Unfair Council Tax Office Tactics

Optimist

£65 seems very reasonable to me especially if solicitors are involved although I would imagine for something like this the council would have in house legal services

iwanttosave_2

I had this, they sent me the bill for 6 months worth (because they couldnt be bothered to send it when I moved in) at the end of the month and said it had to be paid within 7 days, I paid it, then the next week it was the next months bill, obviously I couldnt pay it again after just paying out Nearly £600 so I had to leave it till the end of the month.

They sent me a reminder letter, paid it, same again next month. I actually asked if it was ok that I paid at the end of the month, and was told that so long as it was paid they didnt care, same again next month, another reminder letter. I just assumed it was automatic that the computer issued them. Carried on paying as normal. Then I gets a summons.

I phoned them and asked why, they said, its because I paid at the end of the month, I told them that I didnt owe them anything, and I had never heard about the 3 letter rule thing, and they said "well thats how it is, you will have to go to court"

I didnt owe them a bloody penny.

taxi97w

Thank you all for your replies. It hasn't gone this far yet. I have just been warned that if I am late for a third time, they will proceed with court action- and that isn't going to happen because I've already got myself in front considerably.
Have you gone to court yet Iwanttosave?

Voyager2002

Iwanttosave's experience is very similar to something happening here (Exeter). In your case, since you contacted them and they agreed to the payment dates you suggested, they have no business at all taking you to court. I suggest you contact a councillor urgently, and I hope you receive the apology you deserve.

iwanttosave_2

Voyager2002 wrote:

Iwanttosave's experience is very similar to something happening here (Exeter). In your case, since you contacted them and they agreed to the payment dates you suggested, they have no business at all taking you to court. I suggest you contact a councillor urgently, and I hope you receive the apology you deserve.

Too late, it already went to court, they now want me to pay the full years council tax and passed it straight over to a bailiff. So I had the £60 court fee and then the £45 bailiff charge.

Very annoyed at it all but complaining has got me no-where.

Bossyboots

Optimist wrote:

£65 seems very reasonable to me especially if solicitors are involved although I would imagine for something like this the council would have in house legal services

Very often they will send a junior barrister as this is cheaper than losing a member of staff for half a day or more to deal with these.

Astaroth

Bossyboots wrote:

The court fee alone is £25.

Seems fairly low cost for the court alone - I know that council tax cases go to the magistrates court rather than "small claims" but (subject to the amount being claimed) a small claims court fee would be £30-£80

Given you will also be paying the councils costs on top of the court fee it doesnt sound too bad at all.

CIS

In our area, the fee we put on is around £62 on a default, but Ive spent most of the last week going through and updating cases and the number of summons that have gone off is astronomical - we dont do committal in our area and most of the serial defaulters know that.

Funnily enough,one of the big issues at the moment is going back over old cases and bringing them up to date, one case I know of recently was defaulted by over £3K and another by £1600,

Bossyboots

Astaroth wrote:

Seems fairly low cost for the court alone - I know that council tax cases go to the magistrates court rather than "small claims" but (subject to the amount being claimed) a small claims court fee would be £30-£80

Given you will also be paying the councils costs on top of the court fee it doesnt sound too bad at all.

Magistrates court fees are considerably lower than civil court fees in pretty much all respects.

trickytrolleys

i cant stand council workers either - they really are a particular type of people who just couldnt work in the real world !!! I always like the fact that they think they are so important but are probably being paid £8500K P/a :rotfl: