Big trouble with Council Tax....

Phoenix27_2

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can help. I don't know where to turn or what to do, or where to post this.

I am in urgent need of some help with council tax. Please don't judge me I work extremely hard and do not live frivolously.

Circumstances mean that I have just received a court summons for £784.00 council tax. The date of the hearing is Fri 6th Feb.

I have not been well and am awaiting surgery and my partner got made redundant in November. I appreciate I should have phoned the council but with one income I had nothing to offer them.

I had hoped that partner would have secured a job by now and I would have been able to catch up with it. Sadly this hasn't been the case.

I can afford by begging borrowing etc to pay £450.00 which I can do by the automated line now but that still leaves me £334 short.

Do I have any options? Anything I can do to make this ok.

I have no idea what will happen if it comes to the court hearing and do I have to go.

I am scared, worried and not sleeping.

Any advice at all please?

CIS

I have no idea what will happen if it comes to the court hearing and do I have to go.

If it's a hearing for the granting of a liability order then you don't have to attend - the court has to grant the order anyway as part of the process (without reference to ability to pay etc) unless you can show that either the amount isn't due or the council have billed you wrongly.

Rather than just pay the £450.00 outright I would recommend you contact the council directly to discuss - you may be able to persuade them to withdraw the summons if you're lucky but if not then you can discuss a payment arrangement directly with them.

Phoenix27_2

Thanks for the reply.

I will wait and call them first thing before paying. I am so annoyed with myself for not contacting the as I could have afforded to pay the rest by the end of March.

I doubt they will entertain me. Do I understand correctly that the council worker would have the authority to cancel the summons if I can arrange something directly with them?

chesky

They are highly unlikely to cancel the summons which means you will have to pay the court fee which I'm pretty sure will be included in the summons you received. Best thing is to contact them Asap, before the hearing and arrange a repayment plan.

Phoenix27_2

Thanks.

The figure I stated included a £100 charge. I know I am liable for the tax and am not querying it. I was just hoping that the was a way of stopping it getting to the court stage.

However I can't find a way to pay all of it before the hearing on Friday.

When_the_going_gets_tough

I agree you probably can't avoid the court fee now. But still make contact and agree repayment terms. Also are you and your partner entitled to council tax reduction or housing benefit because of your recent circumstances. Investigate this as well - most councils have an online form for you to apply.

FatVonD

Had you already arranged to pay across 12 months instead of the old 10?

If you hadn't maybe it might give you some wiggle room if they agree to change it now. Can't remember now which are the 2 months it doesn't need paying (think its Feb and March) but if you were on the 12 month plan then 2/12ths of it aren't due yet whereas if it's over 10 months the whole years worth should have been paid by now. does that make sense?

Worth thinking about the 12 month option for next year anyway if money is tight at the moment

Phoenix27_2

Thanks I haven't had a payment arrangement this year. So I will say that. Because I earn enough apparently on my own we are not entitled to any council tax benefit.

I really don't want bailiffs etc and my name in the paper on the courts page. The only things I have a few small items in the flat.

If I can't calm down I will get sick and how will that help. Sorry have a banging headache.

Thanks for all of your advice.

MrWillyWonka

Is there anything you can cut down on to free up cash? Like cancelling Sky etc? Then you would be in a position to make a regular small payment to pay it off.

Phoenix27_2

I have had a look through everything. We don't have Sky and don't go out etc.

When_the_going_gets_tough

Op are you working at the moment? If not what sort of sick pay are you getting? Also is your partner working? Depending on all this you might be entitled to some benefits now.