Council tax office - a bunch of jokers!

myright

Hi guys

I havent paid my council tax for about 10 months.

The C.T office has a record of me calling in to set a direct debit with them a year ago when I moved into the house. However that never materialised. Conseqently I get a letter 3 monhs later I havent paid my Tax credits, So I again set up a direct debit over the phone with them, with the manager this time. (again they have a record of this.). Again they fail to take money out of my account monthly due to their utter incompetence.

2 months ago i am made aware of the situation, that I still owe them 10 months Council tax!! I didnt check my account so i wasnt aware of the fact that they didn't set up my direct debit 10 months again for the 2nd time. Despite them having a record of me requesting this to happen!!! I have tried calling them several times with numerous emails, and visiting the office several times. I never recieved any replies for my 20 odd emails. I was promised a manager will call me back for 2 months!!! and that never happened which meant I had to go down and physically request it. Still never got the calls back as requested. (all this is noted on their system by the way)

Out the blue I get a call from the Manager apologising and accepting the blame for the lack of communication and mess up from their part. However I wasnt in the position to talk at the time. So I have requested him to call me back tomorrow.

Because of their ERRORS throughout the process now I am left in a debt to the council of about £2000

Could I get some of this written off at all? what options do I have?

thanks for any help

jacques_chirac

You did not check your bank statements for ten months? It seems the fault is not entirely with the council. As you were formally notified of your liability and it has not been miscalculated there is no possibility of having it written off. As you were aware then the money is surely still sat in your bank account, so you can pay it as a lump sum now?

paddedjohn

Presumably you put the money to one side did you? You will have to pay it in the end.

princessdon

You still have the money so why not pay it?

jetplane

myright wrote: »

Hi guys

I havent paid my council tax for about 10 months.

I have tried calling them several times with numerous emails, and visiting the office several times. I never recieved any replies for my 20 odd emails. I was promised a manager will call me back for 2 months!!! and that never happened which meant I had to go down and physically request it. Still never got the calls back as requested. (all this is noted on their system by the way)

If you can do all of this why couldn't you just check your bank account in the first place, so much less hassle? You are liable for your council tax. You must have a lot of money if you never need to check your account for 10 whole months!

Due to their error you should be able to negotiate a repayment extending out of the usual payment year. Just as well your mortgage or rent payments have been paid otherwise you would be up for eviction. (Unless you are mortgage free of course)

I wonder if you knew that they were not taking it and hoped you could get a write off?

RichardD1970

Especially when there has already been a problem with setting up a previous DD.

myright

I honestly didn't know. I set up the direct debit with them twice!

I only started contacting them when i got the letter stating I owed them money. First direct debit I setted up was when I moved into the house. Second one was when they wrote to me stating I owed them the money. So twice I set up the direct debit with them. I only started to contact them cus I was furious when I recived a letter again from them. the manager didnt ever ring me back. I must have called the office like 20 times in 2 months, 10 emails, plus 2-3 visits.

I agree I should have checked my statement. So in that aspect there is some of my fault. But i only ever check my balance from atm. which is my mistake

princessdon

There's no excuse for their poor service, its appalling - but that doesn't mean you should get a free ride on your council tax.

McKneff

I thought you had to physically sign a direct debit form or am I wrong.

jacques_chirac

myright wrote: »

I honestly didn't know. I set up the direct debit with them twice!

I only started contacting them when i got the letter stating I owed them money. First direct debit I setted up was when I moved into the house. Second one was when they wrote to me stating I owed them the money. So twice I set up the direct debit with them. I only started to contact them cus I was furious when I recived a letter again from them. the manager didnt ever ring me back. I must have called the office like 20 times in 2 months, 10 emails, plus 2-3 visits.

I agree I should have checked my statement. So in that aspect there is some of my fault. But i only ever check my balance from atm. which is my mistake

The resolution does seem simple, get it paid and write it off as a learning experience - don't rely on other people to make sure your bills are paid, they're unreliable

McKneff wrote: »

I thought you had to physically sign a direct debit form or am I wrong.

Not anymore - they can be set up online or over the phone

myright

thanks for that...I wasnt expecting the lot to be witten off . Maybe a small percentage and then I can try to pay the rest off.