Unauthorised council tax direct debit taken.

stevevanman

Hi . Me and my girlfriend are working but got a council tax reduction because she was in training to be a nurse then a midwife, at the time she started training in both at university we provided all the relevent documentation and everything was fine. Three weeks ago the council requested all the documentation again saying we were owing back to 2008 but if we provided the proof of training again they would amend and we would be back to zero. I phoned last week and we are owed £600 because we never got the reduction at the start:j.
Then today i got a letter from my bank telling me a £900 council tax DD couldn't be paid because of insufficient funds.
My direct debits are all set up for the 1st to 5th of each month, this was taken on the 25th without me receiving any letter of warning and i dont owe them any money!. Im also being charged returned item fees. I just got paid and im worried they might take try take 900 payment again leaving me with insufficient funds for other direct debits. Cant ring council closed till monday. Can they just take my money without warning me ?

unholyangel

Direct debit guarantee means that they should tell you if the amount is to change and should give you notice of that.

If you're worried they'll try again, cancel the DD, instruct your bank that it is not to be reinstated until further notice and then contact the council to sort it out.......if they havent informed you and have made a mistake, they should pay your bank charges too (although you could ask your bank if they'll waive it this once under the circumstances).

stevevanman

unholyangel wrote: »

Direct debit guarantee means that they should tell you if the amount is to change and should give you notice of that.

If you're worried they'll try again, cancel the DD, instruct your bank that it is not to be reinstated until further notice and then contact the council to sort it out.......if they havent informed you and have made a mistake, they should pay your bank charges too (although you could ask your bank if they'll waive it this once under the circumstances).

Thanks . I just wasted so much time talkin to incompetent council receptionists already damn it:D

vince123

Amazing, maybe councils have this as a new straegy to help their cashflow?

I was unemployed for 18 months and had council tax benefit agreed during that period.

Then last week I get notified that they have 're-asessed' and changed their decision meaning that I no owe them almost 2 years of council tax -- even though there is no denying I was unemployed and signing-on during that period. :-(
BTW, their letter was dated 22nd March 2012 but I receive it 7th April, given 30 days to respond. Problem is their envelopes don't get postmarked! This should not be allowed :-(

Now wait a second, it gets better.
This morning - 16th April - they take out £2,450 from my bank account via D/D!!!!

I am absolutely shocked they were even able to do this, and why have they done it anyway being that the 30 days has not passed?

- Vince

outtawork

Is it possible to pay Council Tax & Rent by Standing order in future, that way you are in control over how much you pay to them. I am a council tenant & when I was in work I kept being pressured to pay by DD, but you have to pay a month in advance & it was not possible even if I wanted to. So I paid my rent & Council Tax with a payment card at Asda when I did my weekly shopping.

CIS

This morning - 16th April - they take out £2,450 from my bank account via D/D!!!!

When council tax is due for a tax year prior to the one the demand notice is actually issued in (e.g they issued a demand this year for council tax from last tax year or before) then the money is due in one payment no earlier than 14 days from the date of the demand.

If the payment method on your council tax account is D/D then it will automatically take the payment that is due.

I am absolutely shocked they were even able to do this, and why have they done it anyway being that the 30 days has not passed?

It appears this 30 days was in respect of a Council Tax Benefit query therefore Council Tax is still due in the meantime based on how your Council Tax account stands now.