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Advice with demand from Debt Collection Agency for Diputed Council Tax Bill
hereford_2
Posts: 33 Forumite
I'm in dispute with Glasgow city council over the size of a council tax bill for a flat I used to own. The dispute is over the size of the CT discount as the property was empty for 18 months prior to sale.
Eventually after several letters and form filling they sent me a revised bill in March to which they had applied a second home discount, which was considerably smaller than the empty property discount I was expecting. I wrote back straight away informing them of the mistake, and hadn't heard anything since the 22nd March when I wrote until a couple of days ago I got a letter from a debt collection agency for the outstanding amount.
I telephoned them and they said they had accepted the proof I gave that the property was empty, but I had not provided enough proof that the property was unfurnished and that was why I had only received the second home discount. In the end after a heated argument they agreed to accept a letter from my solicitor confirming that the property was empty and unfurnished.
When I wrote to them In March I provided both a mobile phone number and an email address. I was very surprised that they hadn't used either of these or written to explain there decision, and even more surprised that they had handed the matter over to a debt collection agency without even responding to my letter querying their decision.
My solicitor has now written to them confirming that the property was unfurnished.
Should I pay the amount to the debt collection agency which is over £500 when the actual bill should only be around £200 for fear of getting a black mark on my credit record, or tell them where to go and keep hassling Glasgow Council for a fresh bill?
The debt collection time limit is up this thursday. Their letter dated 3rd May giving 14 days to pay didn't arrive until the 9th. Makes you wonder if that is a tactic.
Eventually after several letters and form filling they sent me a revised bill in March to which they had applied a second home discount, which was considerably smaller than the empty property discount I was expecting. I wrote back straight away informing them of the mistake, and hadn't heard anything since the 22nd March when I wrote until a couple of days ago I got a letter from a debt collection agency for the outstanding amount.
I telephoned them and they said they had accepted the proof I gave that the property was empty, but I had not provided enough proof that the property was unfurnished and that was why I had only received the second home discount. In the end after a heated argument they agreed to accept a letter from my solicitor confirming that the property was empty and unfurnished.
When I wrote to them In March I provided both a mobile phone number and an email address. I was very surprised that they hadn't used either of these or written to explain there decision, and even more surprised that they had handed the matter over to a debt collection agency without even responding to my letter querying their decision.
My solicitor has now written to them confirming that the property was unfurnished.
Should I pay the amount to the debt collection agency which is over £500 when the actual bill should only be around £200 for fear of getting a black mark on my credit record, or tell them where to go and keep hassling Glasgow Council for a fresh bill?
The debt collection time limit is up this thursday. Their letter dated 3rd May giving 14 days to pay didn't arrive until the 9th. Makes you wonder if that is a tactic.
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Comments
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I don't know if Scottish Law is different, but, in England and Wales, a Debt Collector can not pursue a debt whilst it is in dispute.I am NOT, nor do I profess to be, a Qualified Debt Adviser. I have made MANY mistakes and have OFTEN been the unwitting victim of the the shamefull tactics of the Financial Industry.
If any of my experiences, or the knowledge that I have gained from those experiences, can help anyone who finds themselves in similar circumstances, then my experiences have not been in vain.
HMRC Bankruptcy Statistic - 26th October 2006 - 23rd April 2007 BCSC Member No. 7
DFW Nerd # 166 PROUD TO BE DEALING WITH MY DEBTS0
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