Council Tax Summons

[jbsportstech]

What is the law around getting a court order for ct.

Friend of mine moved out of a house in jan 15 but the council had an outstanding amount on his account and applied for a summons for the ct till the end of march. My friend called them and said he excepted he owed the amount less about £360 which is the two months he doesn't owe.

They said they would proceed as they wanted a court order for his outstanding and once they had this they would then reduce the amount to the correct one

Can they do that?

[jbsportstech]

He sad he got the summons and it was a day he was working away only had 4 days notice so didn't go. He called the council told them he had moved and they said they would still get a liability order for the wrong a out as he owed £400 less.

They now have the order and he is trying to negotiate payment but they keep sending him letter ref the full amount.

[jbsportstech]

surveyor said:

They are utter gits.

I got a demand letter from them about 5 years after moving. Somewhat baffled I asked why they had only just contacted me to find they had just thought to ring my brother who had given them my address. Still baffled.

I asked them to confirm voids, allowances and dates and pointed out that as this was all five years ago my memory was somewhat faint and I would not just be paying up. My suspicion was that the property was let or empty during the period that they were trying to collect.

Anyway they must have decided that I was being hard work as they never bothered me again.

My mum had a similar thing with her buy to let.

When she viewed it was tenanted but they were under notice. Bought it and the tenant moved out during the pre exchange phase. She did it up and claimed the 6 months vacated element for council tax. 2 or 3 years later she got a demad for the this to be paid. Enquiries were made and turned out previous owner had recently claimed through an account that the property had been vacent 6 months prior to the sale which is not true about 1-2 months tops but they had paid him the money without question or consulting mum despite the fact she had emails stating it tenented until she bought it My mum panicked and paid the demand for fear of the council. Made me so cross.

[jbsportstech]

LoonR1 said:

Having just sold my main home and moving in with my brother for a month whilst my new one completes, I have nothing but praise for my local council. I updated them via their easy to use web portal. They refunded me the payments accordingly and have just confirmed the details of the new ace with the correct bill.

No issues for me, but then I do try to update then accurately rather than pulling a scam and getting caught.

Sorry he did inform them and so did the letting agent when he left the property as he has a bill for his new house from feb it's just convient collections are a month or two behind when it comes to monies owed.

When in Devon and Exeter the councils were great but Taunton Deane and ssc are terrible.