council tax

Hintza

CIS wrote: »

The DD instruction sounds like it was for your rent - the council tax DD would have been seperately set up.

Did OP not say DD was active?

"......even tho direct debit is still set up and active"

It was this statement I have been basing my answers on.

CIS

Did OP not say DD was active?

"......even tho direct debit is still set up and active"

She did , but the last statement she made makes me wonder whether the active DD is only for rent.

Hintza

CIS wrote: »

She did , but the last statement she made makes me wonder whether the active DD is only for rent.

Fair point, OP needs to go throgh all the paperwork thoroughly.

I am although very surprised the council sent no final demands etc.

fluffnutter

dazzadub wrote: »

They due to call me this morning. DD was Defo set up. Rent is being taken but council tax hasn't.

I can get money no probs, but why should I pay there costs for there mistakes. I will be more than happy to pay council tax bill but why should.I pay costs

I'm inclined to agree. Provided everything was set up correctly at your end, why on earth should you pay £77 in fees for the council's mistake? This could also have been sorted out much sooner had the council sent a reminder.

Hopefully you'll speak to someone with a bit of sense who can remove these charges, bill you for the correct amount, cancel the court summons and ensure that the DD is taken from now on.

dazzadub

Spoken ti them. This was actually very funny call. They said a bill was sent week after we moved in that was Sept 11. They had no payments and no arrangements on system.
They then said another bill wad sent Dec. Where someone called them and said the refuse yo pay anything to them and take me court.

I said to them well it wasn't me or my partner. Weve had no bills at all.she said well you have.

I said to her why would I say I refuse to pay when I could face court and extra cost, she said because some.people can't be bothered.

She said that I had to pay all the amount and costs etc.

I said fine ill pay it today but I will try and recover the costs. She said what ever do wat you like as we can.


Funny but now out of pocket 78 quid for nothing.

I called back and spoke to lady in tax office who said they received a call on 19th Dec 2011 from a male and call was taken at 2.34pm. I said funny that as I am only male on tax list on house and I was in a court meeting that day with the clerks.

She said can you prove this. I was like yep, I have to sign in on arrival and also would be on CCTV.

Guess what. They still can't remove costs.

Nirvana9

Not that this matters now but if you were 100% sure you're in the right you shouldn't have paid the £70...

CIS

Not that this matters now but if you were 100% sure you're in the right you shouldn't have paid the £70...

Costs are fully recoverable via any of the allowable enforcement options.

aveylee

Best advice in these cases is to pay (if you can of course) the outstanding CTAX and the charges.
THEN
raise a complaint using their internal processes and take it through to the Local Government Ombudsman if necessary seeking compensation for distress, inconvenience and additional costs.

If the Council made the mistake the LGO will likely order the council to compensate you (note compensate not waive the charges) for their error. The compensation could coincidentally equal the £77 charge plus a very small amount for inconvenience.

This way you won't face any legal comeback for refusing to pay, and you may / should get the charges you paid back.

Nirvana9

CIS wrote: »

Costs are fully recoverable via any of the allowable enforcement options.

Huh.......?

CIS

Not that this matters now but if you were 100% sure you're in the right you shouldn't have paid the £70...

You stated the OP shouldn't have paid the costs - I merely confirmed that the costs, even by themselves, can be recovered by the council in the same way as council tax is.