Council tax panic - final notice?

[user1499590110]

Bit of a panicky message...pay council tax manually online each month. was accidentally in arrears about 3 months ago for one month, had a reminder notice and called them to pay what was outstanding (my salary monthy payment date had been moved and so the payment to them was also late). they then changed the payment date. i have logged on today to pay this month as usual, and it says 'final notice' next to the full figure. i have made payment for the monthly amount, but having read what final reminder means on the internet, it says that means i need to go to court if i dont pay the whole amount?! i dont understand this as i have had no correspondence from them, and if i hadnt logged onto my online banking and just paid online by giving my account number (rather than logging into the full account), then i would never have even noticed this. i only logged onto the proper account because i wanted to see when the bins needed to go out!

it is saturday so i cant call them...im panicking that maybe i am behind and havent realised? i dont see how as i have checked email receipts and i have made payments each month. i was told last month thatas i had overpaid two months ago, i could then pay a reduced second month, which i did. i have calcuated it all up though from march and it seems that i was 35 pounds in arrears last month (when i made payment today i overpaid to account for this). it all seems such a mes but it has not been me trying to avoid paying - just a stupid mistake. work has been non stop the last few months, and if i have miscalculated, it wasnt on purpose. i guess that is no excuse (and a direct debit should have been set up - only recently moved so ive had a million things to set up!).

does anyone have any experience of this? will they really take me to court or make me pay the balance in full?

Hi

Firstly please don’t panic, as in my experience after 3-months without seemingly getting paid, a Council gets trigger happy with Court threats to cover themselves (and the other tax payers), then automatically asking for the full amount - but they cancel these letters with Court appearances quite easily, even days before the date.

They just want to be reassured the money is coming.

You should have had at least one letter before hand, mentioning the arrears, but if you haven’t and have email receipts indicating the money went in, it sounds like an administrative mistake, possibly resulting from your payment date change.

Whatever, it will all wait until Monday, and all you can really do is try to verify your payments went out, and maybe put that standing order closer to the top of your ‘to-do’ list.

It depends on the council they are all different. I work in Council Tax and my council will cancel a final notice if you bring the account up to date and then set up a Direct Debit. Otherwise it goes to court even if you are only paying late in the month. It's cutting down the admin costs of chasing people and postage costs of sending reminders and final notices.

Definitely don't panic. It happens to many of us. It's no big deal to be honest. If you can speak to someone at the council to get the latest situation that would help you get clearer. If it goes to court you will have to pay some small (but additional) costs. The court case happens without you being present (at least I don't know anyone who has attended). If it doesn't get settled it goes to Bayliffs, make sure you get advice at that stage from internet or debt advice (like knowing what powers they have) but mainly don't engage with them, then eventually it gets passed back to council tax and the whole process begins again