Several addresses in Stirling owe tens of thousands of pounds in council tax, it has been revealed.
The tenants of one property in Callander have racked up council tax debts of nearly £40,000 alone.
A Freedom of Information request from The Courier has also revealed the top 20 postcode areas where residents collectively owe the most council tax to the local authority.
Only the five digits of each postcode are revealed in the data to protect the identities of individuals.
Five individual Stirling addresses in most council tax debt
The highest amount owned by tenants of a single property in Stirlingshire is £39,615.
The property is in the FK17 8A postcode area, which is in Callander.
The top five amounts owed by individual addresses in Stirlingshire are:
- FK17 8A (Callander) – £39,615.00
- FK7 9L (Cambusbarron) – £25,800.71
- FK8 1J (city centre/Raploch) – £25,294.97
- FK7 8L (Bannockburn) – £24,208.12
- G63 0R (Balfron) – £23,127.70
List of top 20 postcodes where most council tax collectively owed
Meanwhile, residents in the FK7 7L postcode area – which covers the Kersemill and Springkerse Industrial Estate areas – owe the most council tax collectively at £269,887.27.
The full list of postcode areas that collectively owe the most council tax is as follows:
- FK7 7L (Kersemill) – £269,887.27
- FK8 1J (city centre/Raploch) – £162,019.29
- FK9 5E (Causwayhead) – £109,007.35
- FK8 1J (city centre/Raploch) – £103,887.16
- FK8 1R (Raploch) – £94,097.89
- FK9 5G (Cornton) – £93,554.99
- FK7 7A (Cowie) – £90,117.05
- FK8 1Q (Raploch) – £87,556.01
- FK7 9E (St Ninians) – £84,835.52
- FK8 1P (city centre) – £81,915.62
- FK7 9D (St Ninians) – £81,682.27
- FK8 1R (Raploch) – £81,244.08
- FK9 5D (Cornton) – £81,225.02
- FK9 5D (Cornton) – £79,112.15
- FK8 1P (city centre) – £78,360.55
- FK7 9R (Cambusbarron) – £77,402.85
- FK8 3S (Aberfoyle) – £77,219.77
- FK8 1P (city centre) – £74,200.08
- FK7 7A (Cowie) – £71,618.54
- FK8 1B (city centre) – £71,192.15
What happens if you end up in council tax debt?
If anyone ends up in council tax debt, the local authority will send a reminder letter.
If the council tax arrears are not paid after two reminder letters, the council can:
- Add 10% to the amount owed
- Stop you being able to pay council tax in instalments
- Ask a sheriff officer to take the money owed from a person’s earnings or bank account
Stirling Council ‘understands financial pressures’ people are facing
A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “We are consistently ranked among the top local authorities in Scotland for council tax collection, with rates of 97.5 per cent and above.
“However, we understand that many people face financial pressures and that coping with debt can be extremely worrying and stressful.
“It is important that anyone struggling with their council tax makes contact as early as possible and stays in touch if they are unable to make payment.
“Anyone experiencing difficulties paying their council tax can call and speak to a specialist advisor on 01786 233210 and, if appropriate, can be signposted to the Council’s money, debt and benefits team.”
A further range of advice and services is also available online.
Data for other areas:
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