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AIBU?

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Original poster

To feel up to my neck in it ... Any advice?

199 replies

Leavingsosoon · 16/10/2015 17:51

I'm not panicking, but I could do with some rational and kind help with some stuff.

I am a lone parent. Am on maternity leave at the moment.

I seem to be in a really difficult position where I have essential stuff that needs paying and as soon as money comes in, it's whisked back out again - on top of that, I've come home today to a letter shoved through my door demanding money for non payment of council tax from 2013 Hmm God knows what's happened there. Obviously, it's an old debt but it's now massive due to bailiff fees.

I suppose I'm wondering firstly what to do about that but also, if anyone else has ever been in a similar position and how you got through it? I know things will be OK in six months time when I'm working and when other stuff is sorted but now it's still all over the place and a bit shit.

OP posts:
Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 17/10/2015 08:11

The problem is, I have no money I can give them and while I can probably pay it at the end of the month (it will put me into financial difficulty but oh well) they won't wait.

You probably won't believe me but this is the third time I've paid them. They don't listen.

OP posts:
Pobspits · 17/10/2015 08:29

Third time you've paid who?

PurpleHairAndPearls · 17/10/2015 08:30

You need to stop ignoring this. From your posts doesn't appear that you live in grinding poverty in terms of assets and income. You have accepted it is your liability and ignored it previously. You don't want to phone the bailiffs.

What exactly did you hope for starting this thread?

PurpleHairAndPearls · 17/10/2015 08:31

Oh for god sake. I'm out.

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 17/10/2015 08:48

Purple do you know what, I don't fully understand it either.

I certainly don't live in grinding poverty in terms of assets but in terms of income, at least very temporarily, I do. I have £50 to get me through to the end of the month. I have already stopped DS's music lessons and sports classes as I just can't afford them.

However, this particular bill - I don't know. In April 2011, I received a bill saying I owed council tax and it appeared to be some sort of oversight from 2005 (I'm not joking) and again when I rang up it was the same sort of comments saying 'we have been trying to find you.' It makes me sound so elusive and I'm not: just an ordinary person, homeowner so on the electoral roll, and so on. Anyway with that I could afford to pay it and so just did. The second time it happened was more recently - February 2014 I think.

Each time seems to be having moved out of somewhere in the summer and then being a small amount 'left over' from the year. This amount, which is actually under £50, then balloons to massive sizes due to THEIR cock up in being 'unable to find me' and getting bailiffs involved but once they've involved the bailiffs it seems they can't uninvolve the bailiffs.

And so I know from bitter experience the conversation goes 'pay. Or we'll take your stuff.'

I can't, actually, phone the bailiffs as I have no phone (will save that story for another day) but in any case I know it's just 'paywewantyourmoneypay.'

I ignored one letter and I didn't ignore it as such but rather rang the council who were unhelpful: I did vow to try and get it sorted but then new baby and all ... I am happy to concede that was an error on my part.

I've taken advice to go to the CAB and maybe people know anywhere/one else who can help, I'm not sure. I guess I just need to know what will happen or they will take, I don't actually care any more as i just feel like they keep coming back and back with more "old debts" and it really isn't my fault, and I can't get anyone to listen to me or believe me.

OP posts:
prettywhiteguitar · 17/10/2015 22:25

Sorry I just came back to this tonight.

I have told you what will happen if you ignore or don't contact the bailifs, they will come to arrest you and charge you another £133 on top of the money you owe, the only way you can stop them is buy calling the bailiff and arranging a payment plan.

This very same incident happened to me in august, an old debt of £50 spiralled into £450 cause I didn't pay it and didn't receive any letter until I registered at my address for the electrol roll, there is no way out. Get yourself to a pay phone and call the bailiff

Sazzle41 · 17/10/2015 22:37

Ring up and offer to pay installments before they add even more fees on it or get it deducted in tiny amounts from your benefits.

Re. other stuff. Have you shopped around for best deals on mobile and internet and household bills? Comparethemarket.com has saved me a fortune. My mobile is now £10 a month with Tesco and more free texts than i could ever possibly use. My broadband bill is down by half and my electric bill is down by £300. At work I stopped buying lunch and coffee and that made a massive difference: I was spending £70 a month when i added it up which shocked me no end. Its really helped having that money not going out. Go on moneysavingexpert.com for other advice - its so worth doing.

AliceInUnderpants · 17/10/2015 23:02

I am concerned about your circumstances. IIRC not even a week ago you were still doubting whether to get out of an abusive marriage. I guess from further posts you have left - well done Flowers Are you ineligible for benefits because of income? Or have you just not put in a claim yet? Either way, you need to contact the bailiffs and be honest and explain your circumstances. Please don't bury your head in the sand - it will help noone. Good luck.

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 17/10/2015 23:09

Thanks. A lot happened this week, Alice, things got pretty nasty and physical and he ended up (not entirely on purpose it has to be said) causing some damage that was potentially quite serious. So he's gone.

Circumstances mean I'm not eligible for benefits, I'll be ok in the future. Just don't have £450 to hand.

Pretty, like I say, there's just honestly no point. They will just demand the money and I don't have it.

