Council Tax Enforcement Issue

anthonyruk

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had some advice to give on this issue.

I moved out of a property in the Summer as the landlord was selling and I had a Section21 notice. I moved out the apartment but forgot to notify the council. I moved into another property for 6 months and then moved again. During the end of the tenancy at the second property I got a bill from the Council for 6 months council tax on the old property. I also received an enforcement letter from Bristow and Suitor requesting one year council tax plus fees.

I went to the council who put the enforcement on hold while they looked into the issue. They reduced the amount I owed to the month that I moved out and updated this with the enforcement agency but they would not accept payment and said I still had to make payment to Bistrow and Suitor.

I called them, who said that the case was with a Live Enforcement Agent who I contacted. They took the payment for the Council Tax plus around £400 in fees.

Has anyone had any joy in claiming these fees back? I told the council when I moved out of the last property and they said that they forwarded my new address on so:-

1. The enforcement agents visited when the account was "on hold" while the council revised the fees.
2. They visited the old address even though the council had given them my new address.

Thanks.

G_M

Worth a try.

Would have been far easier to argue it was not owed before you paid though.

Lloyd90

G_M wrote: »

Worth a try.

Would have been far easier to argue it was not owed before you paid though.

Easy to say but if you've ever watched can't pay well take it away they're quick enough to bully people and add on huge fees.

One time they walked in the bloke owed £2200, they wrote down the details of his car on paper and said "Now its £3000 as we have taken possession so you have to pay our fees"

Absolute jokers!

saajan_12

Did they provide a breakdown of the fees? What enforcement actions were taken? Since

a. you forgot to notify the council of your end date / new address initially; and
b. you didn’t pay the last month

you are unfortunately at fault and the council was right to pass the case on to enforcement presumably. So, I think you’d be liable for any initial letter fees etc. However you may have a claim on any incorrect visit fees IF you notified the council giving them reasonable time to notify the enforcement co. and halt / change the prescheduled visit. Not sure how you would go about claiming them back though

Guest101

Lloyd90 wrote: »

Easy to say but if you've ever watched can't pay well take it away they're quick enough to bully people and add on huge fees. - Those are people who already have CCJs, and the fees are set by the government. But you knew that surely...

One time they walked in the bloke owed £2200, they wrote down the details of his car on paper and said "Now its £3000 as we have taken possession so you have to pay our fees"

Absolute jokers!

That's because a seizure is a legal process, not a physical one. The removal of the car has fees.....

HiToAll

Lloyd90 wrote: »

Easy to say but if you've ever watched can't pay well take it away they're quick enough to bully people and add on huge fees.

One time they walked in the bloke owed £2200, they wrote down the details of his car on paper and said "Now its £3000 as we have taken possession so you have to pay our fees"

Absolute jokers!

I agree, those who dont pay what is owed are jokers!!