Rossendales threats, intimidation & illegal action

[nedjma]

Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 5



Re: Rossendales CB
I am currently being threatened by ROSSENDALES and I am absolutely disgusted yet again by the laws in our country. You actually have no right to try to stop threats and pyshical harm being attempted by bailiffs. All they say is complain to the bailiffs themselves HAHAHAHA like that works then complain to the council who do f*** all as they think you will magically find money you don't have to begin paying council tax. GATESHEAD COUNCIL employs ROSSENDALES who are little more than glorified loan sharks and thugs who threaten, bully, harress, intimidate and have attempted actual pyshical bodily harm against myself. They have also threatened to cause criminal damage to my property. My flat is privately rented. The routes for complaining about bailiffs are also pathetic. Complaining via goverment associations who take complaints in writing and do nothing.

I have been pyshically threatened by bailiffs acting for ROSSENDALES on a number of occasions. They actually tried to force their way through my door and punch me in the face as I was entering my flat. They have threatened me with the illegal use of a locksmith. They cannot attend my property with a locksmith even with the police as they have never ever ever set foot inside my property and they never will. If they attend my property even with a locksmith and the police being present I can still ring the police and have them arrested for illegal tresspassing, breaking and entering and criminal damage I think? Is that right? Also they have absolutely no right what so ever to attempt to break into my home unless they have previously been allowed into my home. That is correct yes? The only reason they are attempting to illegally enter my property in this manner is to try to gain an illegal levy of my propertys contents? Am I correct? They are trying to gain the illegal right to force entry into my property to try to force through other actions I think? I would think they are also mis representing their powers here? ROSSENDALES have threatened to camp outside my door and force their way into my home. They have threatened to arrest me which they have absolutely no powers what so ever to do. They have threatened to take my landlords furniture even though my flat is rented fully furnished and they can't take this at all. They have threatened to kidnap my cat and hold him to ransom to try to make me pay them. This is laughable. They simply cannot take or harm any of my pets or hold them to ransom. They have threatened my landlord. They have threatened to take him to court which they can't do as I am his tenant. He has been threatened to pay this debt which he doesn't owe. I cannot afford to make full council tax payments each month so I need to get them to accept less payments. ROSSENDALES have also threatened to enter my home via windows securely locked with locks. I need to put a stop to this thugs now. HELP. Can I get an order of protection from a court against them?

[nedjma]

Re: Rossendales

Today, 13:16 #28 (permalink) nedjma
Basic Account Customer

Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7



Re: Rossendales
I also tried to say b4 but half my thread disappeared that I simply cannot afford to make full payments on my council tax each month. I have explained this to the council numerous times who say but you get paid over a £110 pound a week. A grand total of £400 and odd a month. My rent costs £340 a month which is over half my income. I get a tiny pathectic amount of housing benefits each month which has been incorrectly calculated. The council admits I maybe getting paid the wrong amount of housing benefits per month but refude to pay me more. They have consistently refused to accept lower payments from insisting I continue to run up arrears or inccur debts with other bills through neglecting to pay them which I simply cannot do. It is ridiculous to suggest I do so and to say I have huge amounts of money which I don't have. I work part time for Asda and my income is low. I am a single person who lives alone and is low waged. I simply cannot afford this. No court or person can force me to pay money I do not have off this outstanding bill per year. I simply cannot afford to prioritise one bill over another. I pay my tv license water and council tax together on payment cards. I am often behind on these bills due to poverty. Advise please.

Also I must be able to get Rossendales stopped somehow?

[FairPlay77]

I think you should take a firm, uncompromising stand against these criminals and show them that you, unlike many of their victims, are not a person to be trifled with. To begin with I suggest that you take the following steps:

1. Complain to your local councillor about the illegal behaviour of Rossendales. You can do this either in writing or by visiting the councillor's surgery. You will be able to find his or her details on the council's website or you can ring them. Do not be abusive to the councillor but do say that the coucil are condoning acts of gross illegality and that you, as an elector,demand that such actions stop forthwith.

2. Write to Rossendales terminating your 'relationship' with them. Tell them, politely but firmly, that their aggressive, threatening behaviour has made it quite impossible for you to deal with them and that you have no intention of rewarding them for their crimes by further cooperation. Tell them that each act of illegality has been duely noticed and that the police have been notified. Moreover, if Rossendales have ever made illegal threats in the post, i.e. saying they are going to break in, tell them that this is an offence under the Post Office Act and that you will report them to the Investigations Department of Royal Mail. The same applies if they have threatened you on the phone, except in this case you should complain to the Investigations Branch of British Telecom.

3. Do inform the police. Do not allow them to fob you off and insist that they give you a Crime Number (this is very important). Also, if there is evidence of uttering threats by post or mail, inform Royal Mail and BT, as suggested above.

