Council tax arrears - advice needed...

dipsy2006

Hello there I wondered if anyone could help....

I have fallen behind on my monthly payments of council tax and as of 1 January I owed £270 for this year's bill.
As you probably know - council tax is normally worked over ten months and so this was supposed to be my last payment. I missed December and January's payment.
Anyway, with one thing and another at the moment (car trouble and repairs mainly & other debts that I am paying off) I didn't pay on time.

I called the council tax office and they agreed to let me pay £140 by 1st Feb and the remainder on 1 March. I told them that I couldn't afford this and could only afford £100 max by 1st Feb, but would be able to pay the remaining outstanding by 15 March (my pay day is 15th month).
Anyway, they said that if I didn't pay £140 by 1st Feb then I would still get taken to court.

My question is - because I still can't afford the remainder before my next pay day as I am in arrears on tv licence too and need to pay £35 to them also by 1st Feb - Does anyone know how I can deal with this?

I don't want to go to court as I can pay all by 15 March, and I don't want them to levy the charges to me - but they won't come up with an arrangement for me. Can anyone offer some advise?

Thanks
Dip x

chevalier

Is there anything you can sell to get you a quick injection of cash?

joeblack066

That would be my suggestion too, there are many places that will take stuff if you can't be bothered with ebay etc, have you got any DVD's, CD's, unwanted Presents, that kindastuff? Good luck!

dipsy2006

Hi - I am currently selling things on ebay but my budget until payday includes these (sold about £40 worth after fees/postage etc...). I can see if I can find some other things to ebay this weekend but really struggling as sold loads lately and don't have much left!
Thanks for your help though...
D x

dlb

Hiya in the same position, i owe dec jan payments of £198 and they have asked for full payment for rest of year ££297, i rang them and told them i couldnt pay it all until the 26th Feb and they have agreed that as long as it is paid by this date they will not take me to court.
I would phone again and speak to a different person, i cant see them taking it to court for such a amount i have had this much added on to the year afters bill in past years.
I think it depends on who you speak to.

dipsy2006

thank you - I will try them again. Didn't occur to me actually as I just thought it must be their policy.
I will try again - I've paid £100 since so it shows good faith at least!
Thanks
D x

plumduff-2

It may work to phone again... some officers are much easier to deal with than others...

As you are aware they want the bill paid by end of financial year, and want you to catch up with missed paymetns ASAP...

Unfortunately if you dont pay as requested at the mo, then it looks like they will go to court for a liability order, adding £65 costs... You do not have to attend a LO hearing as this is just to ascertain that the money is owed.. the benefit to going though is that CT Court staff are there and will look at a payment plan... however the court costs would remain...

whatatwit

Keep on paying what you can as soon as you can, even if it is only a small amount every few days. This shows that you are intent on catching up.
I would also put it in writing, often whilst a conversation may be noted on your records, it may not give all the info that you provided.

yummymummy79

Depending on how generous they are, there is a chance they may cancel the costs if you pay it pretty soon after the court date, but this isn't law, just if they decide to. A different person may agree to this, so worth a try?

An account will get taken to court as long as the balance outstanding is more than the costs, and in some cases even if it was less.

It may seem a bit harsh, but the way it works is that you only have to have one reminder all year, and if you don't catch it up or you do catch up and then fall behind again, then it is straight to Summons. I would imagine that the Summonses go out with some costs on, and then the other costs are added after the court date and there has to be a certain time in between (at least 14 days rings a bell), so you could minimise the costs by paying after the Summons but before the court date.

dipsy2006

Thankyou all for your help and advise.
I have contacted them again today and they have agreed to split the remaining costs over my next two pay days - 15 Feb and 15 March - so it will be paid before next financial year.
thankgoodness for that!
Thanks again for your help.
Lucy

COOLTRIKERCHICK

i must admit i alllways find myself in a pickle when it comes to the council tax.....

..... and i struggle to find the montly payments..... without it going up every year....

there's going to come a time where i just cant phyically find the money...... last year in the end my mother paid it for me......

and this year..... i had to put the £ 400 odd on the credit card........

when it comes to the council tax.. they dont give you much lee way until they start adding charges....i feel as though i am running to go back wards with council tax...

this year i think i am going to try and throw every spare penny and try and do over payments... so will have to try and find a way of earning/getting extra money in just for that..
might be worth you deliverying leaflets.. local newspapers etc ....and using that money just for extra council tax money....