£300 loan - council tax deferral

HouseTargaryen

With the new council tax coming up in April, I wondered if I could not pay council tax for April and then call them up in May and say I can't afford to pay May either and instead ask to pay in 10 installments from June to March. That way I can im effect get an interest free £300 loan. I know someone who did this because they literally couldn't afford it. But I am a good blagger. This wouldn't effect my credit rating would it? 

2021BJ

No, it won't.

As an added bonus to your £300 interest-free loan you might even get your living expenses and rent paid for too, possibly for several years.

[Deleted User]

Contact them now.

If you don't make the first payment with two weeks of it being due, they'll ask for the full year's amount to be laid immediately. Then you're into court case territory.

Cut back on your other costs so you can make payment.

JGB1955

Just pay it over 12 months - then you're still getting an interest free loan as opposed to those who pay 10 months of the year.

comeandgo

Don’t muck about with council tax.  If payments missed you are expected to pay the full year.  

HouseTargaryen

Deleted_User said:

Contact them now.

If you don't make the first payment with two weeks of it being due, they'll ask for the full year's amount to be laid immediately. Then you're into court case territory.

Cut back on your other costs so you can make payment.

Not sure what council you have but in Scotland our rural councils are VERY relaxed about these things. As long as you don't take the micky too much. 

HouseTargaryen

comeandgo said:

Don’t muck about with council tax.  If payments missed you are expected to pay the full year.  

That's ridiculous because if you can't afford one month, how can you pay 10? Definately not the policy up here.

HouseTargaryen

2021BJ said:

No, it won't.

As an added bonus to your £300 interest-free loan you might even get your living expenses and rent paid for too, possibly for several years.

Several years? I'm not planning a cunning robbery of the BoE vaults. Or offending someone with protected characteristics. 

2021BJ

HouseTargaryen said:

2021BJ said:

No, it won't.

As an added bonus to your £300 interest-free loan you might even get your living expenses and rent paid for too, possibly for several years.

Several years? I'm not planning a cunning robbery of the BoE vaults. Or offending someone with protected characteristics. 

I assume fraud has similar a maximum sentence in Scotland to England.  Apologies if that isn't the case.

comeandgo

HouseTargaryen said:

Deleted_User said:

Contact them now.

If you don't make the first payment with two weeks of it being due, they'll ask for the full year's amount to be laid immediately. Then you're into court case territory.

Cut back on your other costs so you can make payment.

Not sure what council you have but in Scotland our rural councils are VERY relaxed about these things. As long as you don't take the micky too much. 

I am in Scotland and speaking from experience, highland council.

[Deleted User]

HouseTargaryen said:

With the new council tax coming up in April, I wondered if I could not pay council tax for April and then call them up in May and say I can't afford to pay May either and instead ask to pay in 10 installments from June to March. That way I can im effect get an interest free £300 loan. I know someone who did this because they literally couldn't afford it. But I am a good blagger. This wouldn't effect my credit rating would it? 

Which particular credit rating? 

Councils don’t pass data, either good or bad, to the credit reference agencies therefore it would not be reported on your credit history.  There are other consequences to not paying your council tax though but during the pandemic councils are probably being more flexible than usual. 

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/debt-and-money/help-with-debt/dealing-with-urgent-debts/dealing-with-council-tax-arrears/

This all said I’m not sure what you’re describing is really an interest free loan.