Bristow and Sutor Debt Collectors for Council Tax

smalandcute

Wondering if anyone can help me.

In the summer of 2022 I contacted Step Change about repaying my priority debts and set up a repayment plan with them.

The plan was then sent to all the companies that I have debts with. Everyone had been fantastic bar B and S.

They are aware of what I can pay and the debts i have with the other companies but they are demanding I pay 10 times the amount I can afford. They are also aware that I am considered vulnerable.

It truly seems like an eternal battle, they are very hard to get hold of via email, they don't acknowledge anything I put in my email and I am at my wits end of having to tell them I cannot afford their demands and they know I cannot favour this debt over my other debts. I don't know where they think I can find this money that they want each month. 

Any suggestions on my next steps with them?

RAS

Council tax is a priority debt. 

What other priority debts do you have?

smalandcute

Gas company and another council tax from a previous address which they billed me after I moved out.

RAS

Can we clarify whether you were living at the other address for the time when the other council billed, even though they didn't get round to it until after you left?

I'd talk to Stepchange about stopping the gas payments to clear the CT bills, unless you are already on a pre-payment meter.

smalandcute

Moved in the Feb and told the letting agents my moving date, they then told me they had another tenant lined up to move in the same week that I handed in the keys but this never happened so I was billed for about 6 weeks when I wasn't there.

My gas debt is less then the BS debt and payment is less too so they are already getting the highest payment.

MalMonroe

Hi, if you set up a payment plan with StepChange last year, then please get in touch with them for further advice. What they say about council tax debt -

https://www.stepchange.org/debt-info/council-tax-arrears.aspx

They may be able to help you to set up a payment plan with the council, for it is the council who are chasing the debt. B&S are only doing what they've been instructed to do by the council. They won't be able to help you even if you do manage to get in touch..

Please do contact either StepChange or the council. Council tax debt is not treated the same as other debts and you do need to get this sorted out as soon as you possibly can.

If it were me, I would definitely contact StepChange again. They are open today until 8pm and tomorrow until 4pm. Stay on the line until you get through, if necessary.

All the best, hope this helps a little.

fatbelly

smalandcute said:

Wondering if anyone can help me.

In the summer of 2022 I contacted Step Change about repaying my priority debts and set up a repayment plan with them.

The plan was then sent to all the companies that I have debts with. Everyone had been fantastic bar B and S.

They are aware of what I can pay and the debts i have with the other companies but they are demanding I pay 10 times the amount I can afford. They are also aware that I am considered vulnerable.

It truly seems like an eternal battle, they are very hard to get hold of via email, they don't acknowledge anything I put in my email and I am at my wits end of having to tell them I cannot afford their demands and they know I cannot favour this debt over my other debts. I don't know where they think I can find this money that they want each month. 

Any suggestions on my next steps with them?

Bristow & sutor are bailiffs that will be working under a magistrates court liability order on an old council tax debt.

When you say you set up a payment plan with stepchange, is that a plan where you make one monthly payment to them and they distribute it?

If so, I'd leave it as is.

If they just provided you with a financial statement to send to your creditors, did that end with you paying anything to B&S?

If so, carry on. If not then you need to find a way to force a payment through on this one and the easiest route is usually through the council's website.

Bear in mind that B&S can still make a nuisance of themselves if they can access your goods so really you should be prioritising this one and getting it paid off. It's likely that the £75 and £235 fees are already applied and no further fees are due unless they remove goods, which never happens.

They are correct that you should be giving them priority. It's regarded as priority because in England you can be jailed for non-payment. Never happens, but while it's on the statute books we have to consider it as a priority debt.

RAS

smalandcute said:

Moved in the Feb and told the letting agents my moving date, they then told me they had another tenant lined up to move in the same week that I handed in the keys but this never happened so I was billed for about 6 weeks when I wasn't there.

My gas debt is less then the BS debt and payment is less too so they are already getting the highest payment.

There are better brains than me on Council Tax, try the forum under housings and homes.

BUT, if you left the property and had returned the keys, it may be that the landlord is liable not you.

The better brains will need to know when you tenancy ended, precise date your notice period ended, and when you left.

smalandcute

fatbelly said:

smalandcute said:

Wondering if anyone can help me.

In the summer of 2022 I contacted Step Change about repaying my priority debts and set up a repayment plan with them.

The plan was then sent to all the companies that I have debts with. Everyone had been fantastic bar B and S.

They are aware of what I can pay and the debts i have with the other companies but they are demanding I pay 10 times the amount I can afford. They are also aware that I am considered vulnerable.

It truly seems like an eternal battle, they are very hard to get hold of via email, they don't acknowledge anything I put in my email and I am at my wits end of having to tell them I cannot afford their demands and they know I cannot favour this debt over my other debts. I don't know where they think I can find this money that they want each month. 

Any suggestions on my next steps with them?

Bristow & sutor are bailiffs that will be working under a magistrates court liability order on an old council tax debt.

When you say you set up a payment plan with stepchange, is that a plan where you make one monthly payment to them and they distribute it?

If so, I'd leave it as is.

If they just provided you with a financial statement to send to your creditors, did that end with you paying anything to B&S?

If so, carry on. If not then you need to find a way to force a payment through on this one and the easiest route is usually through the council's website.

Bear in mind that B&S can still make a nuisance of themselves if they can access your goods so really you should be prioritising this one and getting it paid off. It's likely that the £75 and £235 fees are already applied and no further fees are due unless they remove goods, which never happens.

They are correct that you should be giving them priority. It's regarded as priority because in England you can be jailed for non-payment. Never happens, but while it's on the statute books we have to consider it as a priority debt.

I pay BS directly each month with the amount shown I can afford in my Income, Expenditure and Debts document that Step Change sent me.

The council are useless and responded to my enquiry about them taking the debt back as we have passed it on, they are your problem now. BTW I am fully up to date on this year's CT payments, one was never late.

From the bailiffs statements to me they have only applied one £75 fee when the debt was first moved to them.

I will try to speak to SC to see if they will sort the payment on my behalf.

Thank you for the help and advice.

smalandcute

RAS said:

smalandcute said:

Moved in the Feb and told the letting agents my moving date, they then told me they had another tenant lined up to move in the same week that I handed in the keys but this never happened so I was billed for about 6 weeks when I wasn't there.

My gas debt is less then the BS debt and payment is less too so they are already getting the highest payment.

There are better brains than me on Council Tax, try the forum under housings and homes.

BUT, if you left the property and had returned the keys, it may be that the landlord is liable not you.

The better brains will need to know when you tenancy ended, precise date your notice period ended, and when you left.

Thank you, I will post on their later. I will find my emails to the letting agents cos if I can get that removed that would be a massive help.