Exeter mum facing huge council tax demand

By [mbyrne] mike byrne

A PREGNANT mother of three has received a visit from the bailiffs after failing to pay council tax at her former home in the city.

Cherie Reed, 29, of Warwick Avenue, Heavitree, owes £1,620 in council tax arrears relating to her former home in St Thomas where she lived with her now estranged husband.

The house was in their joint ownership but bailiffs, acting for Exeter City Council, are now pursuing her for the debt.

The mother of children aged nine, eight, and 15 months, is six months pregnant and looks after her 20-year-old sister  who has learning difficulties.

Cherie, who is on housing benefit and has little income, claimed she has no realistic chance of paying off the debt.

And the value of the goods at her home are unlikely to raise the amount she owes.

She said a sofa which doubles up as her bed, a matching armchair and her children’s beds and cot are all she owns.

“I don’t know what I can do. I have said I will try and pay half the total. I realise I owe that but I need time,” she said.

“I haven’t got anything except the sofa and chair, and they came from the Turntable charity.

“My sister Rebecca owns the television and my foster mother owns the computer — that’s it.

“My father died three years ago and left a house in St David’s but that is still all tied up with solicitors. I have no money.

“The bailiff said I could pay £400 to start with but I haven’t got £400 and not likely to get that sort of money. What sort of job could I get? I am six months pregnant.”

Following the visit from bailiffs she has now been given  a month to find part of the debt.

She said: “They have given me four weeks to find £400 or they will be coming back.

“To be honest I haven’t got much chance of getting £400 in four weeks so I suppose they will be back.”

No-one at the city council was available for comment.