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  • #1

    Council Tax Debt

    I owe Salford City Council £96.00 in council tax for 1 month of a property but I would like to dispute this.

    I privately rented this property but I moved in with my girlfriend instead, luckily I have a nice landlord who said as long as I stayed in it for a month I could have my deposit back. During this month I didn't stay in this property at all, I had keys but other than looking around before and after the month I've never stepped foot in it. Salford council sent me a bill for £105.60 so I explained the situation, I was paying half the council tax at my girlfriends and I was never in the property although I was the tenant. They say the can only give me a 10% discount because it was vacant... 10%?

    I've ignored payment letters for about 6 months now, I know council tax is a biggy, but what am I paying for? I didn't use anything the council tax pays for. I put this to them and said I would generously accept a 60% discount and I'd pay 40% of it. They however believe they don't have to negotiate... Anything I can do?
    Last edited by Diasflac; 16 May 2013, 13:52. Reason: noticed a spelling error
    Tags: 2nd, act, address, adults, arrangement, arrears, bailiffs, bill, bills, car, ccj, consumer, council, council tax, councils, county, court, credit, debt, debts, doorstep, hassle, home, iva, letter, living, manchester, owed, paid, pay, payment plan, payments, phone, private, property, rate, rates, rip off, salford, summons, tax, tax bill, unfair, withdraw, working
  • #2
    Re: Council Tax Debt

    As far as i can see, theres nothing you can do, it sounds like the 10% off, is because the lower amount would be an unoccupied rate. Since you still had the keys in your posession regardless of whether you stepped foot in the house, means that you were the tennant, plain and simple.

    One thing to mention about council tax debts, their not protected by the consumer credit act, so they can and do usually apply to the court to force a payment, what you dont want is a court balliff at your door, so id suggest you pay it asap.
    Last edited by SXGuy; 16 May 2013, 14:48.
    I'm an official AAD Moderator and also a volunteer, here to help make the forum run smoothly. Any views or opinions are mine and not the official line of AAD. Similarly, any advice I have offered you is done so on an informal basis, without prejudice or liability. If in doubt seek advice from a qualified insured professional - Find a Solicitor or go to the National Probono Centre.

    If you spot an abusive or libellous post then please report it by Clicking Here. If you need to contact me, for instance if I've issued you a warning, moved, edited or deleted your post, please send me a message by clicking my username.

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    • #3
      Re: Council Tax Debt

      Originally posted by Diasflac View Post
      I know council tax is a biggy,

      Quite!

      Seriously, If you're able, it really would be in your best interests to settle this as SXGuy suggests. You really don't want the bailiffs on your tail on top of everything else!

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Council Tax Debt

        Thanks, I wouldn't let it go to court, CCJ's are one thing I've managed to always avoid, I was hoping there was something I could do or say, I even had a letter at one point from the landlord as a witness they I was never in the property, they said it would make no difference. I guess it's unfair pricing but if I have to pay I have to pay.

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        • #5
          Re: Council Tax Debt

          Was your GF claiming single person discount from the council for the time you were living there?

          If so I'd be careful to alert the council to where you were living!.......
          "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

          The consumer is that sleeping giant.!!


          I'm an official AAD Moderator and also a volunteer, here to help make the forum run smoothly. Any views or opinions are mine and not the official line of AAD. Similarly, any advice I have offered you is done so on an informal basis, without prejudice or liability. If in doubt seek advice from a qualified insured professional - Find a Solicitor or go to the National Probono Centre.

          If you spot an abusive or libellous post then please report it by Clicking Here. If you need to contact me, for instance if I've issued you a warning, moved, edited or deleted your post, please send me a message by clicking my username.

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          • #6
            Re: Council Tax Debt

            Originally posted by Diasflac View Post
            Thanks, I wouldn't let it go to court, CCJ's are one thing I've managed to always avoid, I was hoping there was something I could do or say, I even had a letter at one point from the landlord as a witness they I was never in the property, they said it would make no difference. I guess it's unfair pricing but if I have to pay I have to pay.
            This is not the normal answer to a debt on here but pay up is the answer today.

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            • #7
              Re: Council Tax Debt

              Originally posted by helmsman View Post
              This is not the normal answer to a debt on here but pay up is the answer today.
              Agreed, for the amount owed it's really not worth the hassle.

              If you had a tenancy agreement, even if only for a month, the council will argue that you lived at that address. The fact you paid 50% of GF's tax will be a private arrangement between you and her.
              "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."

