Council sending Baliffs after me for council tax I don't owe, advice needed

FonsoBoy123

Hi,

I wonder if any one an give me some advice council have sent bailiffs after me for money I don't owe.

I'll explain in more detail in 2023 I fell behind in council tax in October of 2023 I came to a agreement with council and set up a payment plan which I have in writing.

I worked hard stuck to plan, never missed a payment and paid off the lot in just 5 month. I have receipts and bank statements showing every payment I made.

I was keeping upto date with 2024 - 2025 council tax untill I became ill. I have receipts for payments I made.

When I became ill I informed the council straight away and explained situation and apologised, I sent many emails and letters. Once I was better I was going to catch up and pay off what what I owed but before I could bailiffs started harassing me.

I contacted council again and again and made a payment to council. But they never answer phone and emails had no response.

In the end I felt I had no choice but to agree to a payment plan with bailiff just to get them off my back as council won't speak to me.

I paid every payment to bailiffs that they asked for in payment plan and have receipts and bank statements for every payment. I have paid all of 2024 - 2025 council tax. 

But Baliff is still harassing me demanding another £500 plus they are now after me for 2023 - 2024 council tax saying I never paid any and owe the whole lot.

Council eventually got back to me after over 3 months, very rude lady. She is insisting that council tax for 2023-2024 is still outstanding. And saying that because the amounts I sent were not the amounts stated on bill it doesn't count.

I paid exactly what I was told to pay when set up payment plan.

It seems rediculous and makes no sense.

As far as I'm concerned I have paid every thing off, I have receipts and bank statements to prove every payment.

So they are harassing me for money I don't owe. I'm getting harassed nearly daily by Baliff and they say if I don't pay in full by Wednesday they will come to my house and take my stuff.

I am vulnerable, I am suffering ill Heath and have recently been diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, autism and adhd.

My children have autism too and other medical conditions. I don't need this stress.

I have informed them of this but they are still harassing us.

What should I do? How do I get them to listen and stop harassing me.

What should my next step be to try and sort this out.

Is there a letter I should send if so is there a template anywhere.

I should add that I've never opened door to Baliffs and they have never been near my house, I have only spoken to them via email and phone. 

Also incase it helps Baliffs is Jacobs. 

Any advice much appreciated

Thanks in advance

sourcrates

Formally write and ask the council for a breakdown of payments you have made for the council tax years in question.

Compare that to your records.

You should also ask the council to take this account back from the bailiffs as you are classed as a vulnerable person.

My local council is quite "on the ball" and very helpful if you fall behind with payments, payment arrangements can also be made form your online CT account.

See if there are any discrepancies between what you have paid, and what they say you have paid, and if so contact the council with your remedy.

FonsoBoy123

I have already asked council to take back account several times, but they are refusing and don't want to know. I've also already asked for a breakdown but they wouldnt they only would tell me what I owe would not give me any thing else.

They are acknowledging that I have made payments but the lady who I spoke to is insisting that because the amounts I paid were not the monthly amounts stated on council tax bill they are basically invalid and don't count. They want me to pay full amount again. It makes no sense. 

I paid exactly the amounts  stated in payment plan that council set up.

Voyager2002

Find an elected councillor who represents you and ask for their help.

beckstar1975

Did you repay all that you owed for 23-24, as in all that you were billed for (not in the payment plan but say your liability was £1k for the year did you pay all that and then pay all you were billed for 24/25?). 

fatbelly

Voyager2002 said:

Find an elected councillor who represents you and ask for their help.

In difficult situations this can get more attention from council staff

You can put your postcode into

https://www.writetothem.com/

And a template email appears

FonsoBoy123

I paid all that I owed for 23-24 and all that I owed for 24-25 including any fees

tigergambit

fatbelly said:

Voyager2002 said:

Find an elected councillor who represents you and ask for their help.

In difficult situations this can get more attention from council staff

You can put your postcode into

https://www.writetothem.com/

And a template email appears

Think I'd be inclined to go straight to my MP. Mine solved a four year problem I had with our Council (I had accidentally ticked the wrong box on a form and they wanted £11k) in a few weeks. MPs and Councillors make them a lot more reasonable pdq.

Voyager2002

tigergambit said:

fatbelly said:

Voyager2002 said:

Find an elected councillor who represents you and ask for their help.

In difficult situations this can get more attention from council staff

You can put your postcode into

https://www.writetothem.com/

And a template email appears

Think I'd be inclined to go straight to my MP. Mine solved a four year problem I had with our Council (I had accidentally ticked the wrong box on a form and they wanted £11k) in a few weeks. MPs and Councillors make them a lot more reasonable pdq.

A good MP would indeed help, probably by contacting a councillor. A less-good MP would refer you to a councillor, while many would simply tell you that this is a local government matter and 'not their job', which is true.

FonsoBoy123

Unfortunately I don't have a very good MP if past experiences are anything to go by I doubt he will help.

When pandemic hit my husband could not work and was refused furlough because he missed cut off by 1 day.

He worked as a chef but was being treated very badly and was miserable, he felt he had no choice but to leave and find another Job.

He left old job and started new job 1 week before first shut down.

Obviously when went in to shut down his new work had to shut and he could not work, they could not furlough him due to him missing cut off and not being on payroll as had only just started.

His old employer refused to furlough either.

Thanks to the government he could not work and for months we were left with no money. We could not pay bills or even put food on table and nearly lost are home.

We contacted our MP to see if he could help and he didn't want to know. Just told us to go to citizens advice which we had already done but even they could not help.

So really doubt he will help this time. 

RAS

In which case find out who your local councillors are and ask them to help you. If they belong to the same party as the MP, bite your tongue, but ask if they can help you, explaining the lack of response to your recent efforts to contact the Council.

And do try and find both food banks and social kitchens near you so that you can get food on the table and make some payments towards the CT if this happens again. Is your husband working now?