Rate debt written off in Northern Ireland rises by 50%

BatCat

We have been dealing with the LPS for a couple of years now. The feeling I got was their computer system must be dreadful and they are woefully understaffed. I am frankly not surprised that rates are not being collected or are written off. The whole system needs reform.

NAR

The LPS computer system is continually being improved when faults are identified.

highrisklowreturn

cathy2702 wrote: »

It's well known myself and a few others on here work within LPS so we're well placed to let you know the drill.

If when you get Bill and don't pay, you get a Final demand, if you still don't pay your immediately issued with a summons to court, this is a CCJ against you, if there is still no satisfactory arrangement to pay your lodged with the enforcement office who are responsible for enforcing the money judgement. Obviously there are timescales and other procedures involved.

The decision to rate vacant properties was the ministers 3 years ago.

I think the problem for everyone in the current economic climate is that people are prioritising a lavish lifestyle instead of the mortgage, rates, electric and what I would consider priority bills. The other side of it is, some people just don't the money, you can't get blood from a stone!

Personal bankruptcy, company dissolvements and liquidations are at a high which does contribute to the rates write offs.

HTH

Some particularly interesting points - but most are inaccurate.

Perhaps you or other members of the LPS, as opposed to discussing supposed bankruptcies, inability by ratepayers to pay, dodging of payments, could enlighten the readers of this board of the breakdown, by year, from the 2005 tax year onwards of the number of residential and commercial properties to which the RCA and LPS issued no bill; and what percentage of overall rating debt remained unrecovered again by year, district area and by commercial and residential division owing to the failure of the RCA/LPS to issue a rating demand?

Please subdivide this in turn into the variant recovery stages: First Demand/ Supplementary / Final / Decree. I don't believe this has ever been fully addressed by either the media or the assembly and I expect the figures would cause serious shock on this forum as in wider society.

It is the remit, levied under the 1977 Rating Order, for the DFP to collect Rates on behalf of the public. I believe the uncollected figure, going back to the 2005 tax year beyond which debt collection where unsecured is prohibited, and excluding rating debt written off in the past several years (again because much was statutory barred - which again was never, or inadequately billed by RCA/LPS) the outstanding rating figure stands at circa £160m (and without several years of write offs would be circa 200m).

I ask you to give a breakdown of those statistics here on this forum. Specifically, total debt by tax year, residential and commercial, and the RCA/LPS billing/non-billing of such and a breakdown of non-billed properties per year as a fraction of total outstanding debt.

From what I gather the LPS does not bill merely owing to clicking a box on its computer system - was nobody keeping an eye on this?

Golden_Anemone

Highrisklowreturn - if you want to submit a Freedom of Information request perhaps you should do so to LPS itself in the appropriate manner rather than on this forum.

Your post above is in my opinion an abuse of this forum.

saverbuyer

Whilst I agree Highrisk would be better served by a FOI request I think he has a valid point. I don't see any abuse of the forum there.

A poster commented on procedures and sanctions applied he is merely asking for proof of their success.

highrisklowreturn

saverbuyer wrote: »

he is merely asking for proof of their success.

Or otherwise.:money:

wifeforlife

saverbuyer wrote: »

I’d be interested to know what sort of sanctions are applied and if they attempt to put charging orders on the properties. Might be worth a FOI request.
I can see why they want to rate vacant properties. It should cover these write-downs.

A poster commented on procedures and sanctions applied he is merely asking for proof of their success.

I answered you very generally, I don't work directly with these departments, LPS covers several old agencies.

Furthermore Highrisklowreturn knows I nor anyone else on this forum can answer his post and would appreciate if he/she would publicly show the results of his/her FOI request. Must remember to bump this thread in 1 month for a response.

Anything I write is strictly my thoughts, my views and my opinions, and I won't be drawn on anything that could jeopardise my employment, as frankly I love my job!

HTH

wifeforlife

Golden_Anemone wrote: »

Highrisklowreturn - if you want to submit a Freedom of Information request perhaps you should do so to LPS itself in the appropriate manner rather than on this forum.

Your post above is in my opinion an abuse of this forum.

I agree fully and the poster is well aware of this!