Woman threatened with court action over £2 council tax error

A woman was threatened with court action after she paid her council tax into the wrong account.

Alicia Macia was issued with a court summons for £1,053.87 and told to pay £50 court costs.

She had owed Rushcliffe Borough Council £151.83 but paid £149.79 (£2.04 short) into the wrong account because she quoted an incorrect 'reference number'.

Ms Macia, 34, from Granby, near Bingham in Nottinghamshire, said she was 'treated like a criminal' despite trying to fix the problem and was now seeking compensation.

'I have told them I am disgusted by the farce and I want some compensation. It is the principle,' she said.

A court hearing date had been scheduled for August 21, but today the council said the summons had been dropped.

Steve Goodrich, head of revenues at Rushcliffe Borough Council, said: ''Ms Macia believed that she had made all of the payments that were due, but unfortunately had quoted the wrong reference number when she paid June's instalment.

'A reminder, then a summons, was issued as part of the recovery process and it was not until Ms Macia contacted us in July when she received the summons, that we were able to link the payment to her account.

'As a result of this, as soon as it was brought to our attention, the summons was dropped and the matter resolved.