Council Tax arrears. Petition the council to exercise discretionary write off.

Section 13(a) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 states;

13ABilling authority’s power to reduce amount of tax payable

(1)Where a person is liable to pay council tax in respect of any chargeable dwelling and any day, the billing authority for the area in which the dwelling is situated may reduce the amount which he is liable to pay as respects the dwelling and the day to such extent as it thinks fit.

(2)The power under subsection (1) above includes power to reduce an amount to nil.

(3)The power under subsection (1) may be exercised in relation to particular cases or by determining a class of case in which liability is to be reduced to an extent provided by the determination

You have nothing to lose, except your council tax arrears

Individual councils may have separate policies on exercising its discretion to reduce or write off a liability, so you need to put forward strong and persuasive grounds that continuing with enforcement of the liability is not in the best interests of the council or the taxpayer.

Example grounds:

The liability is in all probability will never be paid

Enforcing the liability results in damages against the authority or council

Enforcing the liability may result in harm to the taxpayer. (Have your doctor complete a MALG evidence form)

The taxpayer cannot be traced, emigrated or has died

There has been a mishandling of council tax benefit

Enforcement of the liability is not conducive to public good

The liability forces your income below the government poverty threshold.

You can write to the council, and to your local councillor pleading your grounds why your liability ought to be reduced, or written off.

Do remember, it is not a taxpayers right to have a liability reduced or written off. The council has discretion.

Contact your local councillor. It is usually councillors that vote on the council, or make a petition to write off a council tax liability.

The object here is PERSUADING your councillor of your case to write off the debt. Plead your case that it is in nobody's interests the council continue pursuing enforcement action against you, because it is causing you severe hardship or mental health issues, or, there is no possibility the debt is ever going to be paid off.

Plead your case to the council to write off your council tax arrears.