council tax arrears or CCJ? Thats the question!

lush_bucket

Good afternoon!

Hoping you guys can throw your pearls of wisdom my way!

I have previously posted my SOA on here and am tackling my debts one by one but yesterday hit a major hurdle.

I have council tax arrears - was £770.66 Now £520.66. The debt is with Chandlers Connect Baliffs. I pay them a tenner here there and everywhere via their website. This debt includes council tax up to March 31st 2007. The baliffs were supposed to come and visit before agreeing to a payplan but wanted to charge us £50 for doing so. Touch wood they havent been and seem to be quite happily accepting the payments and sending out receipts. The council refused to take the debt back and so paying Chandlers it is.

Anyhow, having become a bit of a DFW nerd, I got my credit file from Experian, and it wasnt great but was by no means the disaster I was expecting. I read the how to improve your file notes thoroughly and set about repairing the file. Applying for a notice of disassociation from my ex husband, and then ensuring they had my correct 6 year address history. I typed away.. hit update and :eek:

My file now shows up that I have a number 8 default from the Next Directory at one of my previous addresses. ( The debt is mine and I did know it existed) for £461.00.

But moreover that the debt was passed to Lewis debt collection agency who used Howard Cohen solicitors and filed for a CCJ against me for £572.:eek:
I have never recieved any info on the debt but now I have this hideous black mark on my report.

So what do I do? pay the council tax and baliffs first or go about repairing the Next debt and getting a settlement on my file. Which is more detrimental? Also if I rang the Lewis group and gradually paid the Next debt and had the CCJ marked as settled, how long would it remain on my file and will Next then follow through and remove their gleaming 8?

all responses appreciated. Thanks in advance xx

chevalier

It is far more important to pay off the council tax arrears. It is about the only debt that you can go to prison for, for non payment.
The ccj will stay on your file for 6 years. I think this is true even if you settle it. How long ago was the Next debt? If it is more than 6 years old, it can't be collected on.
Someone more knowledgable will be along presently
chev

whatatwit

Keep paying the council tax, if you stop then they will start to harass you again.
Then you decide what to do about Next, when that is cleared.

lush_bucket

Thanks Chev,

It's from last year. Back in the day i had a well off husband so could have whatever I wanted materially, didnt get the emotionally and decided to walk away early last year. Lets just say I fell back down to earth with a bang financially! I walked from the divorce with nothing, wanting to keep my dignity and indeed I have it! Plus a load of debts! Ah well!

So I have a spare £20 on my debit card... and the winner of my £20 is...
Chandler's connect Baliffs...Please give them a round of applause.

whatatwit

:T

That do?

lush_bucket

hAHA Whatawit, indeed it will.... So now my CT arrears WAS £770.76 NOW £500.00

Crikey it's like being at the Next Sale