Some advice on council tax arrears from 7 years ago

alteredstate

Evening everyone
I would appreciate it if some one could give me some advice on a situation I am currently in.

7 years ago I left my Ex Husband and moved into a flat of my own. We had bought a house together previously but unfortunately the house was repossessed after I left, as he was useless with money. I have paid my own council tax in full every year and since re married. We have no debts apart from mortgage.

Tonight I received a phone call from my mother to say a letter had tuned up at her house (I have never lived at the house my mum and dad live in now so god knows why the letter when there) addressed to me and my Ex Husband she had taken the liberty of opening the letter and the below is what she has told me is written.

Dear Mrs &Mrs xxx

The is an outstanding balance of £660.05p owing on your account (number 12344566777) For Previous address from 7 years ago

THE AMOUNT MUST BE PAID WITHIN THE NEXT 14 DAYS

There was also a form which had a Council Tax Liability request for info form.

My problem is that it does not state any dates so I have no idea when this is from. I am also worried that if it is found to be from a time when I actually lived there will I have to pay it all as my ex has disappeared. It took me 3 years to get a divorce as we could not find him and his mother would not let us know where he had moved too.

Any help or advice would be really appreciated

Thanks for reading

lincroft1710

As husband and wife you were jointly and severally liable for Council Tax for any property you occupied, so council can legally chase you for the money owed if they can't find your ex.

Contact council asap as you will need to agree payment plan and also to find out how this debt occurred and relevant dates. There has no doubt been previous correspondence sent to your or your ex's former address.

alteredstate

The only thing that gets me is when I moved in to my flat I told them my previous address and they never mentioned any debts,but now 7 years on here i am.

monstermoo

Are your adresses under the same Council-daft question I know, but some ppl don't know they maybe under a different jurisdication.

You should ask them why they ended your old account. You would think some stated why they did it-there must be some reason

lincroft1710

I agree this is an unusual situation especially as the debt seems to have occurred before you left the marital home. But it could have occurred whilst the house was being repossessed.

harryhound

Is there any statute of limitations on Council Tax?
If there is don't acknowledge it in any way.
An old debt is a bad debt.

CIS

If the Liability Order was granted within 6 years of the amount becoming due then the Liability Order stands as long as the debt exists. If the Liability Order was not obtained within 6 years of the debt becoming due a Liability Order could no be granted.

In this case it looks the order was granted legally but you can contact the council to confirm dates.

alteredstate

monstermoo wrote: »

Are your addresses under the same Council-daft question I know, but some ppl don't know they maybe under a different jurisdiction.

You should ask them why they ended your old account. You would think some stated why they did it-there must be some reason

My addresses are under the same council and I still am now.

I just want to call them to see when this was from and what they have done to find my ex but as the office is closed till Monday. I am in limbo.

One of the reasons I left him was that I found out he ran up loads of debts and I could not cope with all the lies. I left and spent a good few years paying off debts that I had no involvement in but due to us being married I was liable too.
I feel angry that because I didn't run away they could only find me and due to this he could just disappeared.
Now 7 years on I have a wonderful life, new husband 2 kids, own my own home and have no debts and this happens. I just know that now my husband and family will have to go without our holiday this year so we can pay this debt off fully and it is not fair.

I would gladly pay half the debt if it is found to be from a time I was living there, but I know that as soon as I make contact they will just concentrate on me and forget my ex like all the other companies.
Sorry for the moan as you can probably tell I am really upset about this whole situation.

CHW

You need to confirm liability date here.

Once you left the marital home, if your husband remained there, you would be removed from the Council Tax bill at that point- If you are at the same council- the relevant date will prob be the date you became registered at your forwarding address.

If your husband subsequently left the marital home, as joint owners you would become jointly liable until the date of posession following the date he left, if the property attracted a charge during the empty period prior to possession you would be jointly liable for it.

It sounds as though you have probably incurred costs here too- requests for information cannot be sent out without a liability order, you can appeal this based on the fact that you have never received any bills, reminders, final notices, or summons etc- they will have been issued, but possibly to your husband's address. They can always say no, but it's worth a go.

It sounds to me like the letter sent out is a fishing letter sent to a known contact, in the hope that you bite-

Once again- you need to confirm dates of liabilty, and confirm where you were living (and therefore paying CT, at the time)

harryhound

Councils are pathetic - I have spent a lot of effort with council and police trying to close down a dead letter box used for fraud.
(ie you register at a gutted shack and get yourself on the voters register - you borrow money and the demands for repayment go to a post box screwed to the tree next to the broken down front gate - you can run a Ponzi scheme for years like that).

Must remember to check if the voters register has been corrected when I go to vote on election day as the dead letter box appears to be derelict now.