Am I dealing with this correctly? Equita & council tax

[Bailiff Advice]

Nick,

 

I am sure in one of your posts that I read that you are going to go into the council offices tomorrow. Are you still intending doing so?

 

Please try not to worry. In exceptional cases (which yours is) certain members on here can arrange for your case to be referred to the Welfare Dept at Equita. That can be done in the morning and will at least avoid a personal visit. My concern at present is that the council are wholly at fault (and not Equita) and they need to sort this matter out.

 

The matter of the dates on the notice are very serious indeed and more so given the 'relationship' between Capita and Equita. That is a different issue.

[mikeymack2002]

Nick Nack77

 

 

Your Councillors are here http://democracy.bexley.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1

 

 

Click on their photo to see full details including telephone numbers for them.

 

Hope this helps also see post #2

 

 

Also have a read here https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-council-tax-discount complete the postcode to continue and see if there are other ways to reduce your CT bill.

 

 

Did you know about this from your Council? See below. If you are successful in obtaining this then it could wipe out what you owe.

 

 

"Discretionary Relief

 

Under Section 13(A) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as inserted by Section 76 of the Local Government Act 2003), the Council has the power to reduce liability for council tax, irrespective of other discounts and exemptions. The Council will only use its powers to reduce council tax liability for a resident in exceptional circumstances. All applications will be considered on their individual merits."

 

 

The version for your council is here http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1344 read this section

"Other discounts for people who are disregarded residents and meet qualifying conditions"

 

 

If you do not know about it you cannot apply for it. Now you know about it APPLY for it. You could benefit from this.

 

 

I would be complaining to the CEO of the Council there are rules regards vulnerable households and the fact that these may have been broken allows the Council to take the LO back from the EA.

 

 

For the rules look here

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?421867-Taking-Control-of-Goods-National-Standards-2014

 

 

You should also ask the LA if there are any other LO's you might not know about.

 

 

Have a read of this as you are a PAID CARE WORKER. See link below. A change of circumstances form should be completed asap so that you may be considered for the discount. You could apply for it each year.

 

 

Info from here

http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1344 Accessed 13/01/2015

 

 

 

Other discounts for people who are disregarded residents and meet qualifying conditions

 

 

• People aged over 18 who have child benefit paid for them
  
• Apprentices
  
• Severely mentally impaired people
  
• Long-term residents of hospitals, residential care homes or nursing homes
  
• Volunteer care workers
  
• People providing care for someone they live with
  
• Members of religious communities
  
• Members of international headquarters, defence organisations and visiting forces
  
• People who are in prison or detention (except for non-payment of fines or local taxes)
  
• People staying in hostels or night shelters
   
  If you are successful in obtaining the discount apply for it ask for it to be back dated to the beginning of this tax year.
   
   
  It will also pay to attend the Council offices in the future when giving them vital information and forms like your I&E they will scan it for you and give you a RECEIPT as well saying that this has been done. Keep this safe for future reference. This will help should you face this next year.
  

You can download the application form here http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1344 look in the related download section on this page. Fill it in and TAKE it to your Council make sure they give you the receipt for it and follow up often.

 

 

This form may be of assistance to you as well see the PDF attachment the claimant must be in receipt of middle to high component of DLA/PIP.

[Nick Nack77]

Lookingforforinfo - The council are stating it's because no payment plan was agreed and in place because they didn't receive my I&E form with my payment proposal - I sent it off the same day I spoke to them it was the last week in November so they still didn't give it very long to send it to Equita as it was sent 'at the end of December' she refused to give me the actual date considering christmas etc as well Plus they had received the 4 payments as the total due reflects this the last one being on 27th as that was a Saturday they wouldn't have received it until the 29th at the earliest.

 

Brassnecked - I will be putting together a formal complaint today copying in as many people as I can as not one not one person I have emailed trying to sort this out has bothered to reply except for a automated reply from the council we'll get back to you within 10 days - well actually I don't have 10 days to sort this out I was given 4 clear working days to sort this out.

 

Bailiff Advice - Yes I am going to the council offices today I have to deal with some stuff for my husband 1st - medication etc and pray that his medication equipment delivery doesn't arrive while I'm out. However I know that the council will refuse to see me without an appointment but I will insist and insist on them taking more copies of the award notices and providing receipts etc. I am getting more and more concerned Equita haven't even acknowledged my email trying to sort this. I am doing ad much in writing as I can so I have a paper trail, but I'm kinda stuck when no one will reply even if it's just to say we're looking into it. So so scared I'll get a visit with 2 children in the house and a my husband this is a nightmare that I'm trying to sort out but getting no where.

 

Mikeymack - Thank you for taking the time to find this information out for me. We applied for discretionary payments and was refused, we a pealed and was awarded 3 months housing relief we were refused council tax, we reapplied for housing as we also are affected by the 'bedroom tax' to be refused a appealed again and was refused. I had a look and tried to apply online but because neither myself nor my husband are students it wouldn't take my application further. I'll get it printed off (when I can afford the ink for the printer or get someone to do it for me) and get it sent off as soon as I possibly can. Although my husband has some mental health issues as a direct result of his physical issues he is not serve all mentally impaired it impacts on his day to day living however but not as much as his physical illnesses it's more depression and PTSD due to how unwell he is, kinda hard to explain.

