council tax bill dated 2002/2003

wilf55

hi all

i am on benefits due to ill health and couple of weeks ago got a council tax bill for close to £300 when I read it through it was dated mid october this year but relating to council tax from 2002/03

i thought i had repaid all owing amounts every year as the council were renowned round here, if not all over for sending in the bailiffs etc pdq

i rang them and got told that it was dating back to a period between nov 15th 2002 and 31 march 2003 i have been on benefits in and out over the time period so not sure whether i would have been entitled to benefit or not

i rang the dwp and got told that i would have to write in and then wait for a few weeks whilst they went into storage to get to the relevant details

in the meantime, have set up a payment plan but

can they enforce it after this long

apparently they cant view the records relating to my claim or lack of claim at the time just that there is an outstanding amount

what should i do

thanks in advance

they have threatened the bailiffs if i dont pay etc etc hence the payment plan but is there anything i can do

dont mind paying in installments if i do owe but not paying for what i dont owe or their mistake etc

thanks all

richard9991

council tax debt does not go away it is money owed to the goverment like income tax dwp debts etc if they have obtained a liability order then they can collect it if you dont pay then they can get a distress warrent from the magistrates court to send bailiffs to do a walk in possesion and take goods to the value of the debt to sell at auction. Ultmatly the magistrates can send you to prison. However this is a last resort. The council should let you pay by installments.

CIS

i rang them and got told that it was dating back to a period between nov 15th 2002 and 31 march 2003 i have been on benefits in and out over the time period so not sure whether i would have been entitled to benefit or not

Unless there was an issue where you were in receipt of council tax benefit and it was incorrectly paid then you will not get an amount back-paid for that period after this length of time.

can they enforce it after this long

As long as a liability order is granted within 6 years of the amount becoming due, then yes. Note that its 6 years from when the amount became due i.e the period may for be 2002/03 but if the charge was created by a later adjustment the 6 years starts from the date the amended bill was issued.

wilf55

thanks, i cant remember that far back and no longer have paperwork so am unsure what was issued and when, i have asked can they send the relevant paperwork

wilf55

HI ALL got a letter saying that it is owed from the dates shown above and that a liability order was granted in magistrates court in august 2003
made arrangements to pay!