OP posts:
ThatsDissapointing · 17/10/2015 23:30

Don't dismiss StepChange. I think they deal with anyone who has debt problems and as you have a debt problem then I think they may be able to help.

ditherydora · 17/10/2015 23:31

I think you should try getting some legal advice. Will you be eligible for legal aid? If you have really only had one reminder notice and then a bailiffs letter then I don't see how you could have received notice of the court proceedings? It's not my area but it doesn't sound right to me.

prettywhiteguitar · 17/10/2015 23:35

Yeah I understand believe me I've been there. I think then you can only really go to cab and whilst you're there call the bailiff to explain. You are in complicated circumstances and maybe that will be enough for cab to help you get out of this. Good luck

Mrsbennington · 18/10/2015 00:05

if they take your stuff they will value it at the absolute minimum which means they will take most of your stuff. Can't understand how its got this far without you realising but please get an appointment with CAB and don't answer the door.

Meandyou150 · 18/10/2015 00:11

For gods sake just ring the bailiff!!!

DooneDave · 18/10/2015 00:30

Op ignore the bailiffs, after 3 visits they will return the debt to the council. You can then tell the council you are prepaired to pay the original debt but not the fee's. Put this in writing and make the 1st payment. Bailiff can't take your stuff unless you let them in, they also cant have you arrested as its a civil matter not a criminal one. Good luck op.

MountainDweller · 18/10/2015 00:47

Can you set up skype or similar on your ipad so you can make calls? You can use it to call phones - it doesn't cost much, though you'd have to buy some credit (minimum is £5 maybe). I think you an even signup for a number so people can call you back.

I agree with pp, definitely CAB on Monday.

OutToGetYou · 18/10/2015 01:35

Council tax debt IS an imprisonable offence actually, the only debt you can still go to prison for.

Op - can you take a one month payment holiday from your mortgage perhaps? I'd not suggest this in any other circs as it extends your mortgage debt, but ct debt is a priority as you can be imprisoned for it.
If you do this be absolutely clear it is for one month only, you don't want to be getting into mortgage arrers too.

Next time you move, tell the old council where you are going so they can send on the final bill.

prettywhiteguitar · 18/10/2015 05:10

The bailiff I had didnt give up and the third visit was to take me to jail so I wouldn't ignore it !

TheBunnyOfDoom · 18/10/2015 05:22

You can go to prison for council tax debt. The tenant who lived in my flat before me didn't pay his council tax and got a court summons and bailiff letters - the consequences for not paying were taking his stuff or going to prison for non-payment.

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 18/10/2015 06:04

Don't have a mortgage.

I didn't have a reminder letter as such. Or presumably I did but it went to a different address, they have then been trying to 'track' me for years Hmm

I doubt it; I imagine what's happened is they've been trying to clear old debts people owe and just resorted to heavy handed tactics straightaway. I live in a different council now and have never had any problems with them or payment whatsoever.

OP posts:
ditherydora · 18/10/2015 06:32

I really do think you should tell the baliffs that you didn't get notice of any of the court proceedings and explain why. I suggest you also contact the court which made the order and then ask for the advice. I don't see how the court proceedings could be valid if you genuinely didn't have notice of them. I would advise the council as well. If you can't phone them can you email them?

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 18/10/2015 07:00

I can do, yes, but they don't help: it just all gets passed back to bailiffs. Hopefully CAB can help, although I get the feeling it'll just be 'it's a priority debt blah blah blah' - I KNOW, I didn't not pay it intentionally!

OP posts:
HopefulHamster · 18/10/2015 07:15

Please take some of the advice on this thread.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 18/10/2015 07:34

CUTTING ACROSS This....

The money was incorrectly added to your account.... You should nt owe them 450£....as you say it was their fault....

So deffo speak to CAB immediately... I would not agree to the council that you owe this money... As you say, it was their mistake....

The same thing happened to me... Out of the blue I got a council tax outstanding owing bill of almost 1000£... In 2007 for 1999 bill!! . I knew I didn't owe them anything... They still said I did... They did not provide any evidence that I owed this amount... (after several months of arguing), they then backed down... I just wasn't prepared to pay money I didn't owe..they had added fees as they "couldn't find me" .... I too was on register and have a very unusual name.. In fact how e they did find more eventuality.

Oh yes importantly - I took legal advice... I was told that the council had to prove, in writing, that iI owedthis debt and they had made efforts to correctly serve the original bill (they hadn't as council was in meltdown!). They said it was up to them to prove it, rather than issue a demand!

RNBrie · 18/10/2015 07:38

Same thing happened to us op. We sold our flat, flat had a tenant. Tenant moved out a week before completion. She cancelled council tax from the day she moved out. That week between her moving out and us selling, we were liable for the council tax but it hadn't ever occurred to us.

5 years later the week's council tax had become £400 in fines etc. We had literally no idea until the final demand arrived (despite the fact we'd not moved for 5 years, been on electoral roll etc) it was the first we'd heard of it. We were lucky we could use savings but it was made very clear that we had no choice but to pay it. We did try to query the fines but got nowhere.

Definitely call them and see if they'll accept a payment plan. The value of your stuff is only what they can get at auction for it, not what it's "worth" new so they'll take whatever they want. The system is so shit.

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