Default due to bills I wasn’t aware of

Firsttimebuyer4

My Mum failed to pay council tax bills from our previous address for a number of years, but as I was then on electoral roll I have now become liable. My mum never told me about these bills and they were sent to her via letter and she struggled to pay them. When she finally made me aware after bailiffs arrived at the house I made payments each month to pay off the amount and have now satisfied the bill. However I now have a default and am worried about how this will affect my plans to become a first time buyer this year. Is this something that I can change, as I was not aware of the bills as they were sent to my mum? Can this default be removed?

Willing2Learn

The default will automatically be removed from your credit file(s), six years from the date of default.

One single defaulted account recorded on your credit file(s) shouldn't stop you from getting a mortgage. Although you may need the help of a good mortgage broker who specialises in adverse data.

Edit: And welcome to the forum

elsien

Being over 18 may mean that the council tax bill was then for two adults so your mum may have lost any single person discount but that does not necessarily mean that you are liable for the payment. The liable people are generally the householder/person named on tenancy and their partner. How have the bills ended up in your name?

sourcrates

Council tax payments are not recorded on your credit file, and as it’s not a credit agreement, you cannot have a default registered against you for non or late payment.

This default must relate to something else, what exactly does it say on your credit file ?

Gaz83

Firsttimebuyer4 wrote: »

My Mum failed to pay council tax bills from our previous address for a number of years, but as I was then on electoral roll I have now become liable. My mum never told me about these bills and they were sent to her via letter and she struggled to pay them. When she finally made me aware after bailiffs arrived at the house I made payments each month to pay off the amount and have now satisfied the bill. However I now have a default and am worried about how this will affect my plans to become a first time buyer this year. Is this something that I can change, as I was not aware of the bills as they were sent to my mum? Can this default be removed?

You can't get a default for Council Tax. It's not a credit agreement and therefore doesn't show on your credit files. How has this managed to register as a default?

KatrinaWaves

Firsttimebuyer4 wrote: »

My Mum failed to pay council tax bills from our previous address for a number of years, but as I was then on electoral roll I have now become liable. You would only be liable as a joint tenant or joint owner, as you are saying you are a FTB you were not an owner, so were you a joint tenant? Being on the electoral role will not make you liable for council tax My mum never told me about these bills and they were sent to her via letter and she struggled to pay them. When she finally made me aware after bailiffs arrived at the house I made payments each month to pay off the amount and have now satisfied the bill. However I now have a default and am worried about how this will affect my plans to become a first time buyer this year. Is this something that I can change, as I was not aware of the bills as they were sent to my mum? Can this default be removed? You are either not giving the full picture or have got quite confused. This will not be recorded on your credit file unless there is way more to the story

Are you sure your mother has not taken out other debt in your name?

RelievedSheff

Do you mean CCJ rather then default perhaps?

sourcrates

RelievedSheff wrote: »

Do you mean CCJ rather then default perhaps?

Normally it’s collected by a liability order, the council doesn’t need to use the courts for council tax arrears unless all other options have failed.

Firsttimebuyer4

Apologies I have probably gotten confused/ not been given the full picture. There were also bills for United utilities which I have got a default on my credit file, unsure how this is now on my file, maybe electoral role? All I know is the United utilities bills were also in my name
If anyone can assist in helping me even understand this and if right my mum put these bills in my name? I also lived in the address with siblings but who were not 18 at the time

[Deleted User]

Firsttimebuyer4 wrote: »

Apologies I have probably gotten confused/ not been given the full picture. There were also bills for United utilities which I have got a default on my credit file, unsure how this is now on my file, maybe electoral role? All I know is the United utilities bills were also in my name
If anyone can assist in helping me even understand this and if right my mum put these bills in my name? I also lived in the address with siblings but who were not 18 at the time

If you were named in the bills as an account holder that’s how it’s ended up on your files.

If you didn’t consent to this then you only have 2 options.

1. Pay up and deal with the defaults being on there

2. Contact Action Fraud, the police etc which could potentially earn fraud charges/actions against your mother

KatrinaWaves

Firsttimebuyer4 wrote: »

Apologies I have probably gotten confused/ not been given the full picture. There were also bills for United utilities which I have got a default on my credit file, unsure how this is now on my file, maybe electoral role? All I know is the United utilities bills were also in my name
If anyone can assist in helping me even understand this and if right my mum put these bills in my name? I also lived in the address with siblings but who were not 18 at the time

The electoral roll is used so you can vote, and also for some marketing purposes depending on the type of register you are on. Companies cannot use the electoral roll to assign your name to bills. I lived at home after Uni until i was 26 :T I was on the electoral roll. I was not named on any of my parents utility or council tax bills. The same is true of my brother who still lives at home but is on the electoral roll.
.

If the electricity bill has been put in your name, and the council tax, it is because someone has given them your name. Council tax would have you in the background once you turned 18 as the Single Person Discount would have been lost, but as a 'child' living with a parent you would not have been made a liable party unless in a joint tenancy. I see no reason your name would have been on that. It sounds like youve paid this already but you could have called the council and explained you were a child living with a parent and not liable.

How you proceed with the united utilities, as stated above you have two options. You cannot get out of paying without reporting your Mum for fraud. I think you need to have a serious word with your mother about why HER bills are in your name.