Council Tax incorrect invoice - Moving home.

jimmyc999

I recently moved to a new county and have received a council tax bill for my old property which goes beyond my sales completion date. I informed the council over a month ago of my completion date and have requested an accurate council tax bill up to that date and told them that I shall pay it immediately when I receive an accurate invoice.
I was told today that they are very busy and therefore I needed to pay the full amount and wait for a rebate for any overpayment. Failure to pay the full amount would result in court action - which amazingly, they were not too busy to work on! This strikes me as unfair as I have kept them informed of my circumstances all along and their inability to provide me with an accurate invoice should not result in me having to overpay.
Morally and legally where do I stand?
1. Refuse to pay any of the bill until they can provide me with an accurate invoice?
2. Work out the bill for myself and pay them what I owe?
3. Pay the full amount and sit and wait for them to repay me what I overpaid?


Many thanks.

antrobus

Make a formal complaint to the council concerned, highlighting their failure to act on information you have provided. Drop a hint that you're aware of the existence of the Local Government Ombudsman.

http://www.lgo.org.uk/complaints-about-council-tax/

CIS

1. Refuse to pay any of the bill until they can provide me with an accurate invoice?
2. Work out the bill for myself and pay them what I owe?
3. Pay the full amount and sit and wait for them to repay me what I overpaid?

Legally a council tax demand notice is correct until such time as it is altered and a revised one issued - the council could pursue action based on the one that has been issued and obtain a liability order, the court couldn't not grant it.

Very few council's will be physically issuing any new demand notices (other than start of year notices) at the moment although there's nothing to stop them calculating the correct charge.