Council Tax Bailiff Advice Please

[blackrain]

How does the Council Tax & Bailiffs procedure work?

Do they literally just send the bailiffs round or do you get a notice from the court first to demand payment or some correspondence from the Council?

Am trying to catch up on my arrears of 2 months and I am worried everytime the doorbell goes it will be a bailiff but so far I haven't heard anything from Council and I assumed they would be in touch first but I really don't have a ny knowledge of this.

[blackrain]

Should have looked harder. Just read on net that summons will be issued first and i haven't received one so bailiffs don't visit until after that.

In that case the visitor may have come from a DCA......do they do doorstep visits on Saturday afternoons?

[payingonlyencouragesthem]

Yes. Just ignore them. Council Tax is another matter - it's a criminal offence not to pay it and non payment can result in imprisonment not just bailiff visits. Ignore other creditors and get this sorted out as an urgent priority.

[blackrain]

Thanks. I will phone council on Monday and get it sorted or at least let them know payment is on way.

I was actually in bath when door rang but I never have impromptu visitors. So it makes me think it is a DCA which is daft of them as I already told them I won't speak to anyone at my home and they need to put everything in writing.

[i_spam]

Lets clear on thing up. Have you recieved a summons from the council inviting you to a hearing @ the local magistrates court ? If not then the bailiffs are not involved. The council have to get a liability order. The council will also write to you to warn you that if you do not pay within a certain time they will issue a summons. Until this happens try and catch up with your payments. Once the council gets a liability order they must again write to you to warn you that a liability order has bee obtained by the council and if you do not pay up then they will instruct bailiffs to do the needful. Then after not responding to that letter they will then pass the debt to a bailiff again after issuing a last warning. then you will reciev a letter from the bailiff. that ius when you know you are being hunted by a bailiff.

[blackrain]

Thanks for that. That gives me a bit of relief. It is my priority to clear it but unfortunately it could be the biggest priority in the world but until I get paid again I'm a little stuck. But I have had no reminders or anything so hopefully I can get through to Thursday and pay it off. Thanks for that advice, much appreciated.

[Battleaxe]

Blackrain,

This is from experience.

We got two months behind with our council tax, thank you A & L...we fot the invitation to spend a morning with the ouncil in the loacl Magistrates Court, instead I got a certain company to send the council a letter. it worked. the Council agreed to the payment proposal with a review in March and still as they are allowed to do get a liability order. we admitted liability stating that it wasn't that we wouldn't pay, we couldn't pay owing to circumstances. So long as you stick to the agreed payment plan, the Council will be fine, but please make this a priority before it gets to the stage of them apply for a Liabilty Order or a summons.

Paying council tax sticks in my craw, but it is another necessary evil and the only way to change it is to protest and try to keep the councilors honest, instead of building a brand new Taj Mahal in the centre of town, as they are claiming their 1960's Temple of Delight is beyond repair. Oh to build this new edifice they pulled down some very old building going back to 1600's. Argghhhh...ruining the heritage of this country. What? I am not even English.

Seriously, get the matter sorted as soon as possible and you wont have to worry about the council bailiffs chasing you.

if you need help PM me and i will give the facts to help ease you mind.

Onwards and upwards

[i_spam]

good luck and pm if you need antmore advice.

[confusedman]

have just receive a baliff ltr for unpaid c/tax from 1999 - 2000 a liability order. Never heard from them until today - does it still have to be paid or do this fall under statutred barred where if the debt has not been chased for 6 years or more it does not require payment

[powelll]

Originally Posted by confusedman

have just receive a baliff ltr for unpaid c/tax from 1999 - 2000 a liability order. Never heard from them until today - does it still have to be paid or do this fall under statutred barred where if the debt has not been chased for 6 years or more it does not require payment

When was the actual LO obtained?

[whitley]

am receiving threats from equita over bill that is nothing to do with me. council refuse to listen. equita are really trying it on saying they have already entered my property and identified goods that they can remove. am absolute furious and i'm not letting them get away with this. person who owned the property is deceased and his son is terminally ill, nice people.

[chris600uk]

Originally Posted by whitley

am receiving threats from equita over bill that is nothing to do with me. council refuse to listen. equita are really trying it on saying they have already entered my property and identified goods that they can remove. am absolute furious and i'm not letting them get away with this. person who owned the property is deceased and his son is terminally ill, nice people.

You need to start your own thread, but before I go:

Have they already been in to the property? Has anyone signed a walking possession agreement?

If not, then you dont have to let them in. Do not speak to them on the phone, do everything in writing, copied, and sent by recorded delivery.
Treat them like they are untrustworthy, and you wont have any unpleasant surprises.