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Money matters

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Original poster

Confused and worried

17 replies

nutcracker · 29/03/2006 12:00

Ok i rang today to chase up my housing benefit and council tax benefit claim because my HA rang to say they had not recieved a penny.

Anyway rang and have been told that benefit has been paid and I am now in recipet of full housing and council tax benefit and that my council tax account is £109 in credit. Well i knew that was more than likely wrong because I knew I still owed them money form an old account, but when I then ring them to querey it they say that I actually owe them £470 for last year and that it has been sent to baliffs.

I am gobsmacked as I never thought it was for that much and I have recieved no letters telling me to ring them or anything let alone a letter form a baliff.

I have rung the baliff that it has apparently been sent to and they know nothing about it as yet, and said I can't do anything unilt they send me a letter.

But then what ?? There is no way I can pay them, and i'm sure they will be looking for more a month than i can offer to pay them.

What do i do ???

OP posts:

Original poster

nutcracker · 29/03/2006 12:01

When i asked what period the £470 is for she said june 1st 05 - june 23rd 05. I don't get it.

OP posts:

Original poster

nutcracker · 29/03/2006 12:08

bump

OP posts:

Original poster

nutcracker · 29/03/2006 12:15

anyone

OP posts:

Original poster

nutcracker · 29/03/2006 12:16

I could pay £10 which would get it paid off in a year, do you think they'll go for that ??

I am just so confused cos I've had no letters or anything saying I owed that much.

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compo · 29/03/2006 12:18

why would it be so much for 3 weeks though? Maybe ring CAB

Bozza · 29/03/2006 12:19

I would get back onto the council if I were you. It sounds to me like they are cocking something up somewhere along the line. Those dates don't make sense - you would have to live in a palace to have council tax bill of £470 for less than a month.

I would ask them to send you out a statement of all money owed and money paid for last 3 years so you can see where you are.

Original poster

nutcracker · 29/03/2006 12:19

I will try CAB but can never get through.

Thats what I don't get and the woman on the phone didn't seem to have a clue. I might ring back after lunch and see if i can speak to someone else.

I mean if i owe it then fine but they will have to accept so much a week.

OP posts:

Bozza · 29/03/2006 15:00

Maybe ask to speak to the supervisor?

Freckle · 29/03/2006 16:20

Can you go into CAB rather than ring? If you do, you may be able to see a money advice specialist who can negotiate with the council for you. It does sound as though the council has cocked everything up, but that doesn't make it any less stressful.

butty · 29/03/2006 16:27

Nutcracker,

I would ring the council again and also check your new council rates letter as that should give you a breakdown of what you owe in a section called previous tax years.

I would deffo ask for them to send you a letter stating what the money is for if not on the rates.

What is the money owed for, HB or CT????

If you do have to pay money back, i can reassure that they will be as helpful as possible in recovering it.

i owe, £340 in council tax, of which i pay a tenner a month and also £470 HB from years ago of which i pay £3.00 per month by standing order.

I hope you get this situ resolved as soon as poss.

Butty.xxx

Original poster

nutcracker · 29/03/2006 17:08

Hi, didn't manage to ring the council back as i had the HA on my back all day, but they have finally got the message now.

I'm going to ring the council tommorow and ask them to send me a breakdown of exactly what they say I owe and when it is for and tell them I will not be paying anything unitl i recieve the breakdown and seek advice.

I have no doubt that I do indeed oew them money but I am sure it is not that much.

OP posts:

Original poster

nutcracker · 29/03/2006 17:09

butty if they will accept £10 a month that would be great.

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Freckle · 29/03/2006 17:21

Don't wait for them to come up with definitive figures before you start paying. If you make a payment straight away, it shows good faith and they are much more likely to be reasonable.

If you accept that you owe something, then start paying off what you think you owe.

Original poster

nutcracker · 29/03/2006 19:58

I can't yet because I have no bill showing what I owe and can't pay anything to the baliffs either as they have no record of the account as yet.

She also said I owe £21 from this year (don't know where thats from either) and so I said, well send me a bill for it and i'll pay it straightaway and she said oh well we hadn't planned to send it yet !!!!!! WTF are they on about.

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WideWebWitch · 29/03/2006 20:12

Ok, they need to call the bailiffs off. Only they can do this since they instructed them. It sounds odd that you haven't received anything, normally you'd get a lot of warning of this. You need to email them with a reasonable payment proposal asap tomorrow. Don't offer something you can't afford, you have to offer something that is realistic and that you'll be able to keep up. It's highly unlikely they'll turn it down since a court won't disagree. However, it does sound as if they've already been to court and obtained judgement against you (ask them if this is the case) and this is why they've instructed the bailiffs. They MAY (but prob won't) take the view that the bailiffs can just seize goods to the value to pay off the debt but it's unlikely tbh. They want to sort this out as much as you do. Explain your circumstances, back up EVERYTHNG in writing, including the fact that you haven't received any demands and that should sort it out. Try not to worry, it's not as scary as it sounds! HTH

Original poster

nutcracker · 30/03/2006 13:50

WWW they won't let me make an offer of payment because it has been reffered on to the bailiffs. They said i just have to wait for contact from the baliffs now and take it from there.

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butty · 30/03/2006 14:07

Nutcracker,

They did the same thing with me regarding the bailiffs, although they did put a stop on them coming round and sorted the matter themselves.

I would deffo call back and say that you are not prepared to wait for that, and if they still help you know further, then ask for the contact details of the bailiffs that they have passed it to, then get on the blower to them and explain the situation.

If they don't help, then ask to speak to the chief revenues officer back at the council!!

Please don't let it get you down, i am forever in trouble with money and i get harrassed by one company inparticular, but i just carry on paying the minimum payment that i did through the CAB and let them drone on it!!!!

All the debts i have are from when i lost my job due to time off with dylan when we found out about his GDD etc... It is now 2 years later and i am still not earning the 20K i used to.

Butty.xxx

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