 

Can I say many many thanks to you all again for your time and your suggestions and help.

 

N x

[Bailiff Advice]

Please post back as soon as you have been to the council. Please do not worry about Equita at the moment.

[Nick Nack77]

Just had another thought while sorting my husbands meds out another way the council are fully aware of the vulnerability of the household is that the house is registered for a sharps collection! The yellow boxes they are provided by the council and I have to call them to come and take it away. I had to get one of my husbands specialist nurses to write me a letter which I took into the council. They have the original.

 

N x

[Nick Nack77]

I am seriously going to cry. At the council man at reception said write a letter! That once it's with the bailiffs there is nothing the council can do. I explained to him that I have emailed the council and Equita only receiving an automated reply from the council they will get back to me within 10 days last week I no longer have the option of time this has to be sorted today. I stated that the council are ignoring the household vulnerability I have proof with me, and that the council can call it back from the bailiffs at any time, that time is running out and I have been trying to sort this for days and being ignored I stated I can prove via my emails that I have sent an email so what's the point in writing when the email has been ignored. He stated he couldn't help at all. I asked him to put in in writing and he then changed tune and said he will see if his manager can see me she's in a meeting at the moment so will have to wait which is what I am doing nearly 40 mins so far.

 

N x

[mikeymack2002]

Nick.

 

 

Do this as a must ASAP contact one of your Cllrs. NOW. Pick up that phone and call them.

 

If this was me I would prepare a letter marking it formal complaint, TAKE it to the Council, copy in at least 2 Cllrs. Take proof of benefits have them scanned in get the receipt.

 

 

Take in a copy of your I&E you completed again same as above. Get the Cllrs. on your side and arrange for them to meet both of you in person.

 

 

I know you have stated that you cannot leave your partner can you arrange temporary cover whilst you deal with this? Make a note of what actions you have to arrange for you to get this dealt with in your Formal Complaint. Then make sure you get a final resolution letter from that dept.

 

 

Once you have this we can tell you what to do next ok.

 

 

You are a vulnerable household and the Council must deal with you as such.

 

 

MM

 

 

BTW you have a PM

[Nick Nack77]

I am still actually at the council waiting the man has said that the manager is still in a meeting but he's trying to get an advisor to see me as they can put it in writing he can't I just want proof that I am trying to sort this and getting no where.

 

My husband is with me, but we will need to leave soon so he can eat and do meds etc 1 of his conditions is type 1 diabetic he has to eat every few how's to maintain his sugars something we work extremely hard at and do not want slipping or the con censuses would be unthinkable.

 

I will do as that you suggest as soo as I get home. I have no minutes to call anyone but have some data left which keeps dropping in and out to write on here and do emails etc.

 

 

 

N x

[Nick Nack77]

Finally spoke to someone she was from the benefits department but too the notice of in for cement to the ctax department - they are emailing Equita now to have it returned to the council she said to call Equita to let them know an email is on its way. I asked her to take copies of the PIP awards notice and the carers awards notice she asked if they were already on file I said that they should be as part of the housing and ctax benefit claim she said I don't need to take them then we are already aware from that.

 

Her final words were wait until you hear from the council for 8th to be 100% back with them - she had no advice if the bailiffs do turn up. So I'm going to call and follow it up with Equita with a email as soon as I get home and then do a formal complaint anyway as it should never have got this far. I am also going to continue to pay the council via their online portal the £5 a week.

 

Thank you all again for all your help I will keep you updated with the complaint etc

 

N x

[Nick Nack77]

Fuming isn't the word. I called Equita regarding it being taken back into council control. No email has been received I asked her if they have received my email dated 7th she didn't know due to the high volume of emails they receive that it can take days for it to be read and added to the account I stated that tilt had been days she said they are not open weekends but they have been open Thursday, Friday and this morning.

 

I questioned her about the 7 clear working days her reply was that their procedure is 10 working days from when they receive it from the council and they are doing nothing wrong by giving me just 4 working days to sort it out. She was adiment that they are following the law/regulations and it's 10 days from when they receive it. I did get her name even asked how to spell it so will be adding this to the complaint. Informed her I was making a complaint about the 4 days and was told you do that you are wrong and she hung up on me! Now to pull all 5 his together into a letter to everyone

 

N x

[mikeymack2002]

Well done to you for all the hard work you have done to get this sorted. Make sure you get everything in writing form the Council.

 

 

For future reference make sure the EA is called off, should he/she attend then inform them politely the account is being recalled back to the Council.

 

 

We understand at times the claimant is in poor health and we advise that the relevant depts. are informed asap and then followed up with written proof.

 

 

Hope to hear from you soon stating that the account has finally been returned. as a side note you could also ask the COUNCIL TO fax THE EA STRAIGHT AWAY

 

 

Good luck

 

 

MM