Attachment of earnings under false premise

[insigniades]

I'm looking for some advice if possible, 8 days ago I received a letter from Leeds City Council with an Attachment of Earnings order against my name for the value of £220 (remainder of this years council tax) the problem is as follows:

 

1) I'm a single person so I claim the discount, I was told the amount due is £68, for the last 4 months at least (looking at statements) the council have received £70 from me a month.

2) I have written in 2 complaints, 1 8 days ago to the council tax recovery email and 1 4 days ago, as well as going on the online chat to the main council tax email address. Both of which have been ignored.

 

Now it's almost xmas, which means I'm going to be looking at nearly 6 weeks gap between pay dates so I could really due WITHOUT this taken from my next wage.

 

Can anybody give me practical advise as to what to do now? I'm going to try and ring them tomorrow but I fear they will just fob me off as usual.

[topcat1802]

Don't panic they cannot take it all in one go, here are the rates they are allowed to take, assuming you are paid weekly, I presume you multiply by 4 if you are paid monthly.

 

Weekly earnings Maximum deduction Rate of deduction

Not Exceeding £75 Nil 0%

Exceeding £75 but not exceeding £135 £2.25 to £4.05 3%

Exceeding £135 but not exceeding £185 £6.75 to £9.25 5%

Exceeding £185 but not exceeding £225 £12.95 to £15.75 7%

Exceeding £225 but not exceeding £355 £27.00 to £42.60 12%

Exceeding £355 but not exceeding £505 £60.35 to £85.85 17%

Exceeding £505 Minimum £85.85 17% in respect of the first £505

and 50% of the remainder

 

As an example

If you earn £250 per week the most they can take is £30

Edited December 12, 2013 by topcat1802
Additional info

[insigniades]

Unfortunately, they can for me take it all in one go - it's monthly pay and due to the amount I receive they're welcome to help themselves to 17% of my wage which equates to anything up to £317.

[ploddertom]

Have the Council obtained a Liability Order against you? Have they tried any other form of enforcement?

[insigniades]

Hi, I got a letter from them not too long before this showed up but I was ill at the time n forgot to phone them, can't remember what it was. Then this showed up on the doorstep

[insigniades]

As an update to this, I spoke to them today... They said it wasn't applied because I've missed a payment but because my payments have been late... What confuses me is I've been paying them on my payday 25th since October 2012 and only now are they punishing me for paying it 'late'

[ploddertom]

Council Tax is usually due on the 1st of each month, if you wish to pay on a different date - in your case 25th - then you need to make specific arrangements with them.