Council Tax Help?

Scoflo

Please help me help my daughter. This is a duplicate post as no-one has read the other and I think it might be in the wrong place? I have reported it as spam to get it removed.

K & J lived in London & rented a furnished flat for £950 a month. This was rent, council tax and electricity inclusive.

Last February J work dried up and K wasn't working so claimed JSA & all that goes with it. After a period of time started to get word about council tax/council tax benefit so advised it was all in.(Bit woolly about this as I wasn't involved) Lots of communication back & forth until they moved up to Scotland to live with me in April. It wasn't sorted out.

Moved to a flat here in Scotland still trying to sort it out. Letters started to arrive here as they had notified change of address & they were making demands for money.

After several phone calls it seemed the whole block was owned by the same landlord and it was the 1st floor flat they were being charged for. They were in the ground floor flat. The council asked for a floor plan which was duly done. Nothing has come to this address since certainly October last year and it seemed to have been fixed.

Today brought a signed for a recorded delivery letter which on opening is a final notice, bailiff removal, goods etc to the sum of £635.45.

K & J are desperate. Worried about bailiffs, the link to my address and probably that I will stop supporting them (I help financially as J still hasn't found work and K is at college).

I have reassured them bailiffs don't exist in Scotland, it's Shefriff Officers & Messengers at Arms. I don't think they can remove goods and certainly not from my address. I have told them to write to the council ststing they are using the wrong address and asking at what stage they are with confirming the address.

What do they need to know/do/ask?

To me the demand is threatening and that probably works in England but it doesn't frighten me. The amount is too low for the entire period they lived in the flat (pre-benefits) so I don't know where it was plucked from and I have already discussed with them that without their lease they might have no leg to stand on.

Thanks for reading. All help gratefully received.

DarkConvict

I don't know how English council tax arrears is collected in Scotland. It may just be a standard DCA threatening bailiffs as a scare tactic. I know with CT in England they can get a liablity order, no need to goto court to first use bailiffs -
http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/counciltax.htm

You need to tell hem, preferably in a letter, the debt is in dispute and has been for a significant time, the council tax has been paid and proof provided to the council so they stopped making contact. I guess you still have hold on the rental agreement which clearly shows council tax is included.
Furthermore, property at this address does not belong to the people you are chasing so any attempt to use Bailiffs/Sheriffs would not be wise.

RAS

Hi

Read the bailiff aadvice line information then check

1. Ring the council concerned and ensure that they have got the right flat.
2. Also ask if a liability order has been issued, if so to what address the original notice of the impending order was sent. How much is the liability order for?
3. Find out who the local councillors are. get kand J to ring their old councillor and explain then ask for help.

Scoflo

DarkConvict wrote: »

I know with CT in England they can get a liablity order, no need to goto court to first use bailiffs -
.

Reading this I know there was no notification as it would have come to this address.

You need to tell hem, preferably in a letter, the debt is in dispute and has been for a significant time, the council tax has been paid and proof provided to the council so they stopped making contact. I guess you still have hold on the rental agreement which clearly shows council tax is included.

K has looked out a copy of the last letter. I think I will take this over for a while and I will send it onto the company. J rechecked the agreement and it definetely said council tax to be paid to the landlord who will pay it to the council. I will need to check what proof they have that payments were made.

Furthermore, property at this address does not belong to the people you are chasing so any attempt to use Bailiffs/Sheriffs would not be wise.

I thought that but still had a wee wobble and have told them all not to let anyone in our house, even if they are on fire.

Thanks

Scoflo

RAS wrote: »

Hi

Read the bailiff aadvice line information then check

1. Ring the council concerned and ensure that they have got the right flat

I am hoping htey have done that today. I will check

2. Also ask if a liability order has been issued, if so to what address the original notice of the impending order was sent. How much is the liability order for?
3. Find out who the local councillors are. get kand J to ring their old councillor and explain then ask for help.

Passed this on.

Thanks