Council tax and bailiffs

Koronel

Hi ,

I need some help.

My relative moved out from hic house and city to university a few years ago and had an unpaid council tax bill.

Over the course of years he tried to contact his council by phone several times and has always been told to contact them by emails.

He did send them several emails to try and pay the outstanding bill but never got any responses.

Recently he checked his  previous council account and found out that the case went to court without his knowledge and he has an order to pay and bailiffs sending him texts with extra charges.

The supposed bailifs are cder group .

The best solution I can think off is to contact his council and pay the outstanding balance but again it's impossible to get through to them.

Can anyone advise?

sourcrates

Overdue council tax is collected under a liability order, which removes the necessity to go to court, and is granted to the council under its statutory powers.

I find it hard to see why a council would refuse to accept a payment from a liable party, usually it can be done using their automated phone system, or by speaking to someone, or via your online account, which you say they still have access too.

How are you supposed to make payment by email ?

Cder Group would not hold on to the account for very long, if contact cannot be made with the debtor, the account would usually be returned to the council quite rapidly.

However if the debt is still with them, payment can be made to Cder Group via their website online portal.

I suspect the relative is not telling you the full story here.

Koronel

Thanks , I have been told that they have tried calling and only once got through otherwise they have been on hold for 2 hours and after that the call would end . They said that the only time they got through the person told them that their only chance of solving it is to send an email , they have send several emails and have been waiting for 6 months without response 

sourcrates

I know different councils have different ways of working, but I can always get through to mine within ten mins.

I`m assuming the council, nor the bailiffs know their current address ?

Koronel

They don't know the current address .

fatbelly

Each council has its own website but it would be a particularly stupid council that didn't put a payment facility on the site.

All you need is a debit or credit card and your council tax reference number.

My own council site tells me how much is owed as soon as I put my reference number in