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council tax problem

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  • council tax problem

    please excuse me if this is the wrong place to post as i am new to this,i have a problem with council tax and would like to know if anyone reading this may be able to give advice.Here we go,my husband daughter and myself are on benefits but i have four children who live with us who all work so there for i have to pay council tax.we were late with a payment in october so the council issued a summ ons for the remainder of the year we paid this before the due date which included 48 pounds court costs all done and dusted or so i thought.Two days ago got a letter saying been a mistake we owe another 167.00 as they didnt include one of the four children on original tax bill,okay i thought if we owe that i will pay it but on closer inspection of the bill i noticed they have included court costs again which i already paid in the summons.I wrote to them stating i had already paid court costs and as this was just an adjustment i should not have to pay court costs again.Particularly as i havent had another summons,if anyone could give advice be most grateful as they are adamant i must pay the 48 pounds.

  • #2
    Re: council tax problem

    So they have written back to you? What did they say other than you need to pay extra court costs?

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: council tax problem

      Originally posted by Amy View Post
      So they have written back to you? What did they say other than you need to pay extra court costs?
      As well as the above:

      Council Tax is not dependent on the number of children or adults in the property UNLESS you are a single occupant.

      You say 3 of you claim some kind of benefits. Can i ask which benefits the 3 of you claim and the age of all children/young adults living in the property.

      Do you still have the summons from the court? Does it state how much you are liable for? Do you have a receipt for the amount you have paid on the summons? If you do, does the receipt list the amount owed and the court costs?

      sorry for questions but the more info we have the better

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: council tax problem

        thanks for quick reply,my daughter who is 15 myself and my husband get incapacity benefit and income support about 320.00 a fortnight the children who live with us are 23, 21,20 19 and all work full time and are classed as none dependants,there fore we pay council tax.I had the summons in oct 07 which i paid which included court cost which made it 396,00 they made a mistake and didnt include 20 old as she finished college and went to full time employment so i can understand the mix up and why they want 119.00 but they have added 48.00 on top of this which brings it to 167.00.I have not been issued with another summons its just an adjustment letter asking me to pay remainder by 14th feb.I do have original summons with amounts and court costs and my receipt when i paid so i cant see why they think i owe thi another 48.00.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: council tax problem

          do you get any benefits towards your council tax??

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: council tax problem

            sorry forgot to add we paid council tax every month from april onwards but missed a payment in sep wich is why they wanted all payment for that year because they have the right to withdraw your monthly payment and demand full payment.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: council tax problem

              yes 2.67 a week

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: council tax problem

                There is no reason that you should pay court costs again, in particular if no further costs have been incurred. The charges are not meant to be penal but are there to represent the cost of recovery up to the stage of obtaining a Liability Order for non-payment. In addition such charges should only apply in a small minority of cases when all other recovery procedures have been exhausted.

                I would think that this is a mistake, by someone in the Revenue office at the council and it should be very easy to sort this out.

                On what basis have they insisted that this £48 be paid?

                Incidentally, the Courts charge local authorities for issuing Liability Orders. For each order issued, the Court charges the authority £3. You have to wonder where they get £48 from don't you?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: council tax problem

                  Originally posted by loobyloop View Post
                  sorry forgot to add we paid council tax every month from april onwards but missed a payment in sep wich is why they wanted all payment for that year because they have the right to withdraw your monthly payment and demand full payment.
                  These are the procedures local authorities should adhere to when collecting arrears on council tax.
                  could you please tell us if the following applies:

                  If a client paying by instalments does not pay an instalment, s/he will be sent a reminder. The reminder must give the client at least seven days in which to pay the late instalment. If the client does not pay the instalment due within the specified time, s/he will lose her/his statutory right to pay by instalments and after a further seven days the full amount of council tax remaining for that financial year becomes due. If the client still does not pay, the local authority can apply for a liability order and it does not have to issue another reminder before doing so.



                  If the client has been issued with two reminders during the financial year because s/he has twice been late paying instalments, and is then late with a third instalment, the whole amount of council tax remaining for that financial year becomes payable. No further reminder is required and the local authority can immediately apply to the magistrates' court for a liability order.


                  Originally posted by loobyloop View Post
                  yes 2.67 a week
                  Ok thanks, what is the benefit you are receiving?
                  is it for low income? because your on income support? because you have non-dependent discount?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: council tax problem

                    Well I would imagine with 4 working in your household, your income would mean you are not entitled to any council tax benefit. Therefore they are asking for the £2.67 a week you have been awarded back. This being the £119 they have billed you for. I think them asking or rather adding £48 for court costs is a mistake.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: council tax problem

                      Originally posted by Cetelco View Post
                      There is no reason that you should pay court costs again, in particular if no further costs have been incurred. The charges are not meant to be penal but are there to represent the cost of recovery up to the stage of obtaining a Liability Order for non-payment. In addition such charges should only apply in a small minority of cases when all other recovery procedures have been exhausted.

                      I would think that this is a mistake, by someone in the Revenue office at the council and it should be very easy to sort this out.

                      On what basis have they insisted that this £48 be paid?

                      Incidentally, the Courts charge local authorities for issuing Liability Orders. For each order issued, the Court charges the authority £3. You have to wonder where they get £48 from don't you?
                      I would also suggest looking at the benefits received in this case.
                      If the discount already received is incorrect, the bill will need to be ameneded.

                      As the receipts for FULL payment are in the hands of lobhyloop, I can't see how they can suddenly want more.

                      Also II'M finding it difficult to understand why they want to amend the bill for one missing child. The only way I can see the bill being amended would be to reduce it cuz the missing child is either non-dependent, a student or claiming benefits but not to increase it.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: council tax problem

                        I am going to the council on monday with all my evidence of payment and give them what for,the letter they sent me today after i questioned them about the added 48.00 was totally crap they keep going on about council tax is legally due each month and that issueing me with a summons was not unreasonable,no i suppose it wasnt but to expect me to pay court costs twice certainly is.I never knew it only got charged 3 probably why they jump on you if your late so they can make the extra money .I must say a big thank you for taking the time to respond i will let you know what happens thanks.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: council tax problem

                          They are not children Phoe they are 4 working adults

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: council tax problem

                            Originally posted by enaid View Post
                            Well I would imagine with 4 working in your household, your income would mean you are not entitled to any council tax benefit. Therefore they are asking for the £2.67 a week you have been awarded back. This being the £119 they have billed you for. I think them asking or rather adding £48 for court costs is a mistake.
                            well worked out Enaid it could well be.

                            We need to know what that discount is for as 4 of the people living in the property are classed as non- dependents therefore could be entitled to non-dependent discounts (providing certain criteria is met)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: council tax problem

                              things getting a bit jumbly i am not saying i dont want to pay council tax i agree i do there are four adults working and when there wages are taken into account 2.67 aweek is taken of my bill because we are on benefits i am totally fine with this . what i am saying is they are trying to bill me twice for court costs which i think they cant do,does anyone agree

                              Comment

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