Council tax liability order, my address but someone else's name

user1168934

I have received a letter in someone else's name (unknown to me) but my current address. It seems to be for "Council Tax Notice of liability order" asking for money owed by the said person some 10 years ago. It says it will be passed on to the enforcement agents.
In the last few months I received 2 other letters in the same name (I think) which I returned to sender immediately.


What do I do now?
I have heard horror stories about bailiffs showing up to people's door and taking their stuff for someone else's loan.
Should I contact the council?


PS. Before you ask, I was opening my other letters and opened this one without reading the name.

Sncjw

How long have you lived in the property?

user1168934

I bought it almost 4.5 years ago and have been living here since. My own council tax is on direct debit and all up to date.

sourcrates

Hi,


Get in touch with the council ASAP and explain the situation to them.


Much easier to deal with this on the phone with them, rather than with a bailiff who wont want to know.


It should be easily sorted.

z1a

"PS. Before you ask, I was opening my other letters and opened this one without reading the name."

You're allowed to open mail at your address, regardless of name.

Wish this would happen to me, reckon I'd get a lot of fun out of it.

CIS

The council must have come up with the address as a contact address somewhere along the line - if the charge is for a period 10 years ago and they have only just obtained the liability order then they have likely made relatively recent adjustments to a council tax account and they have come up with your address as that persons address. It is likely that the two letters you returned were a summons and a final notice.


Give the council a call and tell them that the person is not resident.

user1168934

Thanks guys, I spoke with the council this morning. They asked for the account number on the letter and funny enough quoted a completely different address than mine as the contact address. They then asked to reseal the letter and return it to sender and said they will update the system when they get the letter back. I did tell him that I sent the last two letters back to "return to sender" so why did they not update the address then? He had no answer.
Anyway, I think I will make a copy of the letter and send the original back to the sender.


Many thanks for your advice, hope this is resolved now.

D_M_E

Don't just reseal it and return to sender - seal it, yes, but put it in another envelope and either hand it in in person at the council tax department of your concil and ask for a receipt or send it recorded delivery.

If it continues you just might find the (incompetent) council might slap a chrging order on your property for the outstanding amount.

user1168934

D_M_E wrote: »

Don't just reseal it and return to sender - seal it, yes, but put it in another envelope and either hand it in in person at the council tax department of your concil and ask for a receipt or send it recorded delivery.

If it continues you just might find the (incompetent) council might slap a chrging order on your property for the outstanding amount.

Oh blimey, I just posted it during lunch after resealing the same envelope.