onto the cash in that savings account as long as possible.

Hintza

dmg24 wrote: »

high interest account until you hear from them.

We don't have those anymore.....:)

hippey

They may well now put the amount owing on to next years bill.

CIS

In my dept we would have created a 'temporary banding' which would allow council tax to be paid whilst it was waiting for an official banding however this has now stopped and the Valuation Office have advised that few authorities now create temporary bandings.

Has the property been officially banded by the VOA ?, if not then the council are under no requirement to create a council tax account as its not legally a property for council tax purposes. Check your address here - www.voa.gov.uk and see if it has been banded. The council have no say at all over the banding.

Freddie_Snowbits

It took a visit from the VOA to get ours sorted when we moved, wrong banding etc. But put the money into the mattrass until the bill arrives. Also, if you moved district, you are also allowed to pay in installments, so demand that as well.

Q How many council workers does it take to grit the roads?
A None, they cannot be bothered in my parish

CIS

Also, if you moved district, you are also allowed to pay in installments, so demand that as well.

Moving districts/councils has no effect on whether you are entitled to instalments. The right to instalments depends on when the actual demand notice is issued.

garyd

Do please put a reasonable amount of money aside!
I have an ongoing situation with my council and due to their incompetence (true) since August I have been waiting for a bill. They have now billed me for £1200 due in two installments by March. Foolishly I haven't got the money and am beside myself as to what will happen. I can only beg for the payment to be spread over the next year else...well, I don't know really!
Please, please take this as a friendly warning.
We know we must pay it and I should have set aside some funds for when they sorted themselves out!
You don't want to be feeling like I am at the moment.