4. Tell the council that, in view of Rossendale's behaviour, which no self-respecting person would accept for even a milli-second, you will in future make all payments direct to the council. If they refuse, set up a standing order and pay them anyway. (Do not, however, set up a direct debit, because that allows them to change the amount that is taken).They have no legal right to refuse your money. If you do not have a bank account, open a basic bank account, which is available to almost everyone, or send them a postal order. Keep up regular payments to the council but don't pay more than you can afford. Inform your local councillor when you see him or her that this is what you are doing and that you will not, under any circumstances, deal with thei council's bailiffs again.

5. Find out which County Court Rossendales is registered with (It is probably Northampton) and file a respectful but firm complaint outlining all of Rossendales' misdemeanours and crimes.

6. Contact your local media, if you do not mind the publicity that will ensue. There is almost certainly going to be someone on your local papers, radio and TV stations who would be interested in the story. Your first port of call should be the newsdesk.

7. Find out if there is a local solicitor who would be prepared to take on Rossendales on your behalf on a no win, no fee basis. Contact your nearest law centre for advice. You could also try the Citizens' Advice Bureau, but they tend to be less knowlegeable.

Reading your post I feel almost at outraged as you do because I have stood firm against bailiffs in the past and won. You CAN win this fight and I wish you luck.

[nedjma]

For the first time ever I am considering going on Jeremy Kyle or something like that to expose them and to force the council to accept lower affordable payments from me. Lol. I am not a huge Jeremy Kyle fan but he takes no rubbish lol

[Fair-Parking]

Nedjma - Best advice - don't panic! The reason Rossendales and any other private bailiffs act like this, is because they have few legal teeth so they make up for this shortfall by threats and intimidation. If the law was fully behind them they would not need to shout and threaten.

First and most important of all. They have no right of entry. The only people who have a right to enter your home without your permission are those with a genuine county court order and signed by a judge specifically authorising forced entry. Rossendales don't have this hence the shouts and the threats. Nor will Rossendales ever get such an order for council tax arrears.

Secondly and with more relief for you. Whatever the magistrates deemed to be owing to the council is the legal amount you owe. Not a penny more. No magistrates order includes bailiff fees or any right for bailiffs to collect fees. So whatever is written on whatever piece of paper the bailiffs tried to force upon you is incorrect. You don't owe that, you only owe what is written on the magistrates order.

Thirdly you are quite right to assume that these thugs don't have the right to change your locks.

Fourthly Rossendales local county court is Burnley. Contact that court and they will send an official form for you to complete. I can asure you that the court is already well aware of Roseendales and their tactics. However be warned that the court wont take action to strike out the certification of Rossendales, only those that actually threatened you. So make sure you know their names, one of which will be written on the 'warrant' they left with you.

We are well versed with Rossendales. They have appeared here and according to our neighbour 'spent quite some time banging on the door and shouting'. They were reported to the police. They haven't been back.

Since then their threats have been limited to sending letters stating that 'the van is round the corner'. Its now very quiet.

Ride out the storm and all will go quiet. They will go away and the council will have to adopt a new tactic. If they do then sound the alarm.

[nedjma]

I went on Rossendales official website yesterday and rang their number on there. I was connected to what must be customer services for complaints. I made a complaint about the bailiffs action. The customer service adviser was well aware that their actions are illegal. He said he will put a stop to the bailiff in particular the one threatening to get a locksmith to gain illegal entry to my flat. The customer service adviser advised me that if a bailiff gained illegal entry into my flat Rossendales could be prosecuted for breaking and entering. I hope they do something. I complained to my landlord. He told Gateshead council that he will not stand for his tenant being threatened, intimidated, bullied and terrorised in his property by parties acting on the councils behalf to collect arrears as he has the legal obligation to look after my safety as his tenant. He has told them in no uncertain terms he will take all actions of threatening behaviour against his tenant very seriously with a view to taking action against them. My landlord seems to have powers here that I do not so when he goes up against them they seem to back off.

[JonCris]

Excellent & well done your landlord

[Fair-Parking]

Hi Nedjma. It seems that you have a friend, however he may not any any more power than you, just good knowledge of the law and the confidence to use that knowledge.

