All councils run on the funds collected from the public by way of taxes or other charges for the facilities provided to them. Few citizens neglect these obligations and fail to pay their council taxes for which the councils issue notices apart from sending the Bailiffs to visit their houses for collection of the due payments or take other suitable actions. Non-payment of council taxes may lead to loss of right to pay the tax in installments. The citizens are advised to go through the following tips that may be useful.
Expansion of payment through monthly installments – Approach your council office and meet the concerned officials with a request to spread the payments over a period of twelve months. This will ease the problem of one-time lump sum payment that is difficult. Try to convince the officials in a gentle way, they will certainly help you after listening to your financial problems.
Council tax benefits – Few people are rendered jobless or are troubled greatly with financial crisis due to which they could not pay the council taxes. The reason if genuine may be sufficient to avail of the council tax benefits by explaining your situation to the concerned officials. They are also human beings and would help you by giving certain relaxations.
Check the tax band – Citizens are divided into certain sections in terms of their properties that fall under certain bands. It is possible that the rates mentioned in the tax bills might have been charged wrongly and the amount of the council taxes might have been mentioned in a wrong way. As such, ask the council officials to check the particular band under which you have been charged the council tax. This may prove fruitful if the mistake has been committed on the part of the council employees. Once the error has been rectified you will be able to save much money and avoid bailiff’s visit too.
Allowance / Rebate: The councils facilitate these allowances or rebates to the citizens based on their individual status. The two categories that are eligible for these relaxations are Single Persons Allowances or Second Adult Rebate. You should check if you were also eligible for these relaxations. If you were placed under any of these categories, then it is your good luck as you will be eligible for claims that will reduce your burden of paying the council taxes to great extent. The claim could be counted from back dates, if you fall under the concerned categories. You can prove your case and satisfy the council officials.
Circumstance changes – Your individual circumstances might have gone under considerable changes. Your children might have separated from your property or might have entered in it after some time. This will affect the council taxes too. You can show relevant records to the council officials who will consider the facts in the right sense and give due relaxations in your council taxes. This will save you from visit of the bailiff.
The above simple tips if followed in a positive manner will relieve the citizens to great extent if they were unable to pay their council taxes.
