Readers Questions

1. 

   Bryan

   HI
   I have received a letter from Stirling Park today saying I owe £5,200.07 in council tax. Stirling Park had an arrestment order on my wages when I was working but for some reason my employer stopped making the payments as I received a letter from SP asking if I was still working there. This was in November 2021.

   Since then I have left that job, in August 2022, for another which didn’t work out and I have been claiming Universal Credit since last Christmas.

   The letter says they will send a Sheriff Officer to execute an attachment of my assests unless I make an arrangement within 7 days.
   As I am on UC, what are my options?
   Thanks in advance for your help.

   1. 

      Scottish Adviser Post author

      Hi Bryan

      The arrestment may have ended as they only run for one debt at a time, so as council tax debt can be made up of multiple tax years, once one is paid off it ends. They then may execute another one for another year.

      In terms of your options, its not possible to say with the information you have provided, however, you can contact your local advice Agency. See here.

2. 

   Julie

   Hi there. I have a parking fine from euro car parks when I went to the doctors. Do these fine need to be paid? Thanks.

   1. 

      Scottish Adviser Post author

      Hi Julie.

      These fines can be enforced, but you can also appeal against them. Find out by visiting my page on Parking Charge Notices

3. 

   jason

   hi ,i have just been served a charge for payment today for just under £3000 for council tax arrears,i was paying £20 a week but recently had to pause as i was nearly losing my flat due to rent arrears , i managed to get a one off non repayable grant from a grocery charity to help me pay off my rent arrears, I am only contracted for 11 hours a week and overtime is hard to come by,my wife works full time but is starting a new job in the next 2 weeks and will be going from weekly to the last friday of the month,i have 2 kids ,other than child benefit we receive no other benefits at the moment ,im currently awaiting a pip decision
   what would be the best thing for me to do

   1. 

      Scottish Adviser

      Hi Jason

      The best thing to do is seek advice from your local agency.
      However, as this debt is for Council Tax Arrears, both you and your wife will likely be liable. Thus could mean wage or bank account arrestments now you have been served a charge for Payment.
      One option you may wish to consider, until you and your wife can get help, is applying for a Statutory Moratoroum. These are free, you can apply online and they give you 6 months protection from Sheriff Officers taking further action until you can both get help.
      See Here for
      Statutory Moratoriums
      Your Local Free Advice Agency

4. 

   Alison

   Hi I have received a letter telling me that an earnings arrestment has been put on my wages. I was paying the debt off monthly by direct debit but missed a payment at the beginning of this month as there wasn’t enough funds in my account. I phoned scott & Co but they said there was no way to stop it once granted.

   1. 

      Scottish Adviser

      Hi Alison

      It can be stopped, but the only way to do that is apply for a Time to Pay or a Debt Payment Programme under the Debt Arrangement Scheme.

      However, the first of these can be quite difficult as it means applying to the Courts and you would need to show the Court why they should stop it and let you pay directly, which will be difficult as the Court will likely take the view they are getting the money anyway.

      A Debt Payment Programme is really only useful if you have multiple debts, although you can do it for one debt, but it will affect your credit rating. It does, however, stop wage arrestments.

      Other options that can stop wage arrestments are more severe like Trust Deeds and Bankruptcy.

      You could ask them to lift it, but I believe you have tried this and they have said no.

5. 

   Atholl

   Dear Sir, can you become a director of a football club after being discharged in Scotland?

   Thanking you in advance.

   1. 

      Scottish Adviser

      Providing the person has received a discharge from their bankruptcy, and no additional restrictions were put in place with a Bankruptcy Restriction Order, there is nothing preventing someone from becoming a Director of a Limited Company once they are discharged.
      The only thing I would add to that is providing they have not been disqualified as a Director.

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