Council Tax Court Summons

krazeland

Hello there, I have come to this forum as I know its the most popular one on the internet that deal with these kinds of matters and I know theres a lot of knowledge here! We would really appreciate some help.

Me and my partner really need some help please. We moved into our rented property on the 1st feb this year and have paid our council tax on the 1st of each month (£112). However the payment bounced on the 1st of this month and we did not realise until this morning we both got a seperate letter, a court summons saying that the whole amount is due (£969 inc fees).

However, we have already handed our 1 months notice in to the landlord to vacate the property next month and was wondering what to do about the council tax. Will the council just ask us to pay for this month and next month or will the whole year still be due?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

MiniSis

You need to call the council and discuss it with them. To give you a court summon after 20 days is a bit mean and prior to that they must have sent you reminders. I had a court summons after being in hospital for emergency surgery and not paying it. It took the council over a month to issue the summons and I had 2 reminders (was in hospital so didnt get them) they cancelled the summons)

Call them tomorrow and explain and pay what you owe and see what they say.

inmypocketnottheirs

You will only be due to pay for the period you have been in occupation of the property. Contact the Council and give them the date you will be moving out and they will give you a revised bill.

krazeland

Brilliant, thankyou very much for the response, will call them first thing tomorrow Now I can sleep!

ruggedtoast

They're usually pretty reasonable about it if you call them and explain. The worst that would happen is you have to pay the court fees, but the letter is usually just to scare you so they will probably let you off if you pay it all.

This happened a lot to a family member of mine who was going through a severe bout of depression and used to leave his mail unopened for months. Generally the companies and the council forgave him when he explained his health problems though when it kept happening they insisted he set up direct debits , which we helped him to do and solved the problem.

tbs624

krazeland wrote: »

We moved into our rented property on the 1st feb this year and have paid our council tax on the 1st of each month (£112). However the payment bounced on the 1st of this month and we did not realise until this morning we both got a seperate letter, a court summons saying that the whole amount is due (£969 inc fees).

You need to check your bank account more often - do you have online banking? You should have been aware that you had overspent and that this would cause the DD to be bounced, ditto had you checked your account between the 1st and the day of your post you would have seen that there was a problem.

It would also be unusual for a Court Summons to be issued without you having been sent som eother reminders in the interim period.

As the others have said, you need to discuss the matter with the Council pronto, and then follow the discussion up in writing to them( copy kept) confirming your understanding of what has been agreed.

CIS

It would also be unusual for a Court Summons to be issued without you having been sent some other reminders in the interim period.

At least 1 reminder has to be sent first.

However, we have already handed our 1 months notice in to the landlord to vacate the property next month and was wondering what to do about the council tax. Will the council just ask us to pay for this month and next month or will the whole year still be due?

If a Summons has already been issued then technically the full balance is due until such time as the council issue an amended demand notice showing otherwise however you need to call then ASAP and ask that they give you a final balance.

The Summons will still be valid on the lower amount and if it is not paid then council can continue with the liability order application.

inmypocketnottheirs

Good job we don't live in a police state. We could then end up with kangaroo courts issuing summonses and sending bailiffs out.

Simon_Topple

There is typically a court costs and a liability order cost, about 40 all told normally.

As the council escalated to summons and court hearing quickly I'd challenge it. I have had a large number of summons overturned successfully (probably more tyan 20 or 30) Ive always gotten the court costs cancelled. When the adjusted liability becomes zero I've also had the liability cost cancelled - they can't hold you liable for costs if there are none.