Outstanding Council Tax and seting up DD

ethranes

Hi, I am currently in arreas with my council tax payment by around 3k. I have just setup a direct debt through my local councils website and subscribed to the 12 monthly payments option. I'm wondering if the DD I set up will take payments for the current year , or will it consolidate all the years and try and get the 3k within the 12 monthly payments?

ethranes

Ahh, looking at the website closer it seems that you can set up a standing order which may be the way to go in my case.

CIS

Setting up a DD for the ongoing council tax won't automatically set up any arrangement on the arrears, you'd need to arrange that separately.

Craig

sourcrates

You are very lucky no enforcement action has been taken been 3k in debt with council tax.

You should prioritise this over any other unsecured debt you may have.

If bailiffs become involved the costs multiply as well as the hassle.

another_casualty

sourcrates wrote: »

You are very lucky no enforcement action has been taken been 3k in debt with council tax.

You should prioritise this over any other unsecured debt you may have.

If bailiffs become involved the costs multiply as well as the hassle.

Says it all .

I would think that once they realise, they may demand triple the monthly payments . This is the first payment that comes out your salary next to rent or mortgage .

ethranes

Thanks all for your help and advice

CIS

One of the first questions you need to sort is to whether the £3k is correct - make sure the liability is correctly attributed and any discounts are awarded.

Craig

ethranes

Looking at my account now, the arreas stand at £747.32 for 2015/16 and £1,502.27 for 2016/17 so a total of
£2,249.59.

I beleive it's right, the first ever bill I got had mine and my partners name on it, but she is a student, so she has since been taken off, I don't beleive I'm eligable for any other deductions.

I'm not sure what happened, I had set up a DD last year with them, but looking at it now, they only took 2 payments. And I can see on my bank that the DD is still set up. So not sure what's happened there.

Well I've now set up a standing order and a DD with them, I'm unsure of the amount that they'll be taking from the DD but the £100 standing order plus the DD should bring down the number. I'll need to take some time off work to phone them during this month to see the best way to get 2015/16s arreas paid off.

CIS

I'm not sure what happened, I had set up a DD last year with them, but looking at it now, they only took 2 payments. And I can see on my bank that the DD is still set up. So not sure what's happened there.

Certainly something to ask them about.

Have the council issued court summonses yet ?

If you're suffering hardship you can ask for a Section 13A reduction - they have to , at the very least, consider your application.


Craig

ethranes

I've not heard or receieved anything from my council other than the annual bills that they send out, I think the best thing at this point, is to leave the standing order and DD set up that will bring my arreas down for the 2016/17 year, and give them a call and see if we can set up a payment plan to over the £747 from 2015/16

CIS

ethranes wrote: »

I've not heard or receieved anything from my council other than the annual bills that they send out, I think the best thing at this point, is to leave the standing order and DD set up that will bring my arreas down for the 2016/17 year, and give them a call and see if we can set up a payment plan to over the £747 from 2015/16

Unless the council tax demand notices have been issued within the last few months it would be very unusual for them not to have issued the court summons - it's going to be worth checking with them.

Craig