7 year old council tax bill

HappyMJ

artangels wrote: »

Thank you. I have written to the council two weeks ago and asked them to consider my circumstances. I've had no reply. I don't think they care.

They are slow....very very slow. I first wrote (on behalf of my partner who cannot pay her arrears) to council in May of this year. Many further letters and responses were sent between us every month ever since. They have just written saying they will not make a decision on her case until February next year as it's got to go to a council meeting and she'll be notified of the outcome in March. How long? 10 months and it probably won't even be resolved then.

Who (of those so desperately poor that they can't afford to pay a penny) would wait 10 months? With the bailiffs knocking at the door threatening everything possible? The answer is no-one would so who would really wait all this time just to get a little help with council tax. It's great for the council I bet they don't pay anything out.

I'm so getting close to just giving her the money to get a DRO but I really want to avoid that as her credit is actually good with no defaults or arrears at all showing on her credit report. The reason I don't want her to get a DRO is I'd like to buy a house with a mortgage with her and her having a DRO would prevent that.

So I'll keep waiting....

edit: Her ex kept the money, didn't pay the council tax but said they did. Ex-partner is now is prison for life and is very unlikely to pay so it falls back to her to pay again.

artangels

I work from home, I frequently have clients visit. The prospect of bailiffs turning up and having to explain it all. I can't handle it. I will try writing to my councillor. I can't take it anymore.

HappyMJ

artangels wrote: »

I work from home, I frequently have clients visit. The prospect of bailiffs turning up and having to explain it all. I can't handle it. I will try writing to my councillor. I can't take it anymore.

The easiest way to get rid of this debt it to get a Debt Relief Order. Everything is written off and you start again. You will not get bailiffs visiting.

artangels

I'm so getting close to just giving her the money to get a DRO but I really want to avoid that as her credit is actually good with no defaults or arrears at all showing on her credit report. The reason I don't want her to get a DRO is I'd like to buy a house with a mortgage with her and her having a DRO would prevent that.

Thank you. This is exactly how I feel about a DRO. On paper I also have good credit, I've somehow just kept afloat. If I got a DRO then it puts ever house buying, or credit I might need for my business or anything like that out of the question, he wrecks things for me further.

HappyMJ

artangels wrote: »

Thank you. This is exactly how I feel about a DRO. On paper I also have good credit, I've somehow just kept afloat. If I got a DRO then it puts ever house buying, or credit I might need for my business or anything like that out of the question, he wrecks things for me further.

Try for discretionary help under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. It's a difficult one to get but they can remit the debt without the need for you to get a DRO. That's what my partner has applied for and will take more than 10 months to resolve.

artangels

HappyMJ wrote: »

Try for discretionary help under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. It's a difficult one to get but they can remit the debt without the need for you to get a DRO. That's what my partner has applied for and will take more than 10 months to resolve.

The council have replied to me today "noting" my letter but basically saying that the amount is due and that I need to make an arrangement with the bailiff. The details they have provided show that my ex had made an arrangement to pay back the debt at some point that he had ever stuck to after the first payment, and bizarrely made a one off payment of £600 in early 2011.

Is it even worth me trying for the discretionary help? I have no bank statements or anything left from this time, it feels like it's very much my word against the council's and someone who is no longer here to say otherwise. On one hand I don't know how i'm going to afford to live if I start paying this back, on the other hand it's already made me quite ill the past few weeks trying to deal with it. I really don't know what to do.

hohum

Hi, I can hear your anxiety coming through the posts, it must be difficult for this kind of a debt to surface.

Re the council: you have to be persistent. They have limited resources, and in a way it's a case of who shouts loudest. One letter won't be enough. I think contacting your local councillor might be a good idea, as what you need is an advocate. Your situation is through no fault of your own and having someone to help put that across at the council would benefit you. It could well be that you owe this money, the hope would be that you can negotiate a repayment with the council directly. Depending on your confidence in putting across your case, you might try giving them a phone to follow up your letter.

Re the debts: £7k of debt (£1k tax credit, £6k cards) on an approx £10k? of income suggests a larger problem with meeting your basic needs. To clear your card debt by April 2017 you would need to be putting £400 a month into repayments. That is half your monthly income, if your income is correct. This is clearly not feasible. Are you not eligible for any tax credits right now?

Council tax always becomes a priority because they have greater powers to collect the debt than card companies do. I think that in your case seeking a DMP or DRO would actually be a very good idea, and lift the burden of anxiety from you. I understand your concern about credit but at the moment I don't see how you will get yourself lifted from under your debt burden. I would also say the forum is full of people who have sought solutions to debt that impact on their credit, and survived!

dancingfairy

Are you getting all the benefits you are entitled to?
Can you afford your normal bills if your debts were gone?
I would see if you can go and have a chat with someone at your local cab or give national debt line or step change a call to go through your options. There are pros and cons to each.
Df

dancingfairy

Your options areappear to be: ) trying to get help from the council apparently ( I didn't even know this was an option).
2) a DMP or
3). A dro.
Df

sourcrates

A debt relief order can be set up real quick, lasts one year, you make no payments, then all your debt is written off.
It will be on your credit file for 6 years, after reading your thread, I think this solution would relieve all the pressure on you, you can worry about renting problems later, this matter needs sorting now.