Thank you so much for your help ukaviator. I REALLY do appreciate it. The council obtained a liability order in July 2001 (even this was more than 6 years ago). He's not lived there for 10 years and sold the house around 5-6 years ago. Obviously my partner hasn't lived there for quite some time and he didn't recieved any mail about it until recently (about 2 months ago). The new tenant has accepted responsilbility for the outstanding amount. Unfortunately the council will not remove the liability order and wish to maintain this order (to obviously collect their debt from 'someone', now having the limitations issue with the new tenant.) I'm currently worried about what to say/not to say to the debt collection agency. I want to make sure that he's doing this by-the-book. He's done absolutely nothing wrong. I'm really angry at the council for persuing this in this manner, and it's a pretty good thing that I don't live in that council borough, or I'd have a few choice words to say about the complete waste of the council time and money on this. The tenant has already said that they'd be quite willing to go to court and state that they did try to talk to the council about paying this amount but the council wouldn't talk to them directly because it was a beach of the "data protection act". PPPffft! So, any advice on what he should say/not say to the debt collection agency would be very very much appreciated (and maybe I'll be able to sleep tonight!)

Hiya All, I'm looking for a little bit of advice. (and maybe a little bit on hand holding) My partner had a letter from ***** Council just over a month ago saying that he owed council tax from 2001. He had rented his house out through an agent, and the agent no longer have any record because they only keep their info on file for 6 years. My partner has contacted the person that lived there, and they phoned the council to tell them that they lived there, not my partner. The woman at the council would not speak to the guy that lived there because of "The Data Protection Act". Then a week later my partner recieved a letter including a court order (liability order) in his name, that was dated in July 2001 (he knew nothing about this). My partner rang the council and explained that he didn't live there, and that the person that did live there has tried to contact them. They would not budge, they said that they had a liability order and that they were going to persue it! Well today he's had a letter from a debt collection agency. I've told him not to respond the the agency yet, because he needs a bit of advice first. So PLEASE PLEASE help, this is ridiculous, and it's VERY scary. Thanks so much S

Just a quick update. The letter that he just recieved says that the liability order was 15th July 2001. Until today he knew nothing about it. PLEASE could someone help? I really am worried.

Hi All, I'm new here. So I wanted to say a big HELLO. I do need some help/advice though. My partner hubby, rented out his house for a year through an agent in 2001. He today has recieved a final demand for some outstanding Council Tax that his tenant didn't pay. (way back in 2001) He's just been in touch with the letting agent that he used, but the letting agent has just told him that they only keep records for 6 years. He's telephoned the council to explain, but they are going to proceed with the recovery... whatever that means. How can they recover money from someone who there is now no record of? Or do they mean that they are going to try to get the money from my hubby? Worried of Cheshire (although it was Barnsley Council) PS. I'm sorry to dump a rotten post for my first one, but I'm really concerned.