Council tax issues

lunarose

Sorry for the long explanation but i'm in a pickle!

I recently lived in a house with 3 students meaning as a working person i was liable for the council tax. I was a tenant at this property for 5 months before the tenancy got passed onto someone else in January 2015 (who was a student). I actually only lived at this property for 3 months and left before i received any information about how much council tax was/when i'd have to pay and therefore was unaware of the council tax charges building up. I recently met with one of the other residents and she gave me a pile of letters which are saying that the amount I owe is now at the grand sum of £1329.89 and it has been passed on to a debt collection agency. One letter also states that bailiffs have attended the property to try and collect the sum in goods from the house. The council tax amount before enforcement costs was £1000 which still seems a bit steep considering I only held a tenancy there for 5 months.

I now live in a different city but my bank is still registered to the debt ridden house and so far the debt collection agency is yet to send any correspondence to my new address. SO... my question is, what the hell do i do? I don't have the money to pay it off, I'm currently living with my parents to try and get rid of some other debt that i've incurred. Is it safe for me to try and stay hidden until I have enough funds to pay this off or do I need to contact them now? My worry is that I give them my new address details they'll come to take stuff from my parents house or just take my wages away.

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

Thank you

dancingfairy

Firstly if you were the only paying adult in a house full of students they should have all been exempted by providing the council with student certificates which would then leave you getting a single person discount as effectively you are then the sole occupier for council tax purposes.
Secondly the reason why the council tax bill is so high is because the council bill for a year in advance. They don't know you are going to move out part way through the year. Technically the whole year is due up front but the kind government let people pay in installments so you have probably been billed for the whole year.
You need to contact the council in writing. You need to give them the date your tenancy started (ie the date you first became liable), if you can provide student certificates for the other housemates at the time you may still be able to get the single person discount. You then need to give them details of when your tenancy ended (which is not when you moved out by the sounds of it). Include copies of any proof of this such as a new tenancy agreement etc.
I Would write to the council and ask them to sort the account out. I think you should give them your new address because it's not exactly fair on the current tenants. I'd also explain to your parents that there has been a mess up with the council tax and bailiffs are involved but you have taken advice and are dealing with it.
If you want more information on bailiff charges and what bailiffs can and can't do then head to the national debtline's website where they have loads of really useful factsheets including one on bailiffs and council tax.
Get the charges correct first, then worry about whether you should or shouldn't be paying bailiff charges etc.
You could always ring National Debtline if you want to talk it through with them.
df

CIS

You need to contact the council and tell them you've moved out. As above, once payments are defaulted the balance for the remainder of the year becomes due in full (until you can prove you're no longer liable for the charge).

The fact you held the tenancy for 5 months isn't relevant, providing the property ceased being your 'sole or main residence' after the 3 months (and the other tenants stayed in the property) you're not liable past that date. What they will need is evidence you have left - a letter from the landlord or managing agent is always a good piece of evidence.