Help please...council tax problem!?

Question

We pay council tax like other people monthly. This years council tax runs from 1st April 2006 until 31st March 2007.
We recently missed one payment which was for August 2006 which should have been paid on the 1st of August. We haven't missed a payment before and then today we recieved a summons to appear in court next month. The right to pay bye installments has been withdrawn and they want full payment for the year ended 31st march 2007 up front. e.g £1000
Is it us or does this seem harsh to you good people?????

Answer 1

Hi,

Ive had the same problem myself, the best thing to do isnt ignore it. What you should do is do a detailed account of all your monthly incomes and outgoings, less the council tax and then make them an offer based on what you can genuinely afford.
When you have done this either e-mail them and make sure you put the following line 'Should you choose to reject this offer we reserve the right to raise the question of costs'.
Which basically means if they are stupid enough to ignore your offer you can show this letter/e-mail to the court at a later date and request that costs be awarded in your favour which means they get saddled with the legal bill.
If your not comfortable with doing this, I'd suggest that you get yourself to your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau.
They offer free, impartial and practical solutions to these sorts of problems and can generally take over ownership of your problem if you want them to.

Good luck.

Answer 2

That is wrong, you should get plenty of warning letters before a summons.
When I miss payments on the bill I get a warning letter with a date to be payed by, they say after the date then it goes to court again.

Go and see them make a big fuss about it they will hopefully sort it out. Certainly don't pay all your bill at once unless you can afford it.

Answer 3

I thik that its the person you get on the end of the phone because thats happened to me before so i stropped around for a while and then rang back and they let me split that months payment over the last few payments left for that year. so try ringing again

Answer 4

Dont worry. They send these letters out automatically. Just fone them tell them whats happend. They will accept your payment. Ive just paid mine from 2004 and never been to court yet

Answer 5

I have been there before....2 or 3 times when I was in Uni. Call them ASAP and pay what you have missed. They should withdraw the summons!!!!!

Answer 6

I would go to the council offices and ask to see the twit who signed the letter. Ask them face to face what they think they will achieve by being so obdurate. I find these councils are all brave when they are at a distance, but you watch them fold when you stick up for yourself.

Answer 7

Talk to them on the phone and as long as you are willing to pay something towards the bill they cant take you to court accusing you of not paying. It is all computerised but there is give and take with them

Answer 8

i had this problem once and the reason given was that it is computerised
i do find it very very unfair
but go to court and explain that you cant pay them in one lot and you are willing to continue to pay in instalments and negotiate how much you can pay.
the courts are usually more sympathetic
make arrangements with them and stick to it otherwise bailiffs can intervene

Answer 9

it is very harsh but more than not if you go and speak to them personally you will probably find out the reason you got such a summons is partly due to an automated response and protocol.

Answer 10

It seems very harsh I cant see a court agreeing with that