To think if I cant pay £90 odd quid in 7 days there's no point raising it to over £1000!?

[PlowerOfScotland]

Fell behind on council tax already. Payments for March were a shock to the budget as husband's work dries up in bad weather and it knocked us back. So we've reorganised, paying more each week. Already reduced the debt.

Get a letter today, dated Monday. Full arrears due within 7 days of letter or I lose the ability to pay in installments. Payments take a day to show. So, pay by tomorrow or owe thousands in one go.

I'll borrow it out of the rent and plead to landlord, not begging here, we will pay it.

I do feel it's a bit unreasonable to give such short notice for what to us is a large amount when explanation has been given and overpayments are already being made every week. If I've not got £90 I'm hardly going to be sitting on a grand!

Probably am bu. But I just feel really under pressure on a shit budget, I know we shouldn't have fell behind.

Thanks @sonsmum, I've already put it into my budget planner how much I need to put by weekly based on a 4 week month (5 week months will just have "extra") and I'll move the money into my account the day before. I'm half laughing now as it's cheaper weekly for me now they've spread it out rather than my plan of catching up by end of May as per first phone call. Just wish they'd either offered this when I called or written to say "we'd prefer you did this our way".

Being poor is expensive.

Call again, sometimes it's a case of computer says no and when you actually speak to a human being it gets sorted quickly.

We had this, it simply was a mistake and we just kept paying as we always were, but I think they changed the day it was due so the money definitely went in.

@silverpenguin if you have money you get offered lower interest rates, bigger overdrafts, banks will lend you money. Having come from a position where I was struggling to now where I’m fine, the difference in how you are treated with money is quite stark. I know it is just the mechanics of financial risk, but it doesn’t make it pleasant.
I was just trying to sympathise with the op as I know what it’s like to be kicked when you are down

Cross post.

Glad it's sorted, most council workers seem to be quite humane ime.

I'm not getting the particular outrage over and above the general sickened of having to pay bills before going to the pub.

Asking nicely doesn't work on a lot of people, and with all due respect you appear to be in this camp.

CT needs to be more of a priority for you

Wow, can I take it your CT is all paid up then, and you spend the rest of your time making huge, unfair (and incorrect) assumptions about people who are struggling to stay afloat? Must be nice to have the luxury of being smug. Shame you don't have any empathy to go with it.

Ah, council tax are all about the big scary letters but are generally helpful and pleasant if you ring. We have had to do it several times. Finances aren’t always straightforward.

It’s a yearly tax demand, you don’t have the right to pay it in instalments - it’s a privilege, don’t pay the instalment and the privilege will be taken away.

Ring them, go and see them and ask if you can have a special arrangement, ask if you can pay over 12 months instead of 10

The letters are at automatic call and ask for the missed payment to be spread for the year.

@PlowerOfScotland

Glad you sorted it all out OP, and ignore the snide comments from people having a go at you having the audacity to go to the pub now and again.

For the record, have you checked your entitlement? You may be entitled to help with your council tax (and rent if you are renting your home...)

Check entitledto.co.uk

When I rang my Council about the Council Tax a few years ago, after having dropped behind by ONE MONTH, they told me I had to pay the whole lot up front.

I told them I couldn't afford it (single, part time job etc etc). They told me to BORROW IT FROM FAMILY. I said I couldn't, there was no one I could borrow it from, I said I'd have to try a pay day loan company as that was the only way I'd get it. AND THEY AGREED!

To recap, they wanted me to take out a hugely overpriced loan that, on the evidence, I would fall behind with payments with, just in order to ensure that they got their money. It was appalling.

Luckily I got a royalty payment which enabled me to pay the lump sum, but I've made doubly sure I have never fallen into arrears again, I was so utterly horrified at the attitude.

I wish some councils would reword those letters to be a bit gentler, and to suggest to people that there are other payment options.

I'm so sorry this has upset you OP. For anyone else who reads this thread and finds themselves in the same boat: ALWAYS ring. There's usually a really straightforward solution.

This happened to me one over a vets bill. I agreed with the vet to pay the bill off over a few weeks as I didn't have the total amount available. One week I received a letter demanding the money. I found out once I called that it was an automated thing that happened from Head Office but it still made me feel like shit.

Yeah just ring them. Worst that happens at the end of the phone call you're in the same situation you're in now

I agree, Councils are absolute fucking BASTARDS when it comes to being a bit late paying council tax. I always paid mine on time for several fucking decades, and the ONE TIME I forgot (and we had gone away for 2 weeks, so it was 21 days late,) I came home to a nasty little threat of court action from them, if the FULL BALANCE IS NOT PAID IMMEDIATELY!

So unnecessary.

It's a standard letter OP. When you have an agreement like that then technically when you default on the agreement then the whole amount does become due so they are within their rights. however, as you've found, when you call up they are far more understanding. I'm glad you've got sorted, it isn't in anyone's best interest for you to default completely and obviously it makes much better sence to get the money from you in installments rather than trying to go via debt collectors for the whole lot.

The problem with theses letters is that is scares the wrong peple. the ones who are trying their best get stressed out and panic and the ones with no intention of paying don't give a shit.

I hope things get better for you soon .

It's harsh, but my experience (I have worked in several administrative roles in local government) is that if they send a less scary letter a lot of customers ignore it. This means, of course, that those of us who are law-abiding but going through temporary difficulties (I've also been on that side of the counter!) are penalised for the attitudes of others. 'T ain't fair but that's how it works. Glad to hear they were reasonable when you approached them; that's usually been my experience too.

Thank you everyone for your kind words and advice.

Yes OP give them a ring, we moved into our house last March and the way the billing fell, it meant this year we would’ve ended up paying one instalment in late March, and one in mid April, so 2 x payments in one payday.

I called up and asked if we could spread the payment somehow as we hadn’t budgeted for double council tax in one payday (it’s our biggest bill). The guy was really nice and essentially moved payments about so rather than have 2 months off next year, we’d have one. Essentially they’d rather work out a way you can pay them, especially if you’re actively trying.

Well the system needs changing them @mirrivan !!!

They are dealing with human beings here.

The letters/reminders/requests are just WAY too harsh.

The problem is that the letters are only too harsh for people who have genuinely missed a payment for a very valid reason and fully intend to pay. If you don't "encourage" the chancers to pay, or cover the legailities in the letter then you might struggle to ever get the money and that means the rest of us paying more or getting reduced services.

No, I pay mine in instalments like everyone else avuncularis.

But I do always pay it on time, and above other bills like phone and water. It needs to be the priority as it's the one that gets nastiest quickest in legal terms.

Sorry if I sounded harsh, but I'm quite surprised that anyone can get to adulthood and be surprised that to get a nasty letter because they've failed to clear arrears on their council tax. The letters have always made it quite clear that paying it on time isn't optional.

I wish some councils would reword those letters to be a bit gentler, and to suggest to people that there are other payment options.

The councils can't reword the letters as there is a format that must be followed as per the LGFA 1992, that is, the Final Noticve is a statutory notice that must be worded a certain way to be legal and to allow the Council to send a Summons and apply for (and obtain) a Liability Order at the Magistrates Court.

This is a good explanation of the processes: www.charnwood.gov.uk/.../council_tax.../factsheet-counciltaxpaymentsandr.pd.