Keep forgetting to pay council tax - will it cause problems re: credit checks?

[Hermia]

I moved to a new area 8 months ago and where I used to live the council tax system was very well organised and structured. Where I live now you just get a letter at the beginning of the financial year telling you to go in a bank and pay each month. You don't even have a paying-in book, just a reference number. So, being the birdbrain that I am a forgot to pay completely one month and then had to pay two months in one go. And a have also been a week late on a couple of months. Will this show up on my credit records which are (or were!) completely blemish free? I emailed the council after I forgot for a whole month and they just sent me a "Your account is now up to date" email back.

Direct debit suddenly looks very attractive...

[redcrx]

if you keep forgetting the DD certainly seems the way to go. Failing that, have you got internet banking that will allow you to make payments? I make most payments on payday to make it easier to remember

[Ethel]

I agree - direct debits or internet banking is the way to go, but this assumes you have a bank account.


It could affect your credit rating, but not to any great extent if these are the only defaults you have. You have rectified the situation quickly.

Pay the same day each month and get into a routine.

[tboo]

At the moment non payment of council tax doesnt affect any credit ratings, however if you have got to the stage of a liability order and then you dont pay the council have several options of retrieving the money .The ultimate ones been committed to prison and bankruptcy, I think these will affect your credit rating

[gravytate]

boo is that you?

[Hermia]

Thanks for all your answers. I am just going to have to get more organised. I am wary of DD as I am at a point in my career when I am moving around a lot and the council are so incompetent I imagine they will be trying to DD me long after I have left the area!

[redcrx]

but you can cancel a DD by letter or via the net (if you have internet banking) to prevent such occurances.