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Home visits council tax arrears

toocleverbyhalf
toocleverbyhalf Posts: 71 Forumite
in Benefits & tax credits
I've had a letter from housing benefit to say that they will be visiting me at home to discuss my rent.
I've never had this before & I was wondering if any other councils are doing this.

Comments

  • Housing_Benefit_Officer
    Housing_Benefit_Officer Posts: 2,502 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Confused - the title is council tax arrears and you say housing benefit are visiting regarding rent???

    Are you in social housing and have had a bedroom tax cut imposed and have run up rent arrears?
    These are my own views and you should seek advice from your local Benefits Department or CAB.
  • toocleverbyhalf
    toocleverbyhalf Posts: 71 Forumite
    Sorry, you're right. I got the title wrong.
    It's not about my rent, it's about council tax.
  • HappyMJ
    HappyMJ Posts: 21,115 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    toocleverbyhalf wrote: »
    Sorry, you're right. I got the title wrong.
    It's not about my rent, it's about council tax.
    Start again...who sent the letter? Have you paid the council tax? Have the council gone to court to get a liability order?
    :footie:
    :p Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S) :p Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money. :p
  • jacques_chirac
    jacques_chirac Posts: 2,825 Forumite
    Are you a social housing tenant? If so this is pretty common, to try to work out a repayment plan to avoid going to court.
  • toocleverbyhalf
    toocleverbyhalf Posts: 71 Forumite
    Yes I am a social housing tenant, I haven't paid all my council tax & it's been to court.
    Thanks Jaques Chirac for your answer, that's all I needed to know. I thought I was being singled out, but it appears not. Thanks
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Most councils don't visit for council tax arrears however with the changing climate some may find its better to do so in some circumstances.
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • tonyciclo
    tonyciclo Posts: 144 Forumite
    CIS wrote: »
    Most councils don't visit for council tax arrears however with the changing climate some may find its better to do so in some circumstances.
    such as arrears that are building due to the changes in the level of council tax support.
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    such as arrears that are building due to the changes in the level of council tax support.

    Most councils that do visit people do so for those with large levels of arrears - the people who have been hit by the cuts to council tax support tend to be around £80-£100 p/a which is relatively small in the overall level of arrears that you find.
    I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.
  • tonyciclo
    tonyciclo Posts: 144 Forumite
    CIS wrote: »
    Most councils that do visit people do so for those with large levels of arrears - the people who have been hit by the cuts to council tax support tend to be around £80-£100 p/a which is relatively small in the overall level of arrears that you find.

    Not if there are hundreds of similar 'small' arrear cases building for the same reason.

    Someone I know is refusing to pay the extra 20% CT. No doubt that will be classed as 'small', but sometime in the future he will force the council to take legal steps to recover it - £238pa (£4.60 a week for a full year). My local council have tried to speak to most if not all CTS claimants that are not making these payments in order to set up a payment plan. Most are now complying, but there are still a hardcore few that will not as they disagree with the new system.
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