Help! Rossendales Bailiffs

[shell1981]

Hello

I'm new on here and was wondering if you could offer some advice. I live with my fiance and he has just had a visit from Rossendales Bailiffs to collect goods/money for council tax debt. He has three outstanding bills all quite high 660.80, 865.65, 904.80.
The bailiff has said that we can pay by installments but he would have to come in make a list of items to take before he can arrange an installment plan. Does anyone know if this is correct procedure or if there is anything else they can do. he soon backed off when i said i wanted to check that that was correct and said we can contact him tomorrow to let him know what we wanted to do.

We want to clear this but we only have my other half's income coming in at the moment as i am 36 weeks pregnant and got made redundant at the end of feb so i dont have any income to help.

Any advice/info would be gratefully recieved.

Many Thanks

Michelle

[Herbie]

You must tell them that you will not let them into your property and that you will not sign a walking possession. He can only come into your home by "peaceful entry", normally by you inviting him in.

The problem that you will have here is that the debt is very large and in total amounts to £2400.00. The bailiff company will be looking to have this paid very soon. Over a 6 month period this will be £405 per month, over 12 months £202.

With a baby arriving soon, I think you could well find that you could slip into arrears very quickly, unless you were able to pay a lump sum to reduce this debt.

You will need to write to the bailiff company to explain your financial circumstances , and offer monthly repayments.

The bailiff may try to insist that he comes into your home....refuse this as firstly he can then charge a levy fee and the problem then is then he will try to charge van fees etc if you are even one or two days late in your payments, which could be possible due to the reasons outlined above. He will also be able to charge a walking possession fee etc.

With such a large debt you would not want to have any further charges added to this.

At the moment in time the bailiff can only charge a first visit fee which is currently £22.50.

[shell1981]

Thanks for the reply Herbie.

He has been at the door again today asking what we were going to do. i told him would not sign a walking possesion, but he did offer to put it on the car! that was good of him but unfortunalty the car is also mine! I am going to get other half to contact Council to see if we can arrange to pay directly through them and offer 100.00 a month as this is the best we can do without missing payments for other things.

The bailiff said the only way that Rossendales would be able to come to an arrangement is if we sign the walking agreement, i told him i wasn't going to dothat and i am going to write to the main office to see what can be done directly but he said by that time the van bailiff will be here to take goods.

I'll see what the council can do and then take it from there. If the council refuse to arrange a payment plan directly with them can Rossendales demand that we set up the walking arrangement?

I really want to get this sorted as i can't do with the stress with only 3 weeks left before baby.

Thanks for the help and advice.

Shell

[Herbie]

I would IMMEDIATELY telephone the local authority, say to them that you are classified as "vulnerable" as you you heavily pregnant...this is the case. Say to them that this company are harrasing you to let them into your home....but that you are willing to pay. Ask them to take the debt back for a month to allow payment arrangements to be accepted and for the baby to be born.

I would also inform them that you will be informing the Local Government Ombudsman if not.

Finaly, they cannot take goods from your home.....they have not seized goods in the home...they would of needed to come into the house first.

[PizzaMaker]

i agree with Herbie, contact the authority and tell them you are expecting. The account should then be put on holf for at least 28days.

Try then to make arrangement with the council. They may accept a substantial one off payment and then a monthly arrangement.

If you have informed the bailiff of your condition he should not visit you any more.

The only point is that the council tax is in your partners name.

[shell1981]

Hello

thanks for the replies, it doesn't seem to bother the bailiff that i am about due i have said things like 'i dont need the stress, i could go into labour any time' and he just shrugged his shoulders.

I have tried to contact the council this aft but they would not deal with me as they need to speak to OH and he has been at work and unable to call but he will call first thing on monday, and hopefully we will be able get this sorted. Many thanks for the help it is much appreciated!

Shell

[Herbie]

If you pm me with your details I can get a letter to you that should be sent to both the bailiff company and the local authority/

[deelite74]

hi im new to this site and i am looking for some advice on a Rossendale matter....... i owe the council tax from last year while i was working (£270) left to pay. since june i was made redundant and from then on i,ve struggled to catch up with bills,(i now recieve council tax benefit), all my other creditors have been great arranging an affordable payment plan for me but basically Rossendales want the full amount by 24/1/08. i,ve had loads of nasty letters from them and one was put through my door today saying he will come back with a locksmith if i don,t pay up, its getting to the point im frightened to turn a light on, i live by myself with my 2 young children. I,ve been to C.A.B and the bailiff won,t accept an arrangement cos its been to long. Can anyone HELP!!!!!!

[tomtubby]

Can you post this question under a new thread on the bailiff section as you have joined onto an old question.

A response will then be forthcoming.

[deelite74]

hi could you let me know how to start a new thread!

[chris600uk]

go back to the bailiffs page, and at the top on the left hand side you'll see a button marked "new thread"

[loopylady]

Yesterday i had Rossendales visit n leave a 24hr notice for a bill or they would sieze my goods....this was the first time i had known of it...they came back n took nearly £300 off me to clear it which was literally every penny i had as we are on benefits.
Partner went to see council as this bill was from 7 yrs ago! we remember having paid this to.We were told that they should not have done this and offered us a way of paying in payments and not given us a 24hr notice and what they did was illegal! what do i do know?