Debt collections agency after old council tax debt
Discussion
I have just been contacted via mobile phone by "Equita" who are chasing a debt that relates to council tax on a flat I own.
I did not realise that Council Tax still accrues even if no one is living in the property and this resulted in a circa £1k liability building up over a year.
I settled this with Equita some months ago, but I refused to pay £150 for them sensding me two letters. They are now on my case again.
I have no intention of witholding a penny from the Council, but I do not want to pay Equit £150 for sending me a few letters.
What is the legality here? I understand that there is tight regulation of fees for bailiffs.
I did not realise that Council Tax still accrues even if no one is living in the property and this resulted in a circa £1k liability building up over a year.
I settled this with Equita some months ago, but I refused to pay £150 for them sensding me two letters. They are now on my case again.
I have no intention of witholding a penny from the Council, but I do not want to pay Equit £150 for sending me a few letters.
What is the legality here? I understand that there is tight regulation of fees for bailiffs.
I missed them all because I wasn't living at the flat, it was for sale and fell through 3 times. This all took pretty much a year.
I should have visited the flat more frequently and maybe I would have spotted the letters. It was my fault for not knowing that Council Tax (as of a couple of years ago when the law changed) is payable even if they property is empty and no services are being used.
I have cleared the entire balance with the council of £150, this is the same amount that Equita were demanding off me by phone yesterday. The council have said they will send a memo to Equita to let them know the entire outstanding balance is cleared. Since Equita had already levied fees and the law says they can only levy fees once for each stage of action taken, no matter how many letters they write or visits they make (google "statutory regulation of bailiffs fees citizens advice"), I trust this will be the end of the matter.
There had been a "liability order" made. Whether this affects my credit record I'm not sure. I hope not.
Many thanks to all who responded, it was very helpful in shaping my attitude to sorting this out.
I should have visited the flat more frequently and maybe I would have spotted the letters. It was my fault for not knowing that Council Tax (as of a couple of years ago when the law changed) is payable even if they property is empty and no services are being used.
I have cleared the entire balance with the council of £150, this is the same amount that Equita were demanding off me by phone yesterday. The council have said they will send a memo to Equita to let them know the entire outstanding balance is cleared. Since Equita had already levied fees and the law says they can only levy fees once for each stage of action taken, no matter how many letters they write or visits they make (google "statutory regulation of bailiffs fees citizens advice"), I trust this will be the end of the matter.
There had been a "liability order" made. Whether this affects my credit record I'm not sure. I hope not.
Many thanks to all who responded, it was very helpful in shaping my attitude to sorting this out.
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