Woman attacks council over 4p tax bill sent to dead Sparkhill gran

Nov 14 2009 by Jasbir Authi, Birmingham Mail

“I asked them if there were any outstanding amounts and to send me a bill. He said that he would check and I asked them to send it to me by March because the estate would be dissolved after that.

“I never heard anything.”

Mrs Bradford was baffled when a letter arrived stating the council tax valuation band for her gran’s Percy Road house had changed and the amount payable was 4p.

She phoned the helpline and was told to visit her neighbourhood office in person to get a statement written in order to get the bill scrapped.

Mrs Bradford visited the Bromford Estate Neighbourhood Office the following day, where photocopies were taken of Mrs Foley’s original death certificate and the bill.

She estimates that the cost for sending out the bill with two letters, initial telephone call, trip to neighbourhood office and further photocopies, is probably £30.

The letter also brought back painful memories for Mrs Foley’s daughter, Joan aged 72, who suffers from osteoporosis.

Mrs Bradford, who cares for her mother full-time, said: “My mother was upset when I told her.”

A Birmingham City Council spokeswoman said: “It was an administrative oversight.

“We will be writing to Carol Bradford and her family to apologise for this and we will be withdrawing the bill.”