Notice of Enforcement for Slough Council from 7 Years Ago

The_vegetarian

Hello 👋 I am seeking urgent advice, Please.

I have just received a letter through my post from Stanford & Green civil enforcement dated 10 May 2024. I am quite shocked by this as I have no knowledge or prior correspondence about this. It came with my old name before divorce. I left Slough Borough in early 2016 after divorce. I have no debts, and my credit record is excellent.

 I am a single mum of two and had a major Covid health setbacks that lost me 80% of my hearing and quite deaf now. 

I am dumb founded with is letter. I have rented a flat for less than 18 months before moving to North London. I lived in the flat with my two younger children back then. And I was going through a divorce. I worked part-time 16 hours on minimum wage, and I received housing benefits and Council tax support as my younger child was under 2 years old. While i was living there, the landlord served section 21 eviction notice. I got help from the homelessness team and was put into a hostel after bailiffs came. But I didn't continue living at the hostel and asked the council to be discharged as it was quite difficult. I then moved to a small studio in North London. But I have never owned Slough Council anything upt to then. I have attached the letter here. It does not mention any liability order has been made or any dates. My credit record has no record of this. I am not sure what yo do from here and seeking your advice. Thank you. 
P.S. Just in case of the letter attachments not approved. I will write the content of the letter here. 

Stanford & Green 
Enforcement letter 
Date: 10 May 2024
Client: Slough Borough Council 

Dear Mrs...
The balance now due is £562.01

As you have failed to respond to our previous notices I am writing to inform you that should you fail to pay £562.01 by return, an Enforcement Agent will be calling to SEIZE your goods and take them to Auction. To avoid extra fees and seizure you are advised to contact this office immediately. 

All charges incurred on this visit are payable by law and will significantly increase your current total. This is your final opportunity to make a satisfactory arrangement before seizure of goods takes place. Payment can be made immediately by debt card or calling.........

DE_612183

you need to send them a "prove it" letter.

my guess is that this could relate to an old council tax account - but it may well be statute barred now anyway.

sourcrates

Unpaid council tax perhaps?

Have you called slough borough council to ask them?

CT arrears won`t show on a credit file, if Stanford and Green turn up at your home, keep the doors locked, and don`t let them in, they cannot force entry to private property but they could enter through an unlocked door.

The_vegetarian

I am new here and not sure where tye options are to reply to your messages? So shall I contact Slough Council? I am deaf and unable to make calls. I have read somewhere here if I contact them I acknowledge the debt? I live in a flat with my children and my son plays with the neighbours outside the flats after school and leave the door ajar. I have not experience something like this before and I don't want to scare my children 

Grumpelstiltskin

Can you E Mail the council tax department at the council. explain you are deaf and unable to make phone calls and tell them what you have received and ask if it is to do with unpaid Council Tax.

You won't acknowledge the debt by contacting them.

sourcrates

The_vegetarian said:

I am new here and not sure where tye options are to reply to your messages? 

You are doing just fine, contacting the council in any way that works for you should be your priority, you need to know what you are dealing with, they need to know you are vulnerable, and once this exchange has taken place, they can call off the bailiffs.

Brie

My guess would be that both you and your then spouse were named on the council tax bill and if they haven't paid it it would come back to you as you would be also considered to owe the debt.  

But a subject access request might clarify this.  

Another alternative is that you have a name similar or the same as some other person from that area and they've put 2 and 2 together and come up with 5.  Again a SAR will clarify this if it shows a completely different address to the one(s) you used to live at.

sourcrates

SAR takes time, up to 40 days, OP needs this resolving much sooner than that.

400ixl

Looks like there is an enquiry form for questions on their Council tax page on the website.

https://www.slough.gov.uk/xfp/form/208

Hopefully using that and also explaining any disability limitations in your communications will get them engaged through a media you can use.

Good luck in getting it sorted.

The_vegetarian

Thank you so much everyone for your kind advice 🙏

The_vegetarian

One more question please. Does this letter indicate a liability order has been made at some point or are those enforcement officers work as a debt collection for the council with out a court order?