Paypoint payments for council tax & water

mojo29_2

We usually pay our Council tax (pay 12 times a year) and Water bills (pay 10 times a year) via Paypoint at a Tesco Express.

Given the current situation, it has been very difficult to get to this shop (or any other that does Paypoint). 

Has anyone had success with their council, or water company, in requesting time off, to make up the payment when things return to normal?

gettingtheresometime

Can't you make payments online?

LABMAN

Where there's a will there's a way. What is causing you the difficulty to pay?.Small shops and Tesco Express are not closedown.

Fire_Fox

Life will not return to normal for many months, unfortunately.

Can you travel to your bank? In my city centre the banks are open daily, although on reduced hours. If you have a debit card you can pay either of those bills online or via the automated telephone system.

Local councils have less money coming in and more money going out, they really need our best efforts. In general council tax is considered a priority bill: late or missed payments can mean forfeiting the right to pay in installments. A demand for the full balance would be pretty stressful.

poppy12345

Set up a direct debit and then you don't need to go out to pay them.

bradders1983

Given there are numerous other ways to pay, some which involve not having to leave the house, i cant see companies having sympathy if you CAN pay but are only choosing to use one method.

You have numerous other methods. Debit card. Internet banking. Sending a cheque in the post. Asking someone to go to Tesco and pay it for you. 

mojo29_2

I pay via Paypoint because I can use a creditcard, whereas online payments credit cards are extremely restricted. 

Very few Tesco’s do Paypoint - 
the one we go to is en route to work, which isn’t where I’m going right now. It also seems to create unnecessary risk going into a shop that I wouldn’t otherwise be going to. 

yksi

Tesco isn't the only retailer with PayPoint. A simple Google search brings up a site where you can find your local one: https://consumer.paypoint.com/

Given the myriad ways to pay - including credit card online - it seems that the real focus of your question isn't how to pay it but how to avoid paying it. But none of us have that answer, you'll have to start by contacting the people that you don't want to pay.

Fire_Fox

mojo29_2 said:

I pay via Paypoint because I can use a creditcard, whereas online payments credit cards are extremely restricted. 

Very few Tesco’s do Paypoint - 
the one we go to is en route to work, which isn’t where I’m going right now. It also seems to create unnecessary risk going into a shop that I wouldn’t otherwise be going to. 

My council tax bill says "you can pay (in cash only) at any Paypoint" and Google suggests it is cash or debit card only?

Initally you said it was "very difficult" to get to any Paypoint, then "it isn't where [you are] going right now."  The Paypoint website says "our network is bigger than all of the banks, Post Offices and Supermarkets put together." Apologies if I am incorrect but it reads to me as if the real issue is convenience.

Paying installments on priority bills in a timely manner is very necessary. Local councils having income to pay staff and provide services is very necessary. You not losing the right to pay by installments is very necessary.

There are multiple payment options. If you do not want to pay by telephone or online, go to your own bank, a Post Office or Tesco Express the same day you do other essential shopping. Do not touch your face, wash your hands as soon as you arrive home, maybe take hand sanitiser with you, my local Tesco Express was even supplying disposable gloves last time I was in.

bradders1983

mojo29_2 said:

I pay via Paypoint because I can use a creditcard, whereas online payments credit cards are extremely restricted. 

Very few Tesco’s do Paypoint - 
the one we go to is en route to work, which isn’t where I’m going right now. It also seems to create unnecessary risk going into a shop that I wouldn’t otherwise be going to. 

So when you ring up the local council and the water company and tell them this, what do you expect their reply to be?

A poor excuse to be honest. Paying bills is rather essential, Paypoints are everywhere, find another local to you.

On a more general note, if you are using credit cards to pay the council tax and utility bills, you probably have bigger problems (unless you are doing this to get some form of cashback, in which case just use an alternative method for a month or so, it wont kill you will it)