Coucil Tax Refund query

Nellie

Thanks Martin for the CT tips finally got a success on rebanding from E to D backdated to 1993 plus cheque yesterday. However I was a little dismayed to find that althoughthe amount due was £2840 approx they have only sent a cheque for £1500 having snaffled the whole of 2007/8 council tax in advance. Can this be right? We have aways paid on the 10 month direct debit system and were up to date. The first dd for 2007/8 was due out on 15 April and they sent us the cheque on the 16 April 2007. The council web site states by law the council tax has to be paid in 10 monthly instalements or alternatively weekly or in 2 lump sums. Surely they can't have the whole amount in one go as they have taken our freedom of choice away on how we pay. More to the point they are getting interst on the money we would have had inteest on had it been in my motgage ofset account.

Has anyone else experienced this or does anyone know if we have the right to ask for the full refund back. The DD details are still held by the council so there is no problem for them to just run it as they have been for the last 10 years.

Marzeater

Hi I am waiting for the council to send a statement of the sum overpaid. Backdated to 1994. I am trying to claim statutory interest on it, but they say they don't have the facility to pay interest.
Did you get any interest off your council?

Nellie

No chance. I work for the same council I'm now arguing with and I know they don't pay interest. The usual line is "it's public money". What they don't realise is it's my money originally.

hodgester

it wasn't the council who made the error though was it? It was the VO - have you thought about approaching the party who made the mistake rather than your council?

Nellie

Hopefully now got a result, well hubby got the result. He phoned the council today to query the cheque and the amount. Three people gave him excuses and stories a mile long and the 4th person after a lot of debate just said "well we assumed you wanted us to take the full years amount of the refund" His reply was "well you assumed wrong" They have now agreed to send a cheque for the money they snaffled and we will continue on the good old DD system as normal.

So if this happens to anyone else I think they are just trying it on. Demand your full aamount back (assuming you aren't in arrears with your payments)

Thanks to all and a big thanks to Martin.