Council tax problem! Help!!

rosiulia

Hi there, I lived in a house between July and October 2014 and i always paid the council tax. From October till February 2015 i've been in another country and as I thought i will not return in UK i closed my account. In February I've went back to england but i had no job till beginning of march. I returned in the same house where actually a friend if mine was living and surprise, i found a letter from the council in my name saying that I didn't pay the closing fee so i had to pay 100£ asap. I paid it, even i didn't have no job. Now from a few months i work but I didn't register to the council as i had some massive personal debt, so I couldn't afford to pay it. And today i got a letter from a collection agency, saying that they will send bailiffs as i owe the council 600£. Where they come from? How do i get out of this situation? I'm freaked out, i can't pay a penny as i'm not debt free and i can't afford such amount of money to pay an account which it is in my name but i can't understand where the debt comes from, as i paid fully all the debts i had with them. What should i do? Do i have to face prision if i don't pay and ignore everything?
Thank you x

Tixy

According to this letter from the debt collection agency what period does the £600 debt relate to?
Does it state which property it relates to?

Who is the debt collection agency? is it definitely just a debt collector not a bailiffs?

rosiulia

Tixy wrote: »

According to this letter from the debt collection agency what period does the £600 debt relate to?
Does it state which property it relates to?

Who is the debt collection agency? is it definitely just a debt collector not a bailiffs?

It doesn't say the period the debt is related to. It's Rossendales Limited. I don't know what/who they are. The letter states : Notice of Enforcement Agent visit- FINAL OPPORTUNITY.
Your case is currently allocated to an Enforcement Agent to visit your address to recover the amount detailed below, relating to Council Tax costs outstanding to City MBC for liability order issued against you on 26.03.2015, by taking control of your goods.
amount 519,49£
Enforcement costs incurred 75£
Total Amount due: 594,49£.

Tixy

Right so these are bailiffs not debt collectors.
They have to give 7 days notice before they visit. And they can add the extra charges after this letter if they do visit.

First thing on Monday I would speak to the council and ask them for details of the debt and a copy of the liability order.

If the bailiffs do visit then do not let the in to the property (keep the doors locked).
In the mean time this may be worth a read - https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/factsheets/Pages/02%20EW%20Council%20tax%20recovery/Page-02.aspx#quicklink1
and perhaps this - http://bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/index/council-tax-national-non-domestic-rate-nndr

fatbelly

Good advice above

The extra fee (over and above the £75) is £235.

rosiulia

I know it's written on the letter. Should i tell the council that i'm back just from three months? I received another letter saying that i have to pay the council 940£ (?) are they mocking me?

theoretica

If you do not keep up to date with paying council tax monthly, they can and do bill you for the rest of the year upfront. You need to communicate with them and try to arrange for them to go back to monthly billing - and pay it.

You say a friend lives in this property (or was just living in it while you were away?) - is he or she exempt from council tax? Was anyone paying it when you were away?

andyfromotley

Hi rosiulia,

Follow the advice above. You need to change your thinking in general about this. All debts are not equal. Council Tax is a priority debt. Which in general terms means it MUST be paid. It comes before your other personal debts such as CC and Loan agreements. There are special powers to enforce recovery. Non payment of CT will have a much more serious outcome than non payment of the other debt you have. You cannot choose not to register because 'you cant afford it'. Treat this debt seriously.

rosiulia

i'm not english. First time i went to UK was in july 2014 when i registered with the council. In october i webt back to my country till the end on February when I began looking for a job and started to work. I closed my council tax in october, paying the termination fee. But they kept sending me letters at my uk address with the mention that i didn't pay the termination fee and charging me 100£. I paid this. And they kept charging me. I lived with a friend at that time. Now i'm stuck in the same house with a rommate and i have a 1500£ bill to the council. I struggle with everything. They didn't send me any letter to pay normally the council. The only letters that arrived were with 200£ charges for i don't know what . My wage is 1100£ per month and i mention that i'm a 19 yrs old female, without no help.

theoretica

Council tax is charged for the property (with discounts available depending on who lives there such as students, or only one person). Everyone in the house who needs to pay council tax is responsible for seeing it is paid - usually housemates divide it amongst them, but it is up to you to do this - the council does not, it just wants to be paid. I wonder if the other people in the house are leaving you in the lurch and you are being chased because the council has your name.

Do you have time to go to the local council tax office in person? You might get a fuller explanation that way.

rosiulia

That's the point. Nobody in this house cares what's happening to me as everything it's in my name. I cannot go personally as i work weekdays 9-17. I will call on Monday. What should i tell them? I have no excuse for not paying, apart from being alone and massive bills. I didn't receive bills with monthly payments.. Even after I paid (again) the termination fee. After i paid the termination fee, I received threats letter, like to pay in the next 7 days 519£. It doesn't seems fair even if i know i can't do much. Should i tell them the truth?