Council tax chase
Question
Until recently I lived in Coventry with my girlfriend. She has since moved, and I am now getting demands for council tax from the City Council for several thousand pounds.
I am now back in Scotland, working on a farm and living on site. If the bailiffs show up I'll lose my job. Can I stop this, and am I liable under Scottish law for a debt in England (of which only a small part is mine)?
Answer
The first thing to explain is that council tax is a debt where you are jointly liable. This means that the council can come after both of you for the full amount owed (even if you're living in Scotland). To illustrate this, if the debt is £1000 they can try and get £500 from each of you, but if they can't find one person then they can ask for the £1000 from the other. As they have located you, it's likely they will chase you for the full debt. Because of this, it would be helpful for you to let the council know where your ex-girlfriend is living so they can pursue her for the debt as well.
If you believe you're responsible for only a small part of the debt you will need to prove this by providing the date when you started living in Coventry at that address, and also the date you moved out. This means that they can assess your liability on a daily basis and hopefully reduce the amount you owe.
The farmer should not sack you if the bailiffs arrive. This is because the bailiffs will not be able to remove anything that belongs to other people. There are also strict limits on the goods they can take from you. We would suggest that you talk to the farmer explaining the situation before the bailiffs arrive on his doorstep.
In addition, contact your nearest Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) and see if they can help you come to an arrangement with the council to pay off the tax that you owe.
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