Help to solve council tax problems

ninulya

Hi.
I really need your advice not judgement.
My story is very complicated but to cut it short I just say that over a period of 1,5 year 2006-08 we didn't pay council tax. The reasons are I didn't work as I was pregnant and later had to look after young child. My husband is self-employed and those days he had lots of time off work. We didn't apply for any council tax or housing benefits, tried to keep up with rent. It was difficult time.
Later we moved to a different property and now council reffered us to bailifs. Lots of mail and home visits now. There is a probably a huge ammount to pay if you add all additional charges and fees.
Currently I work part time and my OH is out of contract right now.
I will apreciate any advice. Thanks

lincroft1710

How much do you owe in total? If you have ignored the council's letters, it is probably too late to come to some arrangement about a payment plan. I think it may be too late to apply for retrospective benefit.

There is a poster on here CIS who works in Council Tax he may be able to help.

CHW

My initial thoughts on this are to request an attachment of earnings order on yourself (presuming you are back at work). I'd ring the Council concerned and push heavily for this- it allows the payments to be made via deductions from your salary and will be less painful than any bailiff payment schedule. Remember to ask for a supervisor if necessary and be pushy but polite and honest- remember just how many people the Council will deal with in this type of scenario...but the decision to recall it, does remain with a person, and probably the person you are speaking to.

If the bailiffs are commercial (I assume they are) they are not to be messed with.

Bailiffs are a last resort generally but remember that they are not there to uplift particularly but rather to coerce payment on the threat of uplift. What is fairly standard in these type of cases is to agree a lump sum payment, followed by a payment schedule alongside a walking possession order- this is where a bailiff will take an inventory of goods- and only uplift if the payments are not kept to- be wary here though, a bailiff can break down your door to enforce a walking posession order, although has no right of entry in the 1st place.. also be aware of a bailiff levying on a vehicle- he does not need entry to do this.

harryhound

Is not paying council tax potentially criminal ?

CHW

Ultimate penalty is commital to prison. So effectively- Yes!

In reality it's rarely used

CIS

You can be convicted and jailed for council tax non payment as an ultimate sanction but even in the cases that go back in front of a magistrate for committal its only a very very small % that get jailed.

Whether an AOE is considered depends on the size of the debt and your wages (gross less tax and NI). What sort of figures are you looking at for wages and the arrears ?

There is also the question of how many liability orders have been issued - if there's more than one then up to 2 AOE orders can be issued at the same time.