Please help, massive council tax arrears! SCOTLAND

googler

pinklipy wrote: »

......all I meant was nobody I know pays council tax through council, everyone is through sherrif officers

Nobody you know has a Direct Debit to pay their CT every month?
Nobody you know sends a cheque to the council for their CT every month?

Everybody you know has some arrears arrangement and deals with Sheriff Officers on a routine basis....?

Really?

HappyMJ

pinklipy wrote: »

If that was the case they would not accept £4 a week if they are looking for sums in the region of £400+ I think it would then go to court and I would be made bankrupt?
If I have room to negotiate then I will start off with an offer of £300, will I just call and ask or is their more of a chance they'll accept in writing?

They are only asking for £400 a month based on a guess of your current income. The £4 a week is when that income goes. It's best to always communicate in writing on CAB letterhead paper that would be ideal. Then they can see you are getting advice and offering an appropriate amount.

Personally, I'd stick to the original amount of £111 per month and ignore the threats of bankruptcy. You can sell your share of the house you own and rent out to your sister for a fair amount and you live in the house that is part owned by your ex partner so you have little risk of losing anything.

pinklipy

Thanks again goodz you made me laugh which is great! I'm glad you got out of your mess in the end! The difference with me is that I have had no drama or threats or anything turning nasty so I suppose I should be grateful, I also think things are handled differently in Scotland so no bailiffs etc at my door, again a good thing! I think they are pushing my case forward as I am a homeowner as if I was on benefits or renting theirs not to much they could do other than accept a payment, where as now they are threatening my family home.
I will be on mat leave in the new year but still classed as working so will still recieve working tax and child tax credits then I will return to work, I need to pay mortgage so benefits don't help in that respect so definatly better of working.

Thanks again for the giggle tho, imagine trying to deny it was you while standing at the front door hahahaha!

pinklipy

HappyMJ:

The guy I spoke to didn't ask anything about amounts or earnings etc, I panick called and said "I'm a single mum, I work part time, I'm 7 months pregnant!!!!" and he just said we'r looking for £X and if you can't propose that then it'll go to court for bankrupcy, I got upset and had to end the call really.
I don't think my sister is in any position to "buy" me out as the mortgage on it is in my name and she can't get a mortgage as bad credit, so that home would be at risk.

ILW

pinklipy wrote: »

Also from what I can read and have always thought as long as I am working and already in the PAYE system I dont have to fill out a tax return if I'm making less than £2500?

You do have to declare it even if it is making a loss. You could have HMRC after you as well soon. Sort yourself out girl before this swallows you up.

pinklipy

To googler:

Honestly nobody I know actually pays their CT properly at all, everyone kind of bumps it then pays it through sherrif officers at a lower rate than their actual monthly amount. Everyone is in debt to council tax (that I know), supposedly tho a lot of people in Scotland will be getting these letters as it would seem the council have had enough. In Scotland we don't use bailiffs, sherrif officers are the equivalent but they are definatly not as extreme as it seems to be in England and they certainly wouldn't remove goods from your house, their actually quite nice so maby that's why paying CT is more "relaxed" here, well untill now anyway.

pinklipy

On the direct.gov website tho it says I don't have to declare it? Would they not have questioned it by now? Well my sister owns half so if it really is that bad then at least their is 2 of us responsible not just me. She has a few buissness's and been told by her accountant that we don't need to declare it also?

ILW

pinklipy wrote: »

On the direct.gov website tho it says I don't have to declare it? Would they not have questioned it by now? Well my sister owns half so if it really is that bad then at least their is 2 of us responsible not just me. She has a few buissness's and been told by her accountant that we don't need to declare it also?

The annual rental income must be over £2,500 you then have to demonstrate why there is no profit on a tax return. You have been wrongly advised.

ILW

pinklipy wrote: »

To googler:

Honestly nobody I know actually pays their CT properly at all, everyone kind of bumps it then pays it through sherrif officers at a lower rate than their actual monthly amount. Everyone is in debt to council tax (that I know), supposedly tho a lot of people in Scotland will be getting these letters as it would seem the council have had enough. In Scotland we don't use bailiffs, sherrif officers are the equivalent but they are definatly not as extreme as it seems to be in England and they certainly wouldn't remove goods from your house, their actually quite nice so maby that's why paying CT is more "relaxed" here, well untill now anyway.

Are you sure this is Scotland and not Greece.

googler

pinklipy wrote: »

To googler:

Honestly nobody I know actually pays their CT properly at all, everyone kind of bumps it then pays it through sherrif officers at a lower rate than their actual monthly amount. Everyone is in debt to council tax (that I know)

As someone who has always had a DD set up to merely pay the full amount and be done with it, and with, as far as I know, friends and relatives who do the same, I'm genuinely gobsmacked at this

If the second house/flat isn't making any money for you or your sister, why haven't you, she, OR HER ACCOUNTANT made moves to sell it before now? If it's not making money it's just a millstone around your necks.

What's her situation, that she has an accountant and you don't?