Still if it does resolve your situation, then it doesn't matter which road you use, so as you get there

[FairPlay77]

Originally Posted by nedjma

I went on Rossendales official website yesterday and rang their number on there. I was connected to what must be customer services for complaints. I made a complaint about the bailiffs action. The customer service adviser was well aware that their actions are illegal. He said he will put a stop to the bailiff in particular the one threatening to get a locksmith to gain illegal entry to my flat. The customer service adviser advised me that if a bailiff gained illegal entry into my flat Rossendales could be prosecuted for breaking and entering. I hope they do something. I complained to my landlord. He told Gateshead council that he will not stand for his tenant being threatened, intimidated, bullied and terrorised in his property by parties acting on the councils behalf to collect arrears as he has the legal obligation to look after my safety as his tenant. He has told them in no uncertain terms he will take all actions of threatening behaviour against his tenant very seriously with a view to taking action against them. My landlord seems to have powers here that I do not so when he goes up against them they seem to back off.

It's good that your landlord is taking action but do not underestimate your own power, especially the power you have to report Rossendales acts of illegality to the police. Have you informed the police yet? If not, please do so (and ask for a crime number). Have you complained to your local councillor? If not, please do so! Have you written yet to the County Court where Rossendales are registered? If not, please do so. Don't do yourself down by thinking you are powerless. You are not powerless, and you can win this struggle!

One final word: Do not open your door to anybody you do not know ( Bailiffs often use various tricks in order to enter people's homes). And do keep your windows closed in order to prevent them entering that way. As long as you keep your doors and windows closed and refuse them entry, there is nothing they can do.

[JonCris]

Yes & remember to lock even upstairs windows as they are not (as seen on TV) afraid of using any handy ladder to gain access.

Some may even bring their own

[nedjma]

Originally Posted by JonCris

Yes & remember to lock even upstairs windows as they are not (as seen on TV) afraid of using any handy ladder to gain access.

Some may even bring their own

I live in a downstairs flat. The upstairs flat often has their windows open but as it's not my flat Rossendales have no powers to enter it and if they do good luck to them with that one as I don't live there. I have window locks fitted on all my windows anyway as I am very nervous. When my windows are open they are locked open with the window locks I have fitted. As far as I am aware Rossendales may not enter my flat via a locked open window so they may not enter. As soon as they tried they see the locks

[JonCris]

The point is what they SHOULD do ain't necessarily what they WILL do so still be careful

[nedjma]

Originally Posted by FairPlay77

It's good that your landlord is taking action but do not underestimate your own power, especially the power you have to report Rossendales acts of illegality to the police. Have you informed the police yet? If not, please do so (and ask for a crime number). Have you complained to your local councillor? If not, please do so! Have you written yet to the County Court where Rossendales are registered? If not, please do so. Don't do yourself down by thinking you are powerless. You are not powerless, and you can win this struggle!

One final word: Do not open your door to anybody you do not know ( Bailiffs often use various tricks in order to enter people's homes). And do keep your windows closed in order to prevent them entering that way. As long as you keep your doors and windows closed and refuse them entry, there is nothing they can do.

I have reported them to the police who are refusing to do anything. I complained via e-mail to my local councillor today. I told him I simply cannot afford to make my full council tax payments each month and I will not be terrorised in this manner. I am going to report them to BT for making threats via the telephone. I have complained to the council. I am seeking advice from a solicitor as I had help from Derbyshire Housing Aid and they were useless. I am sick of being told I MUST pay council tax before all my other bills. I simply cannot do this. It is unrealistic and unfair to expect me to do this. These bills affect my credit rating and prevent me getting things to. I struggle to pay all my bills

[nedjma]

Originally Posted by JonCris

The point is what they SHOULD do ain't necessarily what they WILL do so still be careful

I cannot keep my windows shut at all times especailly in the summer and when I'm doing my housework. They windows are locked when they are open and I can do them for breaking and entering if they enter via that method. Their entry will also be illegal and invalid if they go that way as I can easily prove that they broke in cos of the broken window locks. They could then be prosecuted and as they will most likely damage the landlords window frames using this method they will be charged for damage by them

[John McKenna]

Originally Posted by nedjma

I cannot keep my windows shut at all times especailly in the summer and when I'm doing my housework.

As a feline lover myself, I urge you to keep those windows shut!

You don't want a catknapping on your hands with ransom demands.......

[nedjma]

I have one window locked open at the moment. Osca is on my knee.

[nedjma]

Tell them that each act of illegality has been duely noticed and that the police have been notified. Moreover, if Rossendales have ever made illegal threats in the post, i.e. saying they are going to break in, tell them that this is an offence under the Post Office Act and that you will report them to the Investigations Department of Royal Mail. The same applies if they have threatened you on the phone, except in this case you should complain to the Investigations Branch of British Telecom.</p>

I have informed BT about telephone threats. They were useless. They did nothing at all. Similarly the police have failed to act.
3. Do inform the police. Do not allow them to fob you off and insist that they give you a Crime Number (this is very important). Also, if there is evidence of uttering threats by post or mail, inform Royal Mail and BT, as suggested above.

Still outraged by their behaviour.