Terrible Council Tax debt

Heckles

Hi all.

I'm in extreme trouble and all of it my own doing.

I've always dodged paying Council Tax wherever possible. I'm not proud of it and now I've grown up a bit, I want to put matters straight. Over the last 8 years or so I've ended up owing more than £2000 in CT. I know everyone has to pay it but being completely irresponsible for so many years has left bailiffs chasing after me. They finally caught up with me and now I want to pay it all off.

The problem is the amount I can afford isn't what they'll accept. They are looking at around £300 per month, I can just about make £100. If they'd agree to £100 then I know I'll claw myself out of this.

The bailiffs said as this isn't what they will accept, they will send someone around to make a note of my assets with a view to selling them. The problem is I don't have enough assets to pay even a quarter of what I owe. This means it'll be handed back to the council - I spoke to them today and said if this happens, they'll look towards commital proceedings - which means I'll go to jail.

Yes I know I've been irresponsible and yes they've given me ample chances to pay in the past and I've either ignored them or defaulted - but now I really want to get rid of this debt.

I'm really scared of going to prison - what can I do? The amount I'm offering isn't what they'll accept.

Actually that's not quite true, they've said they'll accept £100 per month for 3 months and then look to increase the amount to something more suitable to them but I just know I won't be able to afford any more.

Please can anyone advise me on what to do, I've never been so scared in all my life.

skylight

Commital proccedings cost them money, you being in jail means no income and it all adds up to the council spending more than they are ever going to get.

Therefore, its not neccessarily impossible, but it is highly unlikely.

You need to put together a REAL soa, proving that you can only pay £100 a month to the baliffs with your written offer, on the condition that all additional charges are stopepd immediately and that this offer is for 12 months to be reviewed after that period. Ask for their bank detials in order for a standing order to be arranged at the same tiem (Never direct debit!!)

Or, you may prefer to be refered back to the council. In all honesty, I think that the council will be more accomodating than they are claiming at the moment - commital proceedings really are unlikely as it doesn't actually benefit them in anyway.

If you do not want to do this alone, try the CAB or Payplan - but they are charities and an appointment will not be immediate, but their advice will be fantastic!

Good luck
xxxx

cattie1

did you tell the council you had offered £100 a month? U sually they would accept this but if you deffered once it would lead you straight back into the same situation.

skylight

And PS - naughty person for avoiding council tax!!!

Are you paying up now correctly?????

lynzpower

why dont you show us your SOA and we can see if theres any more money anywhere to help you get this sorted.

Heckles

Thanks for the immediate replies. When I spoke to the council today and they told me about commital proceedings, they also told me that bankrupcy is another option - and I'll willing take that over prison, even though it would mean I'll never get a mortgage or any other credit again.

I didn't tell them that I'd offered the bailiffs £100 per month as I spoke to the bailiffs after the council and in any case, it was made quite clear that the £100 per month would just be an intrim payment with the firm intention of it increasing to about £300 which I know I won't be able to afford.

Thanks for trying to reassure me about not going to prison but look at this http://www.bridgend.gov.uk/Web1/groups/public/documents/press_release/016471.hcsp from a neighbouring countil to me - he owed less than I did. Plus I've been actively dodging them for about 8 years.

Heckles

lynzpower wrote:

why dont you show us your SOA and we can see if theres any more money anywhere to help you get this sorted.

Thanks but I've been over this during the last week - I managed to get the £100 by cancelling my gym membership, reducing my car insurance to TPF+T, not renewing my phone contract (it's up next month) and other similar methods.

cattie1

He also had an assault charge which would have contributed to the prison sentence.
Try council again explaining you offered £100 per month as they might accept this and let you pay it without increasing it, bailliffs are monsters who will try any trick or scare tactic

lynzpower

heckles

What have you got to sell

you have to do a SOA asap for us and we can see whats going on before we can truly advise

Bol

Heckles

cattie1 wrote:

He also had an assault charge which would have contributed to the prison sentence.

From that site:

Mr. Chinnock was jailed for 42 days for non-payment of council tax.

lynzpower wrote:

What have you got to sell

Nothing really - I have a computer which is still on HP and a 10 year old Ford Escort - that's about it.

lynzpower wrote:

you have to do a SOA asap for us and we can see whats going on before we can truly advise

I've made all the cutbacks I can possible make - and £100 is my absolute limit.

Smashing

Heckles wrote:

I've made all the cutbacks I can possible make - and £100 is my absolute limit.

So what harm can posting an SOA do?