Old council tax bill and liability order - advise on charges please?

Marru

I have a bit of a situation with old council tax bill and the saga is still ongoing. Here is the story:

- Liability order was 13 November 2008. Balance due was 369.81 plus 65 council's collection fees. I have paid the collection fees to council.
- 4/3/2009 first visit from bailiffs, charged visit cost of £24.50
- 27/3/2009 second visit from bailiffs, charged levy fee £36.- and redemption of goods fee £24.50 (they valued my car as £550.-)
- 30/3/2009 I wrote to the council to update my income (which affected my council tax benefit) and asked for updated council tax bill which I got. The old outstanding balance was in the new bill as opening balance so I thought it was included in the payments but it wasn't which I found out during the next bailiff visit
- 7/5/2009 charged van fee of £180.-
- 7/5/2009 wrote to bailiffs and council telling about my depression, nobody took any notice
- 8/6/2009 paid to bailiffs that came around again with my debit card (money that I had put aside to pay rent) £400.20 (of which £15.39 went towards card processing fees)
- 10/7/2009 paid to bailiffs as bank transfer £50.-
- I later made a payment to council together with then current year payments.
- The balance remaining outstanding was 198.- because I refused to pay for the van fees and for more than 24.50 for first visit and 18 for second visit.
- When I moved out in the end of October 2010 I paid my balance minus 198.- and 65.- for new recovery costs. I never got a reminder for the missed payments neither got I a letter saying when the court day was scheduled to be. So I can't understand the basis for this charge.
- On 26/2/2010 I got bailiff letter through my letter box in my new address claiming that I owe 356.- which includes 24.50 for their visit, I can't for the life of me understand where this balance comes from.
- After that I paid council 198.- but still didn't pay that 65.- and got bailiffs around again on 15/3/2010 saying that I owe them now 107.50 which basically would be that 65.- plus 24.50 for first visit and 18.- for second visit.

My questions are:

1. Is there any way I could get that 198.- back (or at least some of it)
2. Why do I need to pay the second recovery fees to council of 65.-

I was very depressed at the time and since moving out have had to go back on medication hence not being on top of things and being able to sort out that 198.- earlier.

Now it seems that this whole mess is affecting me getting a new tenancy contract where I now live. I understand that I need a document from the county court saying that the matter is satisfactorily completed before new referencing. Well at the moment it isn’t.


I am now off to get copies of my credit files. In the meanwhile please can anyone give any advice? Thank you.

Marru

Just to add that I checked my Exp€ria account and the county court judgement wasn't there. There was absolutely nothing about the whole mess. Baffled!!!

Tried to sign up for Equ1fax as well but lost my patience with them.

Aesop

There is a 3rd Credit Referencing company, forgotten what it is called, am sure Martin has it on his Credit referencing companies, you need to check with them too. Otherwise you will have to ask the letting Agency, what credit referencing company they are using that they can see this CCJ but you can't.

Marru

Well the thing is that they couldn't see it but when they called me my concience got me and I told them about it, teaches me to bury my head in the sand and not check myself. But despite that I need to get rid of bailiffs and I would rather not pay any more fees if I can but as my GP put it what is the price of my healt.

Thanks Aesop - will go back to Martin's article to check.

RAS

Hi

Magistrates Court liability orders do not show up on your credit record or on the Regsitry Trust.

Aesop

yes RAS is right, Liability order's are not CCJs so do not appear on credit records/checks.

Have had a look around, some people have suggested contacting your local MP to assist you with this problem, they maybe able to get council to remove some of the charges. good luck xx