Over the last 3 years we missed 1 council tax payment, the council's automated service failed and they blamed us. Ever since then they seem to pick on us and rather than trying to talk to us they take us straight to court.
Long story short, January 2010 OH lost his job and we were on benefits until August 2010. during that time the benefits helped pay the council tax. OH was earning around £26,000 a year, he took a new job in August paying £16,000 so he has taken a massive pay cut. We are no longer on benefits but when job seekers signed OH off, they didn't do the paper work correctly, which left the council saying they had A- Overpaid us and B- We needed to pay them £1150 for the rest of the year.
As you can imagine with the pay cut thats a lot of money to find and it just wasn't possible. We pointed out the error and have been fighting it since September. In December the council received a letter from job seekers saying that they made a mistake and we were due some more money (which we never received).
Just before christmas the council sent a letter saying they were taking us to court for the full amount of council tax. Once again we called and explain, were told it was an error (on the councils part). We were told our account was put on hold and WOULD NOT go to court as the account was in appeal.
We have phoned the council repeated to be told they will make a decision soon and the account was still on hold and in appeal.
We arrived home yesterday to find a debt collectors letter (they had been to the house whilst we were out). They have been given a court order to remove goods from our house. To pay the debt they want £200 a month for the next 6 months which isn't possible as we don't have that sort of money spare!
The bloody council have lied and taken us to court without telling us! We never had anything in writing for the account being on hold as council refused.
Surely there has got to be something we can do, this isn't the first time the council have done this to us. Surely the council can't get away with behaving like this.
The house is going on the market monday as we just can't do this anymore, we just keep getting screwed over.
Please could anyone give me advice! I'm 10 weeks pregnant and very stressed xx
Long story short, January 2010 OH lost his job and we were on benefits until August 2010. during that time the benefits helped pay the council tax. OH was earning around £26,000 a year, he took a new job in August paying £16,000 so he has taken a massive pay cut. We are no longer on benefits but when job seekers signed OH off, they didn't do the paper work correctly, which left the council saying they had A- Overpaid us and B- We needed to pay them £1150 for the rest of the year.
As you can imagine with the pay cut thats a lot of money to find and it just wasn't possible. We pointed out the error and have been fighting it since September. In December the council received a letter from job seekers saying that they made a mistake and we were due some more money (which we never received).
Just before christmas the council sent a letter saying they were taking us to court for the full amount of council tax. Once again we called and explain, were told it was an error (on the councils part). We were told our account was put on hold and WOULD NOT go to court as the account was in appeal.
We have phoned the council repeated to be told they will make a decision soon and the account was still on hold and in appeal.
We arrived home yesterday to find a debt collectors letter (they had been to the house whilst we were out). They have been given a court order to remove goods from our house. To pay the debt they want £200 a month for the next 6 months which isn't possible as we don't have that sort of money spare!
The bloody council have lied and taken us to court without telling us! We never had anything in writing for the account being on hold as council refused.
Surely there has got to be something we can do, this isn't the first time the council have done this to us. Surely the council can't get away with behaving like this.
The house is going on the market monday as we just can't do this anymore, we just keep getting screwed over.
Please could anyone give me advice! I'm 10 weeks pregnant and very stressed xx
what you need to do is write all this from beginning to end in a formal letter. Stating that you would like to make a complaint about the situation you have been put in. Explain that you do not believe you owe ANY money and in fact you had a letter statingthey owe you money. Put a photocopy of that letter as an attachment. Send it to the council and C.c. it to the debt collectors.
