I was late paying my December installment of my council tax and paid it with the January installment in cash on the 15 Jan ( it should have been paid on ! Dec and 1 Jan) but recieved a Magistrate court summons for the 2 outstanding amounts after I had paid them.(it was dated the day before I paid but i received it 2 days afterwards). I have phoned the council tax office but they insist I must pay the £40 summons fee or the court hearing will proceed against me.I have not got £40 to spare this month so what will happen when the case goes to court because I don't actually owe any council tax installments, it is fully paid for the year ending 31 March now.
2007-02-04 07:58:31 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Taxes ➔ United Kingdom
i think you should really visit your local citizens advice and get some professional help on this one. you don't want to mess about and have more fees to pay but you shouldn't pay because it seams very silly and extreme x
(link below will find your local one if you don't know it)
2007-02-04 08:03:43 · answer #1 · answered by aria 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing really The list go to court and are basically signed job lot by the magistrate, who grants a liability order (which usually incurs further fees 10/15 pounds. A liability order is then sent to you asking you to make an arrangement to pay. As this is only a small amount I would suggest you pay it as soon as you are able rather than asked to be tagged on to next year. This is as the department are chasing, at this time of year their collection target rates and would probably advise full payment prior to 31st March. Your credit history will not be affected as the liability order is from the Magistrates court and not County court. Your name does not appear in any publication as this is a private summons between you and the Council. I would advise you to waste your time going to court because the only plea you can make is that you are not liable for the charge or have paid before any legal proceeding commenced, which you didnt, sorry but I would advise you to pay be direct debit then you dont forget to pay
2007-02-05 03:42:48 · answer #2 · answered by Sharon R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutley nothing. You probably will have to pay the £40 at some point, but dont bother going to court, it is not worth your time. Next time you pay your Council Tax just pay off an extra £5 everytime and you'll soon get rid of that £40. Nothing will happen, even if you hadn't paid your council tax all that would of happened is a liablity order granted which means you have to agree to pay a certain amount per month.
2007-02-04 08:03:44 · answer #3 · answered by AlleJo 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
First I would suggest to the council that you WILL pay the £40, but can it be paid in instalments? Failing that, would they allow you to pay the £40 next month?
If not,I would try to find the £40 to pay them somehow. Otherwise it will go to court and they'll get you to pay, maybe through instalments.
It's not worth going to court and having this over you. I know when money is tight, you don't know where to turn to....are you working? Would work give you a sub. in this particular case?
Hope that helps.
2007-02-04 08:04:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you still paid late, if they sent you a summons it can only be because you were already owing them money or have paid late on other ocasions otherwise all you get is a reminder letter.
theres no way to avoid the £40 now but you can just ask for it to be worked into your monthly council tax payments, which will increase your monthly installments by a few pounds for several months until you have paid back the £40.
2007-02-04 08:04:12 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You wont go to court. They take a list of people who have not paid their council tax to the magistrates for a judge to issue a penalty. No one goes to court. They wont send you to prison because you intend to pay or you cannot pay. The worst they will do is get your employer to take it out of your wages.
You could ask to pay the £40 in installments
2007-02-04 08:11:09 · answer #6 · answered by Girugamesh 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell them to take you to court, show the judge the correspondance and the relative dates and he will agree you had paid before the summons arrived.
It's strange if they went to court so early as normally they send a warning letter telling you they are going to take action unless you pay within 7 days. Are you sure you didn't get a warning, if not point that out to the court.
2007-02-04 08:04:50 · answer #7 · answered by tucksie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on your council. Very often they submit all of these claims to the court, but do not send a representative on the day. If you are in court with all of your receipts, etc and they are not the liklihood is that the case will be dismissed because they could not be bothered to turn up. However, this depends on how your luck is running on the day.
2007-02-04 08:18:46 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I doubt if they will take you to court this is something they threaten to do to people, just tell them you will pay a pound a month and that IS an offer of payment, they do this all the time it's a disgrace I know what I'd like to do with their bill
2007-02-04 08:04:58 · answer #9 · answered by Bernie c 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to your local Citizen's Advice Bureu, they'll help you sort it out and can communicate with the council tax office on your behalf.
2007-02-04 08:02:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