Council Tax - void property

spikeysoul

I wasn't sure where to put this but it's a bit complicated.

I'm on ESA and get HB and CTB, I own my own home, but I had to leave it because I needed to move to a specially adapted property as it wasn't suitable for my needs. I'm in negative equity and the bank is being difficult so I was only abel to accept an offer in December (I'll still need DRO to cover a shortfall of 11,000 but that's another matter)

As my property has been void for over 6 months they now want 250 pounds by Feb 7th. I have no idea how to avoid this and it's a priority debt - so I have to pay it - but all I can think of is turning off the heating upping my medication (my pain will increase a lot) and maybe heading to a foodbank. It's certainly not fair but is it right?

lynnysinger

sorry to hear about your situation.
if you are in negative equity, have other debts and on benefits, have you thought about bankruptcy?
its a sure way to stop the awful situation getting any worse. if you are not in a position to pay off debts without ahving to resort to food banks, turning dodwn the heating etc, then i think it is a good option for you, and it is only for 1 year now. no shame anymore, as its happening to so many people. my daughter was struggling on benefits, and being hounded for gas, and electricity on a flat which she left when she seperated form her hubby. he continued to live there, ran up huge debts, and becuase the tenancy was in joint names they chased her when they couldnt find him!! i told her to go and get advice and they advised bankruptcy. she went for it, and she hasnt looked back.
good luck whatever your decision,
start by calling CAB and see what they advice.

spikeysoul

That is what I was hoping to use the DRO for - it's like a mini bankruptsy for people with less than 50 left each month and under 15000 of debt. The problem is you can't put council tax on either a DRO or a bankruptsy as far as I am aware and I really have no way of raising all the money in a month, it's council tax - they arn't going to care about that. The only other debt is the mortgage and I'm not paying that anyway.

spikeysoul

Everytime I contact an advisor they say come back when you're in arrears, come back when you need the DRO, come back when you are about to jump off a blummin bridge grrrrrrr

lynnysinger

hmmm...i see what you mean...however, if you arent paying the mortgage, then wait for the mortgage company to take the property back, then declare bankruptcy.
re the council tax, if you were going to do a dro then you could forget that, do bankruptcy and contact the council for some kind of payment plan. dont leet the council tax arrears get out of hand either, because they will come down on you with ocurt orders, bailliffs and it will quickly spiral.
if you have £5 a week spare, phone the council and offer it to them. but defo if you are in negative equity let them take the property, and when they chase you for the shortfall on mortgage go bankrupt.!!:)

CIS

The problem is you can't put council tax on either a DRO or a bankruptsy as far as I am aware and I really have no way of raising all the money in a month, it's council tax - they arn't going to care about that. The only other debt is the mortgage and I'm not paying that anyway.

Council Tax can be included in a DRO or bankruptcy - what period can be included depends on the situation.