Council Tax debt

SwayZ

Just found out that mam hasn't been paying her council tax for the last 18 months and would like some advice please.

She's been diagnosed with PTSD and has been burying her head in the sand with the anxiety erc.

She has two bills, 2015-16 £1700 which had went to bailiffs and got sent back to council because they couldn't get it. 2016-17 £1890 is with Jacobs bailiffs and they have been sending threatening letters which also say they'll add £225 for each visit they make.

Any advice please

McKneff

pay the council tax,

Council tax debt will never go away,

Bailiffs will keep on adding to the debt till the debt is paid

Does she have anything of value she can sell, is there any family that can help out.

Muttipops

Make sure she is receiving all the benefits she should by going to Citizens Advice Bureau.

sourcrates

She needs to get some advice on this, possibly National Debtline can help.

She will have to set up some kind of payment plan with the council.

Is she claiming council tax reduction at all ?

All this needs looking into before the situation escalates.

National_Debtline

Hi SwayZ and welcome to MSE,


Council tax bailiffs can only come inside her home if she lets them in or if they find open or unlocked access, so make sure from now on her home is secure and she does not let the bailiffs in. Also ensure anything valuable outside (like a car) is hidden. If she has already let the bailiffs in she will need more detailed advice ASAP.


The bailiffs are able to charge a £75 compliance fee per liability order/ year of council tax owed and they can also charge a £235 enforcement fee. This can only be charged once per liability order, irrespective of how many times they visit. Without a controlled goods agreement there are no more fees.


Realistically, your mum needs to write/ email the council and ask them to take the debt back on the grounds of vulnerability. They may need to see evidence of her health issues by way of a letter from a medical professional and she should also include a SOA to make an offer to pay the debt. Good luck,


Laura
@natdebtline

SwayZ

Thanks for all the replies.

She gets no benefits at all, she was on ESA while they did they assessment but they said she couldn't have it and she wouldn't appeal no matter how hard I tried.

She has no income at all apart from what me and my brother have given her but we didn't realise it was this bad, but we're going to sort it.

I did a benefits calculator and it looks like she is entitled to ESA and PIP, I'm not sure what else. If anybody has any ideas of others that would be great.

I'm going to have to apply over the phone for her as she doesn't leave the house much (Nearly 3 weeks). She doesn't even want benefits after her first experience triggered her anxiety badly.

Ideally I would like the second council tax bill back to the council.

Any thoughts

National_Debtline

It's a very difficult situation, because it would seem she may have been able to claim council tax support for this year but without submitting the claim the monthly instalments are due as normal, which are obviously unaffordable based on what you have said.


Write or email the council and emphasise her vulnerability and include evidence of this and then ask them to take the matter back. To consider this they will likely want to see a clear plan to prevent this situation happening again in April 2017 (i.e. that she will be claiming the correct benefits). Look for what local support she can get from benefit specialists to assist with benefit claims. If there isn't much she should be able to make someone her appointee and then they would be able to apply for benefits on her behalf.


The minimum offer to the arrears is £3.70per week. If she was able to claim ESA she could offer to the council that this be deducted from her benefits directly so she doesn't miss a payment.


Laura
@natdebtline

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi!

Great help above. Our Mental Health and Debt guide could help.

Take care

Andrea

AMBERSHADOW

National_Debtline wrote: »

Hi SwayZ and welcome to MSE,


Council tax bailiffs can only come inside her home if she lets them in or if they find open or unlocked access, so make sure from now on her home is secure and she does not let the bailiffs in. Also ensure anything valuable outside (like a car) is hidden. If she has already let the bailiffs in she will need more detailed advice ASAP.


The bailiffs are able to charge a £75 compliance fee per liability order/ year of council tax owed and they can also charge a £235 enforcement fee. This can only be charged once per liability order, irrespective of how many times they visit. Without a controlled goods agreement there are no more fees.


Realistically, your mum needs to write/ email the council and ask them to take the debt back on the grounds of vulnerability. They may need to see evidence of her health issues by way of a letter from a medical professional and she should also include a SOA to make an offer to pay the debt. Good luck,


Laura
@natdebtline

HI


I am sorry to hijack but the 235 your talking about .. you say can only be added once? what about the interest they say they can add

AMBERSHADOW

Mine is with Reventus and one visit is 235 plus so much interest on the amount owed so they told me?

National_Debtline

Hi Ambershadow


Is yours a council tax debt as well? The fees are set in law, they can't charge interest on top.


Dennis
@natdebtline