Council Tax - I've been stoopid!

BaBeLicious

Hi,

My first post on this site... here goes!

I have been checking through my accounts to work out where to save money. Finances in not too bad shape, but I have noticed that both me and my husband have a monthly direct debit set up to pay our council tax, so we have been paying double on this bill for a number of years without noticing!!

I have cancelled this DD now, but want to know whether there is any hope of reclaiming this money from the council or if they will just laugh and say no>!! If there is any chance, can you tel me how I would go about this

WestonDave

I should hope they would refund it because each property will have an account, and your direct debit should relate to that account - it shouldn't be possible to have 2 DD's on the same account, or if it is the account should be standing out like a sore thumb with a credit balance. Phone them up and ask them to investigate where the other payment has been going!

lilac_lady

I don't think the Council will keep excess payments. Get copies of your bank statements and make an appointment to see someone who can sort it out for you.

sparklysaver

I overpaid for a while through a daft fault of my own, although not to the same extent as it sounds like you have , and they took the credit balance off the following year's account no questions asked.

CIS

A DD would only be taken whilst there was a balance on your account, as soon as this has been paid the DD would cease to be taken so it wouldn't put your account in credit. The Council Tax systems most commonly used can only take one DD at a time for payment of council tax and would only take a 2nd DD is you either had another council tax account or you had received a Liability Order and a separate arrangement had been set-up for payment of that - they cant take 2 DD's for the same payments.

[Deleted User]

Is it possibly a standing order that was set up? A standing order can be paid twice but a DD would only be requested once, not twice.
If it is a DD you should make sure it is set up for the same property though. Have either of you lived elsewhere and when you moved, forgot to tell the council?

Marisco

My CT is always in credit at the end of the year (I pay by SO over 12 months) and they usually knock it off the next years' one. But you can ask for the excess to be refunded. I cannot believe they haven't picked up on this?????:eek: If both oh and I paid the same amounts, it would be paid in 6 months, and then if they carried on taking the same, next years would be paid as well!!!! :eek:

bunnybunnyrabbit

They will refund you if your account is in credit, you'd just need to call them.

They probably wouldn't have picked up on it as the system wouldn't flag up someone overpaying (only underpaying!)

mushy_pea

When i overpaid before, when it was time to start all over again at the start of the new council tax billing period, i was sent a letter stating that it would be taken off the next years bill unless i wanted the money - they sent me out a cheque prety quickly.