Braintree district: Fury as council grabs £5million in tax days early (From Braintree and Witham Times)
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Braintree district: Fury as council grabs £5million in tax days early
2:30pm Friday 7th September 2012 in News
Braintree district: Fury as council grabs £5million in tax days early
A council blunder meant more than £5million was taken from tax payers accounts four days early.
More than 38,000 residents and 1,700 businesses were affected by the error, which meant September’s instalments were taken out on Thursday instead of Monday.
Many residents awaiting their next pay cheque found themselves overdrawn and facing bank charges.
Amelia Ball, 23, was unable to buy food, groceries or petrol on Thursday.
She said: “I have been told I will not be able to access any money until I am paid on the 31st.
“I was very angry and frustrated.”
The council said it informed the banks of the error and the money was paid back on Friday and taken again on Monday.
Officials believe the problem was caused by human error.
To read full story see this week's Times.
pommyden says...
10:47pm Fri 7 Sep 12
On the 7th August I still had no council tax payment schedule following a change in my circumstances months earlier so I contacted them.
On the 9th I received a bill that was incorrect (the monthly payments were more than the total bill) so I rung them again.
They sent a corrected bill on the 10th but I went on holiday on the 11th
I returned from holiday a week later to find the corrected bill and a court summons for not paying it.
This is the second time this year they have taken me to court. I have already been prosecuted and fined for not paying money that they now know I did not owe them. Citizens advice have reported them to the local government ombudsman regarding their treatment of us but they cannot be held to account in any significant way for their actions. Even if they are forced to pay bank charges or a fine in this case they only have our money to pay it with.