              The consumer is that sleeping giant.!!


              I'm an official AAD Moderator and also a volunteer, here to help make the forum run smoothly. Any views or opinions are mine and not the official line of AAD. Similarly, any advice I have offered you is done so on an informal basis, without prejudice or liability. If in doubt seek advice from a qualified insured professional - Find a Solicitor or go to the National Probono Centre.

              If you spot an abusive or libellous post then please report it by Clicking Here. If you need to contact me, for instance if I've issued you a warning, moved, edited or deleted your post, please send me a message by clicking my username.

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Council Tax Debt

                Originally posted by Diasflac View Post
                I wouldn't let it go to court, CCJ's are one thing I've managed to always avoid, I was hoping there was something I could do or say, I even had a letter at one point from the landlord as a witness they I was never in the property.
                You wouldn't get a County Court Judgment because this would go to the Magistrates Court for a liability order followed by nasty bailiff visits

                If you were the sole "occupier" of the property then you should be entitled to the Single Person Exemption which is a 25% discount. It seems the Council have given you the Second Home discount which is only 10% because you told them you were living with your girlfriend so the council classed the empty flat as your 2nd home

                But there is a third way which is the Landlord would be entitled to an Empty Property Class C exemption which is 100% discount. But he would have to change the account into his name (retrospectively) for the one month and then your account gets cancelled. It all depends on whether he is motivated to go through the motions.

                Is your girlfriend's flat in the same local authority?
                Last edited by PlanB; 17 May 2013, 08:52. Reason: lots of typos :(

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                • #9
                  Re: Council Tax Debt

                  Hi,

                  She lives in a different council area and has never claimed single persons as she works full time and has a son.

                  I'll pay them but it's still a rip off

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Council Tax Debt

                    I agree. Pay it, not worth going to court over: and they Will take it all the way. Believe me been there. Many years ago, had to sell my car in the end to pay the debt.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Council Tax Debt

                      Summons to Manchester Magistrates court on June 13th at 13:00.

                      I thought, I was just talking about that. Paid it today, should be gone now.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Council Tax Debt

                        Originally posted by Diasflac View Post
                        Hi,

                        She lives in a different council area and has never claimed single persons as she works full time and has a son.

                        I'll pay them but it's still a rip off
                        The single person discount is nothing to do with whether or not you're working...it is based simply on how many adults are living there. How old is her son?
                        Let your smile change the world but don't let the world change your smile

                        I'm an official AAD Moderator and also a volunteer, here to help make the forum run smoothly. Any views or opinions are mine and not the official line of AAD. Similarly, any advice I have offered you is done so on an informal basis, without prejudice or liability. If in doubt seek advice from a qualified insured professional - Find a Solicitor or go to the National Probono Centre.

                        If you spot an abusive or libellous post then please report it by Clicking Here. If you need to contact me, for instance if I've issued you a warning, moved, edited or deleted your post, please send me a message by clicking my username.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Council Tax Debt

                          Originally posted by Diasflac View Post
                          Summons to Manchester Magistrates court on June 13th at 13:00.

                          I thought, I was just talking about that. Paid it today, should be gone now.
                          Has the Council Tax Department added the cost of issuing that summons to your bill? My LA charge £72 just to send one in the post when it only takes a click of a mouse to issue it.

                          Also check that the summons gets withdrawn or you could end up with a liability order which you can get 'undone' but it's a hassle, and before you know you could have bailiffs on your doorstep claiming nobody told them either

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: Council Tax Debt

                            Originally posted by planB View Post
                            Has the Council Tax Department added the cost of issuing that summons to your bill? My LA charge £72 just to send one in the post when it only takes a click of a mouse to issue it.

                            Also check that the summons gets withdrawn or you could end up with a liability order which you can get 'undone' but it's a hassle, and before you know you could have bailiffs on your doorstep claiming nobody told them either
                            The £80.00 cost was only if I didn't pay before the 13th which I have.

                            If you get baliffs incorrectly on your doorstop is there anything they can do? I mean no baliff is going to actually attempt to recover anything when you have proof you owe nothing surely, never dealt with them.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Council Tax Debt

                              Originally posted by Pixie View Post
                              The single person discount is nothing to do with whether or not you're working...it is based simply on how many adults are living there. How old is her son?
                              There was a lodger there when I moved in but she's gone now, she's never claimed it because there was always more than 1 adult in the house.

                              Comment

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