Council Tax arrears - Swift credit

brucetta

I don't know if this is the right place to post but I don't know what else to do.

I have been away for a few days visiting my parents and when I returned I found I had a letter from Swift dated the 13th August for a council tax liability at my previous address for £575.14 as this was the first letter I had recieved for this amount (I had previously recieved a letter from Swift for a debt of £70 for the same council tax which I paid). I have had no chance to do anything about it since yesterday evening when I arrived back and so recieved a knock on the door at just before 9am this morning from the baillif which I did not answer as I was in the shower - I further £22.50 has been added to this now.

I immediatley contacted Swift to make an offer of payments which was rejected - they offered me payments of £199 which is not even close to what I can afford which I explained to them. As they could offer me no solutions I rung the bailiff who had left a letter and he said that the best he could do would be £85 a month which again is about double what I can afford.

I am willing to accept that the debt is most probably mine although I have no proof or letters from the council - I moved out over 2 years ago.

Any advice as to what I should do now would be greatly appreciated - as I cannot afford what they are offering and don't want further bailiff visits.

Many thanks

VitaK

brucetta wrote: »

I am willing to accept that the debt is most probably mine although I have no proof or letters from the council - I moved out over 2 years ago.

Call the council and check the debt is yours before paying anything.

brucetta

I have emailed Swansea council and this is their reply:

The balance outstanding is in respect of the Council Tax due for......

The council tax records show that you were liable for council tax at that address for the period 14/09/09 to 05/08/10.

The council tax due for the period 14/09/09 to 31/03/10 was £553.14. Payment of £276.14 was received on 09/01/10 leaving an outstanding balance of £277.00

The Council Tax due for the period 01/04/10 – 31/03/11 was £1058.05

As no further payments were made, a Liability Order was issued at Swansea Magistrates Court on 08/07/10 for the total balance of £1405.05 (including £70.00 court costs). This balance was subsequently reduced to £715.14 due to you vacating the property on 05/08/10 and also by a payment being made on 08/01/10 of £276.14.

The balance of £715.14 was passed to Swifts Credit Services Limited for collection on 14/02/11 and you paid £70.00 on 7/03/11 and a further £70.00 on 26/04/12 reducing the balance outstanding to £575.14.(excluding any fees incurred to Swifts Credit Services Limited)

I appear to have paid £70 twice and at the time there is no mention of the full debt. I remember paying the second one and have the original letter.

What should I do now? Is there anyway of getting them to accept lower payments as I cannot afford the £199 a month which they suggest is the minimum?

CIS

Is there anyway of getting them to accept lower payments as I cannot afford the £199 a month which they suggest is the minimum?

You can ask but they dont have to accept anything other than full payment, that being said though, some councils will intervene if you speak with them and explain the situation.

brucetta

Thanks for the reply

What should I do if I simply cannot afford to pay though?

The council tax arrears relate to a time when I was being made redundant (ironically by the same council) and whilst I appreciate it is no excuse for not paying debts I was in a very bad place emotionally and incurred a lot of expenses in looking for work again and relocating.