Council tax and Scott and Co

[Nonibaloni]

Hi

Can anyone help me? Suddenly I'm in a the middle of situation that I can't see a way out of. Long story because I don't know what is relevant.

A fortnight ago a nice man in a suit appearred on the door step saying he was from Scott and Co collecting unpaid council tax. I confirmed the name and address and all he could confirm that it was in my name. I explained that I rent a flat through an agent and if the tenants owed it always came back to me, so I'd need to check that. And that it couldn't be the address we were standing at because I wasn't on the bills (long story I won't go into but I'm staying off radar for very good very legal reasons). Off he went to fact check and so did I.

I confirmed all the tenants names and mentioned it to my DP. He's an accountant and was totally non pluses expected it to be the tenants.

Anyway back he came tonight threatening arrestment of earnings for over 3k. We've lived in the house just 12 months. The bills are paid quarterly, online. I couldn't produce bank statement because a) there were online and b) I now feel that maybe this bloke shouldn't be seeing this. He swears letters have been sent. Multiple times. To be clear i am a student and in the total time we've lived here I maybe haven't picked up the mail first 3 times. I suspected my partner which is mad because as well as an accountant he's in a well paid job that skipping council tax would be weird. We have multiple payment going out (kitchen, car, credit card) but they are all manageable and upto date.

What is happening? where do I stand? How to i stop this? It can't be identify theft but it feels very weird.

Can someone tell me there's a magic fix? Has anyone else been here?

I'm trying to sound upbeat but I was in tears in front of the kids and now I'm hiding in the loo.

Have you phoned the council to check?

I tried but because the account isn't in my name they couldn't take it any further, I will tomorrow armed with more info. I assumed it was tenants so I wasn't that insistnemt.

I would try again tomorrow, I would have thought they would be able to confirm whether there was debt (which sounds like it is in your name from what the guy was saying?). Good luck, it does sound dodgy to me.

Has he left you any paperwork? contact details? ID?

I work in this area but am afraid I don't understand your post. Assuming you are in Scotland, is it a Charge for Payment you have received? Whose name is the debt in?

So is the debt in your name for the property you rent out? I'm assuming the enforcement agent was asking for you, not your husband.

You need to call the council issuing the debt and ascertain which periods it covers. If you had tenants for any of those periods, they should be liable but you will probably need to provide copies of tenancy agreements and evidence of rent paid.

It sounds initially like your tenants or agents haven't notified the council of their occupation. If you are using a managing agent rather than just a letting agent, then tear a strip off them for not keeping the council informed of changes in occupancy.

As owner you will be liable in between tenants, but there may be a charge depending on what discounts this council has adopted.

Yes the debt is in my name. I've not received anything. The bloke said he would bring paperwork next time. He also said it needed to be paid in cash because it was so over due. I am In scotland

Sorry confusing post. When he came back tonight he said it was definitely my home address.

I've been burned by remnants before who left the country but the current management co are amazing.

Erm nope. Scott & Co are a reputable company who (through past dealing with them via my work) are reasonable and sensible.
I'd get the number for your local office online and contact them.

If the debt is for the house you live in and you have been making payments, you need to check which account the payments have been allocated to. The council would have sent at least 4 letters, including reminders and summons, and the enforcement agency would have sent at least one.

The only other thing I can suggest is that the debt relates to your previous address and the council didn't cease liability there when you moved.

Edinburgh council by any chance?
I've had this. Was totally random and a mistake. You need to call the council and find out the debt dates and property address, then provide proof it's not your liability.
I had no issue getting removed.

The debt doesn't need to be paid in cash at all. Request a copy of the liability order and verify details with the council.

Museumum!!!! Really? Cause yes Edinburgh. You are now my ray of hope.

I never thought of the previous address because of the dates but that's worth checking out. I'm not on any bills at all other than mortgage so it's really weird.

The cash thing through me, I asked if he meant a instant debit card payment or bank transfer but he wanted cash.

So he could produce no paperwork at all and insisted on cash?

And a pretty large amount of cash at that.

I would never pay cash to someone demanding it from me at the door about a debt I know nothing about - surely that's number 1 on the scam list.

I didn't get as far as a person turning up but I got the letter saying they would.
I think when I rented out my flat (when I moved in with dh) my name got linked on their db to my tenants name, I was then chased for a debt at their next or previous flat. But I'd never lived there and could tell them where I was paying council tax for those dates so the council database was amended.

He had his paperwork, which is the type I've seen from them when I've been bookeeeping. He said he needed 10 instalments of £300 (there abouts) and the first ones needed to be cash to since it was so over due. That's when I felt really threatened. How could cash ever be a safe way to work? What's to stop me saying I have him the lot? What's to stop him saying he got nothing? The more I think about it the less I understand.

I don't want my earnings arrested because of what it would do to my credit file, and I don't want my name to be publicly searchable. If I paid the lot (which I could do) could I claim it back when it's all sorted out?

To be honest I don't want a bloody bailiff (to all intents and purposes) on my doorstep in front of my neighbours.

This isn't kosher at all. Was he a Sheriff Officer (would have shown you ID) and did he hand you a piece of paper entitled 'Charge for Payment'? They can't arrest your wages or take any other action until the 14 days this CforP gives you has expired.

There aren't any baliffs in Scotland. Was he a Sheriff Offficer?

Would he give me the charge for payment? He gave me nothing apart from a payment book thing?

He says a demand for payment was sent to this address but I've never seen one. It's a red flag when mail comes with my name.

I'll maybe see if I can collect from their office.

I'd contact Scott's or the CAB first thing tomorrow. He doesn't sound like a scammer - what scammer would be likely to turn up twice to a place - but it does sound as if something has gone awry.

That's what I thought. He wasn't remotely pushy, particularly when I said I definitely didn't have £300 cash on me.

What a mess, i hope its a computer error cause if it's human error I may take the law into my own hands.

Please listen - this isn't how council tax recovery works. I have years of experience with Scott & Co. You need some professional advice.

If it's an error, it's most likely to be human, I fear. There's not much you can do tonight though - you need more information on several things. Wait till the morning.