Council delay in replying put me into arreas

ani_mal

Beginning of April I got a job, informed council same week. Week later got form for assessment of rent
Send out within week... For 11 weeks council was quiet and today I got letter increasing rent and... ARREAS!
They decided my rent goes up from day of employment but they have decided it 11 werks later so they put me into arreas by the increased amount.

How to fight that?

_Brian

But if the decision is sound you owe the money, surely you knew this was coming and it would have been sensible to hold a bit of money for that reason.

Just contact them and make arrangements to pay the increased rent and extra so you can clear the arrangements.

Why would you want to fight against something you legitimately owe ?

ani_mal

Brian

I was expecting something but my salary isnt going to cover it.
It took them 11 weeks to reply.
I was not aware of the amount I was going to be charged.
What I have saved will hardly cover it.

Responsibility has to come from both sides not just one.

antix80

ani_mal wrote: »

Send out within week... For 11 weeks council was quiet and today I got letter increasing rent and... ARREAS!

It's cool. Use the extra money you earn to pay said arrears.

CosmicFool

Cut back on things that you can do without until you've paid your arrears off. Youll be grand.

Xterminator

How to fight that?

im trying to think of a nice way to put this. you owe the money, and there is nothing to fight. 11 weeks is not unreasonable, and you could have overpaid on the rent if you didn't want to be in arrears. the council have publicly made available the rent calculations so you could work out what you would now be paying.

http://www.dublincity.ie/sites/default/files/content/Housing/Rent_Scheme_2011/Documents/Rent%20Scheme%202019.pdf

If the council doubled the number of staff to deal with queries faster, then both your tax and your rent would have to be higher to cover the costs. I doubt thats what you want?

tedpan

How much rent are they charging?

antix80

I assume your council don't pluck a number out of the sky. You could have gone onto their website and calculated the new rent due.

As for what you can do now.. if you don't have the money, you should contact the council's arrears section and ask them to put a repayment plan in place. It will mean you don't have to pay all the arrears upfront and can repay them over a longer period.

Graces7

antix80 wrote: »

I assume your council don't pluck a number out of the sky. You could have gone onto their website and calculated the new rent due.

As for what you can do now.. if you don't have the money, you should contact the council's arrears section and ask them to put a repayment plan in place. It will mean you don't have to pay all the arrears upfront and can repay them over a longer period.

op, please do as this poster advises; get in touch with them; you will be very far from the first person to get into this situation and they are experienced . Good luck

Klonker

Just pay the council back a over a few months.

And be grateful that you have a highly subsidised council house, paying a pittance compared to what most people are paying in rent.

_Brian

ani_mal wrote: »

Brian

I was expecting something but my salary isnt going to cover it.
It took them 11 weeks to reply.
I was not aware of the amount I was going to be charged.
What I have saved will hardly cover it.

Responsibility has to come from both sides not just one.

Seriously just ring them and make arrangements to pay what you owe.
Tax payer is already footing the bill.
Be responsible and pay what’s due.

dudara

I can understand your frustration OP. Contact the council and ask for a payment plan for the arrears, especially as 3 months has built up at this stage.

Congratulations on the new job.

handlemaster

<SNIP>

Mod

handlemaster, don't post in this thread again.

Graham

Mod Note

Posters that have arrived to this thread on their high horse are cordially invited to dismount before posting again.