Court Summons wrt Council Tax - any advice?

[AdmiralData]

Firstly, Hi :)

My DH works 32 hours a week. I have been disabled for 3 years and therefore lost my job. Money is tight, admittedly.

Regardless: I pay council tax monthly via direct debit on the 25th of each month at £100.96p. I missed Septembers payment due to unforeseen bills and paid it instead on the 26th October along with Octobers payment. (I contacted the council beforehand to tell them there was zero money I had to give them and they said pay next month on your usual date, great, fair enough). So, paid both and now I have received a letter (dated 5th Nov, yesterday) summoning me and my DH to court to pay the remainder of the council tax bill for the year plus £61.00 summons costs on top.

I spoke to a staff member of the council on the phone and asked for receipt numbers etc as I do every month and she assured me that all was in order, that everything was paid upto date and I should continue to ensure that £100.61p was ready for DD on the 25th of every month, so I think they've jumped the gun a bit?

Anybody else had this happen?

If you default you then lose the right to pay monthly and owe the balance in full until March. Are you sure you haven't done so previously? The letter may have crossed your payment but worth calling the court for advice.

I'm a nervous wreck because the court wont be open again until Sunday. I am of course 100% aware that defaulting is a massively wrong thing to do and I was bang out of order but I didnt sit back and do nothing, I contacted them to ask for advice on the situation and was told everything was fine because of this. I have exactly £25.70p in savings, so a hell of a way to go towards just under £600 debt :(

Usually council will send you a reminder if you miss a payment, then a second reminder and the third is a court summons, IF you don't pay the overdue amount
So have you been late paying this year twice?
I only know this because I was in the same situation.
If you don't pay within 12 days of the due date you do get a letter
When I rang the council when I had the summons, I asked if I could have my instalments put back in place and I promised to pay by the date it needed (and I did) so it can get sorted I think they use it to scare you
But don't fret just ring and ask if they can keep the instalments and you won't miss another