Court Summons for Non-Payment of Council Tax

DoubleDee_2

Springchicken
Have read through this thread and hope that it is not too late to add my twopennorth.
First don't be angered by the few naysayers and negativos in the thread.
many people have been experiencing similar problems including myself.

Within the thread is some sound advice and I would summarise from my own experiences:

1.Contact the Council immediately (if not done so) and explain your circumstances. They have to listen and have the power to stop the court proceedings so that no further debt is incurred. You can arrange suitable repayments if appropriate and they also have the power to rescind the summons costs.
2.Go to the Citizen's Advice Bureau, they are brilliant at giving advice and assisting not only with the summons but in general reviewing your circumstances and confirming whatever benefits you should be entitled to and more importantly help you with a sound financial plan that will give you control back.
3.Make a claim for Housing Benefit/Council Tax relief (formally), even if you do not qualify, insist that the Council give you a clear and concise breakdown of their calculations - they make mistakes.
4.Go on line and check out the Social Security Benefits that may be available and if in doubt make a claim once again if rejected ask for a clear detailed breakdown of their analysis.
5.With respect to the insurance, have you put everything in writing and requested their detailed reasons for the rejection? Once you have a clear written rejection, the next step would be to lodge a complaint with the Insurance Ombudsman (this will take some time but may be of long term benefit). You should also consider if the policy has been mis-sold i.e. not given the cover you expected. There should be some information on the main MSE site that could be relevant.
I suspect that they are treating the dismissal as self inflicted and using this as the get out. I presume that you are getting legal advice about the tribunal and it may be worth discussing with your legal representaion however if this is likely to cost you then back to the CAB who can sometimes arrange a short free consultation with local legal eagles.
6.Finally have you checked out your Council Tax rating, if not do so as described on MSE main site. Well worth doing, if it is found that you should be in a lower rating, you could find that not only will the Council have to repay you the Tax but also withdraw any legal action and repay costs.

Best of luck

niknak72_2

There is no Law that demands that a man or a woman should have to pay Council Tax. There is only the 1992 Local Government Finance Act which being an act of Parliament can only be enforced with consent (contract)