How Can I Find Forums To Discuss Council Tax Arrears?
By
HuutiMoney
If you are someone facing council tax arrears and are looking for support through online forums, you will be pleased to know that there are resources available to help you manage your council tax arrears. In this blog post, we’ll discuss where and how to find support through online forums when you’re having difficulty paying your council tax.
How Can I Find Forums To Discuss Council Tax Arrears?
Below is a list and a brief description of online forums that you can refer to if you are looking for information or support related to council tax arrears:
- National Debtline: Their expert advisors can offer tailored advice and help you make informed decisions about your situation. This could include negotiating repayment plans, discussing debt relief options and understanding your legal rights. They also have a range of helpful resources available, such as budgeting tools, information on debt relief orders and practical debt advice guides. You can contact National Debtline over the phone at 0808 808 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 8 pm) or by email. You can also visit their website to find further information and access their online chat service.
- Citizens Advice: If you’re struggling with council tax arrears, Citizens Advice can provide you with the information and advice you need. They can help you to understand the legal implications of unpaid council tax and the implications of not paying your debt. They can also provide guidance and advice on dealing with bailiffs and other enforcement agents, as well as negotiating payment plans and other arrangements with your local authority. You can call them at Adviceline in England at 0800 144 8848 or Advicelink in Wales at 0800 702 2020 between 9 am to 5 pm from Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can connect with them online through their website.
- StepChange Debt Charity: If you’re struggling to make your council tax payments, StepChange Debt Charity may be able to help. They have the experience and expertise to provide tailored advice and can negotiate repayment arrangements that are affordable for you. Their services are free, confidential, and available to anyone in the UK. To get in touch with StepChange Debt Charity, you can call their helpline for free on 0800 138 1111, or you can use their online debt advice tool which will give you a tailored action plan. The charity also has an online community forum where you can ask questions and connect with other people who are dealing with similar issues.
- Community Legal Advice: If you’re struggling with council tax arrears in the UK, one of the most helpful resources you can turn to is Community Legal Advice (CLA). CLA is a national charity which provides free, confidential advice and assistance to people in need. Through its network of specialist advisors, CLA offers tailored advice to help people deal with their council tax arrears. This may include help with filling out forms, challenging decisions and writing letters. In addition, CLA has a helpline and an online chat service which guides regarding debt issues.CLA also provides face-to-face advice sessions with debt advisors who can provide practical assistance and negotiate repayment plans with creditors on your behalf. CLA also offers free advice on insolvency, including bankruptcy and Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs).
How Should I Deal With Council Tax Arrears?
You should deal with council tax arrears by treating them as a priority debt that you must pay to the council authorities at the earliest possible. If you ignore council tax debt, you can be charged with a fine, a Liability Order from the Magistrate’s Court and even a prison sentence in extreme cases.
If you have council tax arrears, you should contact your local council office and request ease in payments. This can either be through having your council tax bill spread over 12 months than 10, allowing you a council tax discount if you qualify for one or helping you with housing costs by guiding you on how to claim welfare benefits so you can afford housing costs such as council tax bills.
You should make sure that you do not ignore any reminder from the council tax office regarding your arrears. They will only send 2 reminders for council tax payments within a financial year. If you fail to clear your arrears according to the due date mentioned in the second reminder, the local council will get in touch with the Magistrate’s Court and there will be a Council Tax Court Summons issued in your name.
What Will Happen If I Can’t Pay Back Council Tax Arrears?
There is a series of steps that the local council authorities can take against you if you can’t pay back council tax arrears. These include the following actions:
- The first time you skip a council tax payment, the council office will send you a reminder for the payment and ask you to clear your dues in the next seven days.
- If you fail to clear your council tax dues within the stipulated time, you will be sent a second reminder from the local council. This time they will assign another due date and demand clearance of your council tax dues as well the remainder of the payment for the ongoing tax term.
- If a resident does not respond to these reminders from the local council, the authorities will have a court summons issued through the Magistrate’s Court which will not only demand payment of council tax arrears but will also schedule a court hearing on the matter.
- In case a council tax debtor has evidence to prove that they have a good reason not to pay their council tax dues (either due to a change in personal circumstances related to their income or health or due to miscalculation/miscommunication on the council’s part), they can resent this information during the court hearing. Otherwise, the Magistrate will simply issue a Liability Order if the dues are not clear before the court hearing.
- Once a Liability Order is issued, local councils have the authority to recover council tax arrears through enforcement agents, confiscation of the debtor’s valuables or deduction of wages, pension or benefits.
Conclusion:
The above discussion has helped in listing down some of the key forums where one can discuss council tax arrears, provide and search for support by communicating with other individuals who face similar problems.