Do I Have To Pay Council Tax To Newlyn Plc?

This blog post aims to help in answering the question of whether or not someone has to pay their council tax dues to Newlyn Plc. To answer this question, we will explore the role of Newlyn Plc in terms of council tax recovery, a debtor’s role if they are paid a visit by them as well as the consequences of not paying your council tax debt.

Do I Have To Pay Council Tax To Newlyn Plc?

Yes, you have to pay council tax to Newlyn Plc. They are an enforcement agency that provides debt recovery services across England and Wales and are hired by local authorities to collect council tax debt from residents.

Enforcement agents or bailiffs such as Newlyn Plc are certified by the court to be hired by council authorities when their efforts to recover council tax debt have failed and they have had a Liability Order or Warrant Of Control issued to council tax debtors through the court.

When a Liability Order or Warrant Of Control is issued by the court against a debtor, it automatically authorises a bailiff or Enforcement Agency to visit the house of a debtor to collect payments or recover valuables from the premises to settle the outstanding amount.

Payment options that Newlyn Plc offers for council tax debt include the following:

• If you want to pay using a credit or debit card, you can call their secure 24-hour payment line on 0330 088 2647.

• For payments to be routed through your bank, you can authorise payments to Newlyn PLC, Natwest bank via your online banking app or from your branch, by stating your case ID. for a bank transfer, you can use the sort code 60-10-10 for Account No 51497514. In the case of Standing Orders, you can use the Sort code 57-11-76 and Account No 00000000.

• If you are sending the payment by post, you must draw cheques and postal orders payable to Newlyn PLC. you should state your Case ID on the reverse, and send it to Newlyn PLC, PO Box 933, Northampton, NN1 9DX.

• You can also make payments through a nearby Paypoint location or your local post office by using your unique payment barcode mentioned on the front of your Newlyn letter.

If you are unable to make the payment of your council tax debt in full, Newlyn Plc might be able to offer you a repayment plan. You can request this by calling them at 01604 633001, writing an email to contact@newlynplc.co.uk or sending a request to PO Box 933, Northampton NN1 9DX. 

You will need to provide evidence of your bank statements, wages and any benefits that you have been claiming for the past three months.

You must remember that in addition to the amount of council tax debt that you will be required to pay back, you will also be charged a fee by the Newlyn plc bailiffs for their services to the council. This can range anywhere between £75 to £235; depending on the action that they had to take to recover the amount from you.

What Should I Do If A Newlyn Plc Bailiff Visits Me?

If a bailiff visits your home for debt recovery, you should cooperate with them and discuss the repayment plan regarding your council tax debt. 

However, before you open the door to someone, you should ask the visitor to provide you with proof of their identity. Bailiffs are required by law to carry a badge, ID card or enforcement agent certificate that they show to residents to confirm their identity when they make house visits.

The next thing you should ask them is the name and contact details of the company that they represent. You don’t have to open your door to check their identification and can ask them to show them through the window or pass them through the letterbox.

It is only when you are satisfied with their identity confirmation, that you should allow them inside. You can continue talking through the door, a window or step outside of your home to talk to them or make the payment of your dues.

Meanwhile, there is no problem in allowing them to enter your home as well; but it is a personal choice. If you allow them into your home you are expected to either pay back your debt or work out a repayment plan with them which includes clearance of the dues that they are here to collect as well as their own fee.

If you do not agree to pay at all, they have the right to seize valuables from your home to cover the debt; or a part of it.

How Long Can I Be Chased For Council Tax Debt?

You can be chased for up to six years for council tax debt. Once this time duration has passed, the debt (or the remaining amount of it) is written off by local authorities or becomes statute-barred.

However, it must be remembered that during these six years, the local council would have left no stone unturned in making attempts to recover the amount. From sending a payment reminder to sending a bailiff to the house of the debtors to requesting the court for sentencing the debtors to a jail term, they would have used all possible methods to recover their debt.

What Will Happen If I Can’t Repay Council Tax Debt?

If you do not pay your council tax bill, you will initially be sent a reminder by the council authorities to clear your dues in the next 7 days. It is best to contact the local council office and inform them of any financial hardship that one might be facing so that if there is any leverage that is available (depending upon the debtor’s circumstances) it may be extended on the council’s behalf. 

Failure to respond leads to a second reminder from the council in which they may demand that instead of 10 monthly instalments, the debtor pays the entire yearly tax in total. Should a debtor fail to acknowledge the second reminder from their local council, they will be issued a final notice which is followed by a magistrate court summons and a Liability Order.

At this stage, the magistrate authorises the local council office to use strict measures such as deduction from wages and state benefits or a bailiff visit to premises for possession of valuables; and in extreme cases, there can be a prison sentence of 3 months. 

Can I Get My Council Tax Debt Written Off?

You can only get your council tax debt written off under extremely rare circumstances. However, it is not at the discretion of the local council office that a council tax debt may be written off.

If a council tax defaulter provides enough reasoning for being unable to make timely payments, they may seek help through an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA) that enables a percentage of debt to be written off. 

However, for an IVA to be effective the total value of the debt must be £5000 (or above). Additionally, the debtors must have a regular income of £800 (or above). 

Conclusion:

The above discussion has clearly indicated that if a bailiff visits you representing Newlyn Plc, you will have to pay your council tax dues to them. If you are unable to do so you must agree to a repayment plan with them otherwise they are authorised to take away valuables from your house to recover the due amount.

References:

How to pay – Newlyn plc

FAQs – Newlyn plc

Newlyn Bailiffs: Stop Them Instantly Now for Free [Official Guide]

Bailiff powers when they visit your home: What you can do when a bailiff visits – GOV.UK