Council Tax Problem Part 2.

[Carl_steveo]

Some of you might remember my council tax thread from a while ago. Mainly me not paying it etc etc. Anyway I have learnt my lesson and can suggest that everybody should pay their fucking council tax lol.

Anyway new problem. Went down on June 30th and paid £789 to cover from September 2009, when I moved in upto the end of July 2010. So I had paid all my debts off, that way I can set a monthly plan up again because they won't let you do that when in arrears. My monthly payments are due to start the 5th of August 2010.

Anyway I got a letter this morning from the debt collection department of the council. I owe them £402 plus £66 court summons costs. I ring them up and try to find out where the £402 has come from. They said they have no proof of me paying the £789 and I still owe them it. Then she changed her mind saying I had paid £689. A few different people ring me up trying to sort it. They then decide that I had paid £789 but they had taken the payment for March 2010 to March 2011. Meaning I still owed them September 2009 to March 2010. They have moved the payment to what I originally wanted so I'm not in arrears. But because they fucked up I now have a £66 court summons costs that I shouldn't have, if they had done what I asked then I wouldn't have got the summons. I now have to pay these costs, they are going to add it too my monthly payment.

I just wanted to rant at how shit the Council office is. I'm skint enough as it is, can't afford this months rent, can't afford to move out, don't have anywhere to move too. My wheely bin was stolen this morning. My landlord is on his way round.

I need a drink.
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Current: Honda Nsr 125
Live: Sunderland
Luke "cant be arsed to read your post, but suck my balls anyway."

[Mr.Everready]

[Carl_steveo]

Haha Evers if I turn up at yours and you leave me in a room with the delectable Mrs.E and some drink, then I won't be held accountable for my actions lol. We have already declared our love for one another lol.
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Current: Honda Nsr 125
Live: Sunderland
Luke "cant be arsed to read your post, but suck my balls anyway."

[Mr Hammers]

There isn't a "I know the feeling and understand your frustration, and councils are a bastard" rating, so "Underrated" will have to do.
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A Guide To Powerbands

[TQ]

Which council is it?
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First Bike :Gilera DNA 50 | Second: Imported 1989 NSR125
Third: 1998 Yamaha XJ600N | Currently: 1999 Yamaha FZS600

[Carl_steveo]

Cheers Hammers.

[GhostRider]

[Kris]

Ooh. I got taken to court once because of Council Tax once. Not fun. An old letting agents told me that they were 'sorting' teh council tax. I later learnt that 'sorting' does not equate to paying. Cnuts

[pa_broon74]

Only thing I'd say to this is, do everything in writing be it email or letter. Do nothing over the phone as its almost impossible to prove in court.

Write to them explaining about the mix up, I assume its with the debt collection agancy the council use? If so, write to the council first. They'll claim not to be able to deal with it as its with the debt collection agency but its not true, they can contact the DLA and get them to cancel the court fee (it won't have been paid yet since its an internal cost intil the actual court date, or atleast thats how it worked North of the Border.)

If the council resolutely decline to act, go in to the CT office with documentation and explain in person.

For the record, I mind council tax about as much as I mind any tax, which is to say, I mind it but realise it needs to be paid. What really annoys me is the thoughtless rude cunts you have todeal with when things go astray.

I used to think they're only doing they're job, now however I take a harder line. While they cannot be likened to Concentration Camp Guards, the idea is similar. A case of stupid rules overriding common sense and human decency.

Unfortunately with CT, the advantage is firmly with the council due to the draconian laws in place that support them.


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Didn't catch anything.

[Carl_steveo]

[Barry_M2]

[Carl_steveo]

This problem has got nothing to do with me not paying in the first place, this problem is to do with them not accepting my payment correctly.

Paying in the first place is another matter, I've always paid yearly, I never recieved a letter saying it was montly here, the first thing I heard from them was 4 months down the line with a court summons and a bill.
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Current: Honda Nsr 125
Live: Sunderland
Luke "cant be arsed to read your post, but suck my balls anyway."

[TQ]

I had exactly the same (well similar).

I thought I'd set up a direct debit, must have forgot or something and eventually got a letter saying I was four months in arrears. What really annoyed me was that they waited four months! If they'd contacted me after the first month or two it would have been much easier to manage.
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First Bike :Gilera DNA 50 | Second: Imported 1989 NSR125
Third: 1998 Yamaha XJ600N | Currently: 1999 Yamaha FZS600

[Carl_steveo]

Exactly, they aren't really fast about this like. Anybody else would tell you straight away you have missed a payment, they just wait for a few month lol. For an official service from the government it's fucking appalling the way its run.
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Current: Honda Nsr 125
Live: Sunderland
Luke "cant be arsed to read your post, but suck my balls anyway."

[pa_broon74]

When I went to see the council about the council tax problem I was having, I suggested to them that the Debt Collection Agency was actually profiteering by prevaricating and not making an effort to contact people in a timely fashion. The council have strict guidelines set wthint the law about how they deal with it, DCA are much less scrutinized.

For example, I was paying £100 a month to the council directly via their website, the DCA told me to do that. They then sent a summons as above claiming I wasn't paying. I phoned to explain I was and how, they U-turned and said I needed to go throught their website which I then started to do.

I thought that would clear that up but no. Another summons for the amount I'd paid to the council less what I'd paid to the DCA arrived. This time I wrote to them, they claimed not to be able to do anything about it, I wrote again.

In the mean time, even although the amoount of arrears was still in question (I was actually ahead of myself now and in credit) they then sent a wages arrestment notice (with additional court costs) Initially when they asked me to set up a payment plan, they started asking for all sorts of personal details, employer, bank details etc. Being by default an ornary person I told them to bolt and said I'd pay it off £100 per month to which they (the DCA said ok.)

So they definitely didn't know who I worked for so just put the wages arrestment in the name of BT PLC with an address in Livingston. This is the profiteering part, I found two other instances with people living in the same area and one of a person in another council area in which this DCA operated on behalf of the council where they did the exact same thing: Used BT in lieu of persons actual employer.

Councils are a bit shitty when it comes to CT collection, its the DCA's that are the true bastards in the equation.


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Didn't catch anything.

[t121anf]

i don't mind Sunderland Council.

i like the planned bridge, it will never be built though

as said i would go there in person and explain x, y and z.

is the court costs for the time period you asked to be paid, if so it's their fault and they should assume the costs.

after that i'd pay what you owe (for the future as you say you owe nothing) and fuck em, make them take you to court for the £66 and then watch a judge squash it