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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:
BojackHorseman · 19/10/2015 06:37

It's urgent because it's unpaid council tax that you haven't paid Hmm

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 19/10/2015 06:41

But having waited two and a half years, at least, you would think that sending threatening letters demanding the money NOW is a little silly, wouldn't you?

OP posts:
BojackHorseman · 19/10/2015 06:47

No? Like you said they couldn't find you. Just because it's been two and a half years it doesn't mean that they can't send a threatening letter or two.

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 19/10/2015 06:56

Seriously, I don't believe for a second they couldn't find me.

I think the council forgot then sent it straight to bailiffs.

OP posts:
Flambola · 19/10/2015 07:27

There's no point arguing the toss now - you've been advised what you need to do, so just do it.

MsJamieFraser · 19/10/2015 07:33

You need to pay the bill/or make arrangement for the bill to be paid, it is neither here nor there how old the bill is, the unpaid bill is yours, you should have been more active paying your bills and none of this would have happened in the first place.

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 19/10/2015 08:15

It wasn't actually my fault jamie. It was the council who arsed this one up.

OP posts:
BojackHorseman · 19/10/2015 08:30

How is it the council's fault?

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 19/10/2015 08:33

Because they didn't send us the final bill and spent two years 'finding us' when we were hardly hidden!

OP posts:
BojackHorseman · 19/10/2015 08:38

How do you know that they didn't? How had you been paying your council tax, by direct debit? Something isn't adding up here OP.

YogaDrone · 19/10/2015 09:17

You need to ring the council concerned and discuss it with a manager who has the authority to waive the costs incurred and get the case back from the bailiff.

Although from what you've said on this thread I wouldn't be that inclined to waive all of the costs as it seems that it's your fault the debt has accrued because you moved without leaving a forwarding address to send the final bill onto. Despite knowing that the needed this from the previous time you moved!

The council would have sent the final bill to your old address (not having any other address) which was presumable returned by the current occupier. Although this may not have happened at bill stage, it might have been at final notice or even at summons stage.

The Council then have to spend time and resource trying to find you. It costs money to have to trace people. If they have the liability order by this stage (which it seems that they do) you will already have incurred the summons and liability order costs from the Magistrates Court.

It's cheaper for the council to send the liability order to the bailiffs and let them trace you. The bailiffs can charge for each letter/visit made to try and find you.

As others have said the bailiffs will try and find you (charging you for the privilege). When they find you, as they now have, you will have to pay the debt owed and also their fees. However the council can ask for the case back from the bailiffs and can ask that at least some fees are cancelled.

You need to speak to the council and deal with it. If you do have no income and no possessions it might even be worth going to committal stage because the magistrates have the ability to write off the debt entirely.

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 19/10/2015 09:24

It really wasn't my fault. I've already spoken to the council. Thanks.

OP posts:
PurpleHairAndPearls · 19/10/2015 09:28

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Pobspits · 19/10/2015 09:30

Tbh OP I can totally see how you've got into this situation because she seem completely adverse to doing anything that will help.

Whoevers fault it is is irrelevent because it is your responsibility now. You should've sorted this when you received the first letter and you should've tried harder to do so. Stop making the same mistakes over and over - get this sorted today.

dickiedavisthunderthighs · 19/10/2015 09:34

It is your fault; you should have known you owed money from the simple fact that it's s regular payment that at some point you didn't make. You said earlier in the thread that you'd been contacted with a request to pay in the summer which you ignored, and now the bailiff is involved. How any of this is the council's fault is anyone's guess.

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 19/10/2015 09:43

I should have sorted it, it was a genuine error.

Give it a rest purple

OP posts:
AliceInUnderpants · 19/10/2015 10:09

Have you managed to speak to anyone yet this morning Leaving?

Pobspits · 19/10/2015 11:50

But OP you're constantly contradicting yourself.

It's the councils fault / it's your error

You paid it 3 times / you didn't pay it

I have NO idea what's going on with you and tbh it feels like the only possible solution you wanted was for someone to say 'oh here's £X' pay with that. Now, I'm not saying that is what you were wanting but I'm saying that you are not accepting ANY solutions or advice you've been given ...

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 19/10/2015 11:58

I'm not. I've conceded I forgot after I had my baby to sort it but the original mistake was the council and they made this mistake before. That's when it was paid then. I wouldn't take any money from anyone on here even if they offered. Ever. If I sound unclear it's because I don't fully understand it all.

OP posts:
dickiedavisthunderthighs · 19/10/2015 12:30

You've been given SO much clear advice that I am also unsure as to what you really hoped you might get out of this. You know what you need to do and I'm astounded it's taken over 170 posts for you to appear to be in the same place as you started.

Original poster
Leavingsosoon · 19/10/2015 12:35

Well not really, I wondered if anyone has been in this situation (they have) and have had help, but I just don't feel able to call the bailiff, i am sorry people are frustrated by that but it's making me very anxious if I do and I can't.

OP posts:
BojackHorseman · 19/10/2015 12:53

If you don't call the bailiff company then you will be making the situation a lot worse. Take some responsibility and follow the excellent advice given to you.

Grapejuicerocks · 19/10/2015 12:58

Option 1
Bury your head in the sand and await bailiffs who will take what they can.

Option 2
Ring bailiffs. There might be 2 outcomes.
a. exactly the same as above in which case you are no worse off
or
b. they agree a payment plan in which case you are far better off.

It's a no brainer.

AliceInUnderpants · 19/10/2015 12:58

Have you spoken to the CAB or sought any kind of advice so far today?

RNBrie · 19/10/2015 12:59

Op - i understand the anxiety, I do. I have a voicemail on my phone I've not listened to since Friday - I know its from a company I am having a dispute with (they owe me money rather than the other way around) but its stressful to deal with and I keep putting it off.

That said - you HAVE to call them, or find someone else who can call them for you (I used to make my sister do difficult calls for me!)

If you do not call them, they could be on your doorstep this evening and that is one hell of a lot more stressful than a phone call.

Do it in steps. Call the number just to hear what happens, hang up if someone answers. Then call again and say hello, then hang up if you need to. Baby steps. I've been there. You will feel 100 times better when you know this is being properly dealt with.