Council Tax - 12 monthly instalments

Treadmill

CG19a wrote: »

Glasgow City Council let me pay 13 times a year which is great since I get paid every 4 weeks and receive 13 pays. It always comes out the Friday after I get paid and I've done it this way for the last 7 years or so.

I might try this. I am 4 weekly paid.

joolsybools

No - but I knew that I could pay in 12 instalments

We received our bill from East Lothian council about 2 or 3 weeks ago, giving the 'option' of 10 monthly payments. Having previously read something about the 12 month option on here I looked online to see if there was any info and there was, but I couldn't find anything printed on the bill.

We have gone for the 12 month option, have always done the 10 monthly option before.

jessie4109

No - and I did not know that I could pay in 12 instalments

I paid my council tax bill when it came on the 15th. I wasn't sure how much I would have to pay with the welfare reforms as each council now set their own council tax relief scheme. I had been putting a little away each week since it was 1st mentioned last year as I was scared about how much extra I would need to find.

Purple_Rein

No - but I knew that I could pay in 12 instalments

Received Council Tax Bill today (Rochdale Council) ........ no mention of option to spread payment over 12 months. However, when I phoned and asked to pay over 12 months they arranged this immediately.

masca

each_peach_pear_plum wrote: »

Received my CT bill and there was a tiny little paragraph on the back of the bill about the 12 monthly installments.... and you had to apply in writing, and you only had a window of 14 days!

You're lucky that you got a 14 day window to change. Maldon council issued their bills on the 8th March, emailed them on 12th, and in order to change to 12 monthly installments you had to notify them in writing by... wait for it... the 12th!!!! Therefore, they gave their council tax payers precisely no window for changing! Surely that should be illegal?

asbaw

No - but I knew that I could pay in 12 instalments

Got my council tax bill yesterday with 10 payments listed. In VERY SMALL writing on the bottom of the bill was a note asking customers to ring if they wanted to pay over 12 months. When I phoned, lots of messages saying you might have to be on hold for ages because of high volume of calls, persisted non the less. When I did eventually get through I was told the amount of an initial payment, which I needed to make, then was told I would have to phone again after making this payment to be given the details of my next 11 payments. When I pointed out that the payment ammounts were easy to work out and that I was not happy about phoning again, I was told that recovery action would be taken against me unless I phoned back. I was told the reason for the 2 calls was that 14 days notice needed to be given to change payments and that there were not 14 days until the first payment was due, when i pointed out that I had only recieved the bill 12 hours before and that that they should have sent it earlier if they were going to impose impossible deadlines I was told "tough". I informed them that I considered my call as formal notice of my legal right to pay over 12 months I was told that the Council would be happy to take me to court and that if I wanted to do that "simply because of a short phone call" they would be "happy to do it". I asked why they were sending out bills which were legally unenforceable I was informed that council tax is legally due over 10 months and when I asked why they were making it as difficult as possible for people to pay over 12 months, I was told that I had to do what I was told or face court!!!
Sadly, I have always found Middlesbrough Council to be a bunch of nasty bullies and this simply reinforces my view.
Im going to lauch a formal complaint and will take this as formal notice that I will be paying over 12 months - I wont be phoning them back.......

nearlyretired2004

Have not (yet) done anything about next years bill, but during last year I missed one payment by accident (changed bank account for direct debit to Santander 123 to get cashback and not set up in time)

When I phoned to arrange payment was offered the opportunity to pay over all the remianing months of the financial year (so effectively over 12 months.)

molerat

Yes - and they sent me a plan for 12 instalments

My bill came with a note on how to pay by DD in 1, 2, 10,12, weekly and fortnightly payments !!

CIS

I informed them that I considered my call as formal notice of my legal right to pay over 12 months

The legislation requires that the request for 12 instalments be made in writing so the council can refuse to take your call as notice. The regulations state that "Where a liable person requests by notice in writing to the billing authority to pay the amount mentioned in regulation 20(2) by 12 monthly instalments paragraph"

14 days notice needed to be given to change payments

This again is a legal requirement.

nearlyretired2004

Although, presumably depending on the council, they may not enforce these requirements......

Two minutes on the phone just now (not in writing) and I've changed from 10 to 12 months .....

Although, seeing earlier posts, I also enquired about discount for paying in full and was told none available - also she didnt know that other councils did this .......