Is it s CCJ?

[milly143]

A couple of months ago I was late on a council tax payment. I received a letter from the Magistrates court saying I needed to pay the balance immediately. I called the council office and we made a payment plan (which is now all paid) so I didn't need to go to court in the end. However, the council said they would have to go to court on my behalf and state that the bill was not disputed and that payments had been arranged. I just wanted to know if this counts as a ccj because they did actually go to court? Sorry if it's a stupid question.

[Buenchico]

No it's not a CCJ. County Court Judgements, unsurprisingly, have to come from the County Court, not from the (lower) Magistrates' Court.

Even if a CCJ was issued you'd still have no need to worry because you have a month in which to make payment - or agree a payment plan - before the CCJ is added to the official register and comes to attention of credit reference agencies. Since you've already dealt with this side of things, even if a CCJ was issued it wouldn't be added to the register.

Chris

[milly143]

Phew! Thats a weight off my mind. thanks very much!

[stanleyman]

Actually, a County Court deals with civil cases and a Magistrates Court deals with criminal cases, totally different. Failure to pay council tax is strangely a criminal offence, not civil, the government have ways to make you pay that us mere mortals do not. Therefore you will not receive a CCJ or have any adverse affect to your credit rating but you can go to prison for non payment. Mmmm... prison or credit rating... what a choice.