Bailiffs chasing me for overpaying my council tax!

waitingformagic

Hi all I really hope someone can help!

I've got bailiffs after me because I overpaid council tax - I kid you not!!

I'm in England. I rented a property back in 2015 with my then boyfriend. We paid the council tax bill upfront for the year a few weeks after moving in. This was paid in full on his card however I paid him half of it.

He moved out later that year, before the billing period was up. I enquired about claiming the extra back but just left it as it was more hassle trying to claim it back for single person allowance. So the CT for the property was not only paid in full but actually OVERPAID.

Anyway fast forward to last month - 7 months after I moved out. By this time I was living alone elsewhere, the council knew my new address and email address and I had my mail on Royal Mail forwarding. Nothing at all had been said and I had even paid a full council tax bill for my new property!

Yet days before Xmas, I get a call from a mobile number of a bailiff saying that he's been to my old property as the council passed the debt to them (what debt?!) and I now owe the debt, plus an admin fee plus a call out charge - over £500.

I spoke to the council, they put the money for when I was alone into a holding account so technically I'm now in debt. I had no contact from them about this! The girl was not helpful either and said I should just talk to my ex then pay the bailiffs. Erm?!?!?

I can't talk to my ex, he was a lying !!!!!! who left me with various other bill debt (thankfully cleared) as he wasn't paying any bills like he claimed. On top of that, the cheating moron has blocked me so I am completely unable to make contact and I don't know his current address.

The money is now floating around and I've had ANOTHER call and text from the bailiff telling me I have 3 days to pay a now £800 bill in full - as they sent someone out a second time despite knowing I don't live there. No chance!!!! He was extremely rude and said "well if you don't pay it, we won't stop"!

I suffer from various mental health and anxiety issues and this sends me into a meltdown whenever I think about it, I even got admitted to a&e last week when I got so worked up thinking about my ex leaving me in so much sh*t.

Can anyone advise what to do? I'm obviously not going to pay the bailiff a penny when the council are sat on more than enough to cover what was supposedly owed! But I can't shake them and I can't get any sense from the council.

MasterG83

My advice, pay the Bailiff before the debt spirals out of control and then pursue your issue with the council. Paying it doesnt mean you admit liability but you will end up with a bigger bill.

waitingformagic

I don't have anywhere near that amount of money and would end up in actual debt for paying off a "debt" that is a complete joke and shouldn't even exist. I guess I wouldn't be able to claim it back if I did pay it. So all in all I'm not sure how paying it makes any sense? Sorry if I've misunderstood your point.

marliepanda

I replied to this but I've lost it.

What you are saying makes no sense. You need to call the council and have it properly explained.

Your joint account may have been overpaid, but that account will have been closed from the date your ex left. Then you would have had your own account. That's not an 'option' that just happens. He will have informed them that he left.

The money that was left needed to be moved over to your own account. You should have got letters about this.

It doesn't make sense at all and you need to call for more clarification.

Guest101

Eventually it gets passed back to the council, so sit tight.


Meantime gather any evidence you can and write to the council explaining that they have not allocated your payment correctly

waitingformagic

marliepanda wrote: »

I replied to this but I've lost it.

What you are saying makes no sense. You need to call the council and have it properly explained.

Your joint account may have been overpaid, but that account will have been closed from the date your ex left. Then you would have had your own account. That's not an 'option' that just happens. He will have informed them that he left.

The money that was left needed to be moved over to your own account. You should have got letters about this.

It doesn't make sense at all and you need to call for more clarification.

Hiya. He didn't tell them, they became aware after I tried making a claim and requesting it goes to single occupancy - I did this 2 months after he left the council district. They didn't explain anything about a holding account and the first I heard of this was after the bailiffs went to the old property 11months after I contacted them. I honestly had no calls, emails, or letters or I would have reacted sooner.

I tried contacting them more than once regarding this since December but I'm getting no sense from them, they just palm me off saying talk to the bailiffs (who won't listen) or my ex (who I can't contact). I guess I'm hoping to get advice on how to get someone to listen to me as right now it's about as easy as making tea in a chocolate teapot...

marliepanda

This really doesn't fit with how the council works (or mine at least)

You need to call up and ask to speak to their recovery department (or whatever they call the section that deals with arrears)

Changing to single occupancy isn't difficult and should simply trigger a change of accounts. They usually keep they money on the property, but if your ex is such a wrongun do you know he didn't request it back as it was paid on his card?

They should be able to tell you exactly where that money is (even if it is in holding it will be tied to an account) and reallocate it to you,.

Have they actually told you there is money in a holding account? I don't see how they can tell you that and then not act on it

itchyfeet123

waitingformagic wrote: »

We paid the council tax bill upfront for the year a few weeks after moving in. This was paid in full on his card however I paid him half of it.

Did you actually see the payment on his statement, or a receipt for payment? Given you describe him as dishonest and say he left you with other debt, is it possible he pocketed the money you gave him for your share but never actually paid the bill?

waitingformagic

Guest101 wrote: »

Eventually it gets passed back to the council, so sit tight.


Meantime gather any evidence you can and write to the council explaining that they have not allocated your payment correctly

Does it? After how long? I googled a lot before posting on here but didn't see any mention of that happening? Obviously waiting it out may end up being an option but if I can get it sorted out before that'd be awesome as I don't want this hanging over my head.

I forgot to say I have written a letter of complaint to the council about the situation but obviously I'm looking at 14-28 days before I can expect any response...

inkwat

Do NOT pay it - that CAN suggest you admit liability. It is much harder to pay a debt and claim it back than to have it struck off. Ask for confirmation of your debt from your council. Pull your bank statements proving that you paid in full. And as stated above, write to your council explaining that they have not allocated your payment correctly.

stator

Tell the baillifs that the debt is disputed and don't give them any information at all.
If you get a court summons then you need to attend.

Contact your local councillors and/or your local MP for help in resolving this situation with regards to the accounts