The UK’s three largest debt charities are urging the government to implement simple measures that could protect millions of people from the prospect of spiralling council tax debt.
Advice UK says advisers routinely see bailiffs refusing reasonable offers of repayment, misrepresenting their powers, taking control of other people’s goods, failing to treat vulnerable people sympathetically and engaging in aggressive behaviour.
When people miss a single council tax payment they automatically became liable for the full year’s bill, and the rules push councils to use the court process to collect arrears.