Double payment?

goddessofdreams23

My council tax bounced for the first time in the seven years I've been paying it. 

At the moment it is heavily reduced due to personal circumstances. 

I borrowed some money and have since paid it on the bank holiday and it said it had gone through. Forgot to get a reciept but meant to and I do have the payment recorded on my online banking.

I recieved a letter saying that the missed payment would be requested alongside any other payment due the next month. So basically, they're doing a double payment. 

I'm hoping this is just an initial letter and that I'll get another one saying they recieved my payment and it will just be the standard DD. 

But if not, what should I do? 

Mark_d

If you can check your council tax account online, that would be worth trying.  I can  do this with my council

sgthammer

You paid on Bank Holiday Monday i.e. yesterday? Check the date on the letter: it's likely to be the 7th or 14th, sent out automatically, in which case you can ignore it and concentrate on making sure your next payment also goes in this week, before you lose the right to pay by instalments.

goddessofdreams23

Mark_d said:

If you can check your council tax account online, that would be worth trying.  I can  do this with my council

Don't seem to have this function, I'm Stafford Borough.

goddessofdreams23

sgthammer said:

You paid on Bank Holiday Monday i.e. yesterday? Check the date on the letter: it's likely to be the 7th or 14th, sent out automatically, in which case you can ignore it and concentrate on making sure your next payment also goes in this week, before you lose the right to pay by instalments.

The payment bounced on 20/8, the lettet is dated 21/8, but because of the weekend and the bank holiday, I only recieved it today. I did pay it yesterday. My installments are monthly and have never bounced before, not sure why it did this month. Hasn't happened in the seven years I've been paying. 

sgthammer

I made the mistake of assuming your payment would be due on the first of the month. Regardless, you've sorted it out while the letter was in transit, so everything's fine for now.

It might be worth keeping an eye on your outgoings around payment time in September in case the same thing happens again, but equally it could just be a one-off glitch in the payment system in which case I'm not sure there's anything to be done about it.