"When Mike Barley almost died in a motorbike crash on the way home from work, he did not think his biggest worry during recovery would be the council tax bill he had been sent that same day. But after he missed a payment reminder letter while in hospital, his debts rocketed out of control. Mr Barley, 26, from Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, had a "well-paid" job as a software developer, and owned his own home."
"It included two months of reduced payments but then demanded Mr Barley pay the rest of the year's payments in advance a total of about 1,000. The council's response is in keeping with many councils' debt-collection rules. After further reminder letters and warnings, Mr Barley's case was passed to bailiffs, who sent a "threatening" letter telling him they would be coming over to seize and sell his belongings to help pay off his debt. "It was scary to be honest," he said."
Mike Barley, 26, from Grimsby, suffered a severe motorbike crash in March 2021 and was hospitalised for a month with broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and major limb injuries. The same day he received a council tax instalment bill and missed the payment while incapacitated. A reminder was missed during hospitalisation and subsequent reduced sick pay left him with limited income. A June 2021 council letter set a payment plan requiring two months reduced payments followed by an advance demand of about £1,000. Continued reminders led to his case being passed to bailiffs, who threatened to seize and sell belongings.
Read at www.bbc.com
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