MSE News: Overpaid your council tax? See you in court

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

So how much compensation are the Council paying for the stress and inconvenience? If they don't pay anything perhaps the trio should take them to court.

ralph_wilson

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

So how much compensation are the Council paying for the stress and inconvenience? If they don't pay anything perhaps the trio should take them to court.

They should sue the council for harassment and the resulting stress!; after all, the council were prepared to use the law against them and just used bullyboy tactics. Get the boot on the other foot and give them a taste of justice. This might make them think twice and listen to reasonable argument instead of trampling over the people they are supposed to be serving.

dekaspace

similar happened to my parents who overpaid about £1000 in council tax and all the council refused a refund and said they would just credit it to that years account, but by that time my parents were on benefits and didnt have to pay CT anyway!

This was about 6 years ago and they never got the cash back.

Curveygirl

I think there are a number of things about this piece that don't add up and I'm surprised to find it on MSE, but the bit that really stands out is the fact that the Council Tax for mid Jan to end of March was only £200!!!!!!!
If this is in fact true, I'm gonna move to Lambeth.

stoneman

Curveygirl wrote: »

I think there are a number of things about this piece that don't add up and I'm surprised to find it on MSE, but the bit that really stands out is the fact that the Council Tax for mid Jan to end of March was only £200!!!!!!!
If this is in fact true, I'm gonna move to Lambeth.

No you want to move to Wandsworth, about £1000 per year for a band G property.

pixwix

Those taxpayers are lucky they don't live north of the Border. At least they got some warning.

A few years ago, I had a dispute with my local S.Scotland council over 'late payments'. On paying my council tax early as it was approaching the Xmas holidays, I was summarily presented with demand for an extra 'penalty payment' (i.e. a fine) - backed up by a court warrant. I was told that if I didn't pay up right there and then, they'd send in bailiffs after the entire remaining year's tax - plus expenses of course. The court order had been issued with no reference to me - not a semblance of due process had been attempted. A council form had been submitted, and rubber stamped by the court. Neither council nor court (I was assured) were under any obligation to tell me of this (though they claimed to done just that several times with letters all mysteriously 'lost in the post').

The grevious sin that had led to this star chamber treatment? I'm retired and disabled and had been just a couple of days late with 2 payments out of the 9 so far! I was in no arrears whatever. The fine left me and my wife with a pretty thin Xmas, quite apart from the upset.

But even worse were the deaf ears when I tried to discuss it. The 'la-la-la' effect as someone here called it (I love that - that's what I call it from now on). The clones just didn't want to know - they never made mistakes, so there, and couldn't understand people who wouldn't do as they were told.

I enjoy this website. But I'm afraid no end of bargains, discounts, etc can make up for the fact that one of my biggest current expenditures is council tax (which, having had the lack of foresight to work all my life, I pay in full), that seems to offer little in return but a mindless bureaucracy now thoroughly out of control. And no-one seems capable of doing anything about it.

John_Pierpoint

stoneman wrote: »

No you want to move to Wandsworth, about £1000 per year for a band G property.

Be warned, those of you living in big cities, split down into separate
administrations.
Current proposals for cutting rent support will enable more and more "rich" boroughs to move their "waste of space" problems and dump them in the poorer boroughs; thus forcing the poor borough to cope with controlling the kids and supporting the parents.