Has anybody ever took on their local council and won?
Week before last I received a letter from my council stating I owed them £5440 in housing benefit and about £560 in council tax(overpayment).
Apparently when I went back to work in 2008 they made a mistake when putting in my frequency of Working tax and Child tax, they inputted to their records that I received it monthly but I actually get them weekly. I have ALWAYS given them the correct information and taken in any documents that they have asked for. They said that it was an error, but I should have noticed and am accountable to pay back this money. Which having a direct debit set up they sent a letter saying they was going to take the full amount of Council tax that I owe out on the 22nd of this month, I have had to cancel the direct debit as I DO NOT have the funds in my bank to pay this. I have also been told that I will have the bailiffs knocking on my door, didn't fill me with joy I have to say.
Before I had my twins I worked full time and didn't claim any benefits, had my children and couldn't work (being a single mum) but when they were a bit more off hand I chose to go back to work to set an example to my children, which then I started getting Tax credits. I have been naive and put my faith in the system that this has been worked out properly and that I was paying the correct amount of short fall for my rent and the correct amount of council tax, and now 5 years on I have been hit by a huge bill.
To say I am gutted is an understatement.
Has anyone had this happen to them? If so what did you do, and what was the outcome?
Thank you:mad:
Week before last I received a letter from my council stating I owed them £5440 in housing benefit and about £560 in council tax(overpayment).
Apparently when I went back to work in 2008 they made a mistake when putting in my frequency of Working tax and Child tax, they inputted to their records that I received it monthly but I actually get them weekly. I have ALWAYS given them the correct information and taken in any documents that they have asked for. They said that it was an error, but I should have noticed and am accountable to pay back this money. Which having a direct debit set up they sent a letter saying they was going to take the full amount of Council tax that I owe out on the 22nd of this month, I have had to cancel the direct debit as I DO NOT have the funds in my bank to pay this. I have also been told that I will have the bailiffs knocking on my door, didn't fill me with joy I have to say.
Before I had my twins I worked full time and didn't claim any benefits, had my children and couldn't work (being a single mum) but when they were a bit more off hand I chose to go back to work to set an example to my children, which then I started getting Tax credits. I have been naive and put my faith in the system that this has been worked out properly and that I was paying the correct amount of short fall for my rent and the correct amount of council tax, and now 5 years on I have been hit by a huge bill.
To say I am gutted is an understatement.
Has anyone had this happen to them? If so what did you do, and what was the outcome?
Thank you:mad: