We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Student Council Tax

Options
Hi,

Me and my flatmate are both full time students. When I moved to my new flat I changed my address on the university system and they said they will send a letter to the council in regards to exception. I also sent an email to the council informing them we are both students. However After a while I started receiving letters from a credit enforcement agency. I left them a message in in regards to this and they stopped for a while however I received another letter recently asking for payment again. I have called them and they said I should pay the £1400 and when the council tells them I am exempt they may refund me!

I have contacted the council again and filled the exemption form.
Any advice?

Comments

  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 18,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Unusual. Councils tend to use proper bailiffs rather than a credit enforcement agency.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • These guys.

    http://www.scottandco.uk.com/website/wip/scottweb.nsf/index?readform

    I don't really care much about their business practices, rather about being exempt from council tax.
  • I have called them and they said I should pay the £1400 and when the council tells them I am exempt they may refund me!
    Refer them to the case of Arkell vs Pressdram.
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 18,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper

    I don't really care much about their business practices, rather about being exempt from council tax.

    Well you should care!

    There are strict legal procedures councils must follow when attempting to recover unpaid Council Tax. Have you been served with a CT bill, reminder for non payment, Notice of Court Hearing and subsequent judgement.

    Although if you are in Scotland, the court procedures are slightly different.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • Voyager2002
    Voyager2002 Posts: 16,251 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Many councils can verify your student status using your uni registration number. See if you can contact someone fairly senior in the council tax department and get them to use their brains...
  • Well you should care!

    There are strict legal procedures councils must follow when attempting to recover unpaid Council Tax. Have you been served with a CT bill, reminder for non payment, Notice of Court Hearing and subsequent judgement.

    Although if you are in Scotland, the court procedures are slightly different.

    I Have been hit by a Pre-Enforcement notice.

    I have refilled the online tax exception form with my student ID and my flatmates and also emailed the council. I could not get through on the phone even after 30 min.

    I called Scott Co and they said first you pay and then we will see which seems rather stupid to put it nicely. Do I need to worry about them?
  • OK That's funny
    Refer them to the case of Arkell vs Pressdram.
  • lincroft1710
    lincroft1710 Posts: 18,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 21 November 2013 at 8:06PM
    I Have been hit by a Pre-Enforcement notice.

    Never heard of this before.

    I have refilled the online tax exception form with my student ID and my flatmates and also emailed the council. I could not get through on the phone even after 30 min.

    Is there any chance you could go to the council and have a meeting with a senior revenues officer.

    I called Scott Co and they said first you pay and then we will see which seems rather stupid to put it nicely. Do I need to worry about them?

    What you need to worry about is if you don't pay them, do they have any powers of recovery.

    I've been on MSE boards for almost 6 years and have read of numerous CT payment/exemption/recovery threads, but have never encountered a credit enforcement agency being used to recover unpaid CT. Not that I'm saying it doesn't happen, but it's very unusual.

    I am now thinking that possibly your uni didn't inform or confirm with council your new address.
    If you are querying your Council Tax band would you please state whether you are in England, Scotland or Wales
  • CIS
    CIS Posts: 12,260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    credit enforcement agency being used to recover unpaid CT

    A local authority I worked at used them but they were basically telephone debt collectors who rang people up. This company was an arm of one the bailiff companies they used.

    Scott and Co are also sheriffs officers so would likely be used to enforce the liability orders.
    I Have been hit by a Pre-Enforcement notice.

    This is just a name for a letter they've issued to give you another chance to pay before they enforce.
    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.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.