Council tax is a priority bill as it covers the services accommodated the house you live in. We frequently come across individuals who haven’t covered their council tax for a considerable length of time, leaning toward rather to pay a credit card.
If you’ve missed a Council Tax payment, you’re in ‘arrears’ – this means you owe money to your council. Don’t make the mistake to wait for them to contact you. You should contact your council straight as soon as possible. Request to address somebody in the Council Tax office and inform them regarding your circumstance.
They’re stunned when all of a sudden they’re hit with a bill from the council informing them that they have lost the privilege to pay by instalments, the council tax is expected forthwith and that non-installment could result in bailiffs taking action. At the point when the debt amounting from council tax arrears begins to pile up, your money related issues can appear to be unsurmountable.
In the meantime, the stressing letters, final notices, liability orders and court summons never appear to stop, adding to the feeling that you’ll never be free from the debt hanging over you. Technical jargon and wordy warnings are difficult to disentangle as well, while you can add to this the dangers from bailiffs who turn up at your door and attempt to make you sign paperwork and gain access to your home to seize property.
Writing off council tax debt
The question often appears is, can council tax be written off? The answer is write off council tax debt is possible. The council can write it off if they wish, a section of the Local Government Finance Act ensures they have a policy for write offs but this policy can be to refuse an application as any write off has to be funded by rest of the council tax payers in the authority’s area.
But the cash is utilized by local authorities to pay for fundamental administrations and framework, for example, emergency services, road maintenance, schools and refuse collection. The more individuals that don’t pay their council tax contributions, there less there is to go around for the network. This is why council tax debts are very rarely written off.
Easy ways to help you pay your council tax
First of all, don’t overlook your council tax arrears. You ought to consider council tax a priority debt. This is because it’s extremely hard to abstain from paying it, and doing as such can have some pretty serious consequences.
In spite of the fact that they don’t generally publicize or promote the fact, many local councils will allow residents to pay council tax over 12 months. This is especially applicable in case you’re stuck in an unfortunate situation. The Government recently put this forward to help with the cost of living. To see if your council will extend this to you give your local council tax office a call explaining your circumstances.
Homes are put into their banding dependent on what their esteem was on the first April 1991, not on their valuation in the present prices. Now and again your property may have been set within the wrong band. You can claim the banding to attempt and diminish the expense but on the other hand it merits bringing up that a few properties may have been put in a more affordable band by mistake. Remember: only appeal if you think it’s going to make your bills cheaper!
Councils work in tax years which keep running from April to March. On the off chance that you get a letter saying that you owe £230 for the assessment year 2014 and you may accept that is all you owe… but you may also have debts from previous tax years the letter doesn’t mention. This can be extremely confusing. So whenever you make contact with the council, don’t just ask about the letter you have just had – also check if you have any debts from previous tax years as well.
You may get a decrease on the off chance that somebody living in the house has an inability. Apply to the council for this. Just a few properties will qualify. Contact a nearby welfare rights office or get in touch with us for guidance.