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frosie90
Junior Member
285 Posts |
 Posted - 20 January 2010 : 20:21:47
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Hi Guys,
I havent posted for a while and things have been pretty calm for me lately. Well today, however, I had quite a shock!! To recap, in March of 2009 I voluntarily surrendered my house. I felt the house unfurnished and moved into rented accommodation. I notified my old house's council that this was the case. They placed me on Q? list so did not need to pay the council tax because they knew it was unfurnished. They asked me to send a copy of my tenancy agreement as prove that I am now renting. I also sent them a letter I had received from the mortgage company to state that on 6th May they had taken ownership back of the house. The council tax people then sent me a letter(which I cannot find, think it may have gone to the OR) and a refund of £21 and told me I had no balance. I have proof of this on my bank statement.
Well my surprise and horror today is that my landlord from my rented accommodation rang me to say the letting agency had forwarded a letter addressed to him c/o the agency with a bill saying £118.07 is still owing on "his" account!!!!!! and pertained to my old property!!!! I rang the council tonight and they said that my account is paid fully so I owe nothing. They have told me now that I have to write to them to tell them to remove the name of my landlord in order that he will not get any more correspondence and also I have got to write to explain the situation???? I am sure that they will see that "no-one" owes money as obviously it was taken over by the mortgage company and I do know it has been sold some months ago.
My question is, really, that I want to know how best to pursue this but to also find out why on earth they contacted my landlord who has absolutely nothing to do with my old property!!, why they wrote to him and how this could jeopardise my future in this house if my landlord gets upset that "debt" may be attached to his name????
Has anyone else had experience of this? and if anyone can advise whether I have grounds to make an official complaint? Would appreciate any advice. |
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Housing
Senior Member
United Kingdom
1399 Posts |
Posted - 20 January 2010 : 23:10:02
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Hi
On the "Q" tax exempton is for an unoccupied dwelling where the person who would otherwise be liable is a trustee in bankruptcy
As to the mess that has arisen, is anyones guess. I would start with a firmly worded enquiry to the Revenues Division at the council offices asking whay the records were appearing that you owed them council tax despite them assuring you the property was "Q" and therefore exempt.
It seems that the error is theirs and maybe upon investigating they send letters of apology to you and an explanation to your landlord and the letting agency
Hope this assist and be strong with your enquiry!
Best regards, Richard
"Life is generally something that happens elsewhere" (Alan Bennett - author and hero of mine!!) |
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Housing
Senior Member
United Kingdom
1399 Posts |
Posted - 20 January 2010 : 23:15:54
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Hi again,
You might want to send a copy of the BO from the county court and say that you are at a loss as to why the confidentiality aspect that relates to your BR has been breached by them - they do not, in my view, have the right to disclose to any third party the fact that you are BR.
Again, hope this assists, Richard
"Life is generally something that happens elsewhere" (Alan Bennett - author and hero of mine!!) |
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Jane.l
Average Member
511 Posts |
Posted - 21 January 2010 : 08:12:15
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sounds as though someone has made a huge c*ck-up at the council
hope you get it sorted |
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frosie90
Junior Member
285 Posts |
Posted - 21 January 2010 : 19:33:28
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| Thanks Richard and Jane. Richard, they have acknowledged that I owe nothing, hence the refund. I reckon what has happened is that when I informed the council that I was vacating my mortgaged house they asked me to send copy of my tenancy agreement for my new rented accommodation to prove I was elsewhere. Now, as my old house must have been sold and the new occupants have moved in, they must be looking for who is responsible for payments between 1st April and the date the new people moved in??? They must have then looked at paperwork relating to the house and found my tenancy agreement and then drew the wrong conclusion in thinking that my mortgaged house was rented??? I have as you have recommended, drafted a very angry letter and have demanded that my Landlord is given apology and assurances etc. I will let you know what their response is. Yep, Jane, you are right!!! Someone has made a huge cock-up??? We just don't need it do we? Thanks both. |
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Housing
Senior Member
United Kingdom
1399 Posts |
Posted - 21 January 2010 : 19:40:45
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Good luck, 
Let us know how you get on - will be interested to see what the council says to you.
Richard
"Life is generally something that happens elsewhere" (Alan Bennett - author and one of my best heroes!!) |
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Council Tax
