Council tax court summons

Utoh1

Hello

Can anyone please provide me with some reassurance?

Innocently, albeit naively, I left the council tax in the hands of my partner. I have just received a letter summoning me to Magistrates Court for non payment of council tax. This is the first I personally have heard of it, with the summons being addressed to me solely (I never opened the joint letters - lesson learnt.)

My partner immediately paid the full amount and the letter advises if you do this, "all further proceedings will be stopped." I am concerned that this summons will still show up and affect me somehow. My employment field is one where you require extra vetting and I am not sure whether this is serious enough to tell them (potentially causing trouble for myself) or whether I am panicking about nothing.

Can anyone please help? I am so worried.

Thank you

[Deleted User]

It all depends what your job is and what your contract of employment says, are you a union member?
I suspect that if all proceedings have been stopped on payment you have nothing to worry about.

WhenIam64

Here is a link to some advice

https://www.counciltaxadvisors.co.uk/council-tax/liability-orders/

You do not have to attend the hearing, however, you are allowed to give reasons in court as to why you have not been able to pay; so attending may work in your favour. Be aware that you will also have to pay for the council’s legal costs, so it is best to come to an arrangement to pay your Council Tax before it gets to this stage.

So if your partner has paid the full amount, then the only outstanding issue should be the cost of raising the case at court (about £90). If it has all been sorted as you say then the case should be dropped, no case will actually be heard and there is nothing to be recorded about it at the court.

BAFE

With regard to the extra vetting you are subject to from your employers, does this extra vetting take place when you apply for the job or are you in a job where extra vetting takes place on a regular basis?

I'm trying to think of a job role where employees would have their personal finances vetted on a regular basis and am a bit stumped to be honest.

RonoB

Do not worry it has no effect on your credit at all.

[Deleted User]

If you want extra reassurance, phone your local council's council tax department for confirmation. Or email them. I've done this and my local department do respond.

CIS

Your employer has no access to council tax records and the summons does not show up on any credit records. The employer has no way of finding out.