Good morning CAG'ers, Following some excellent guidance recently I am ploughing my way through negotiating debts with various companies... but I have one issue... I am dealing with Moorcroft to sort out my overdue water bills... I have tried to tell them I can only afford £10 approx a month but they insist that as they are a priority debt, I have to pay £60 p month. I just wont be able to maintain that and WILL end up in more trouble. Can anyone advise what minimum repayment they might have managed to agree? I am not sure how to handle the priority bit.. pls help as I intend calling them again today. With thanks, P x

From my dim & distant past I recall that u do not have to have the benefit paid direct to landlord UNLESS you are more than 8 weeks in arrears. I'd insist all payments now come to you.

Well done you for looking out for your neighbour. Definitely advise mental health team get involved or a relevant care/case worker. Bailiffs cause enough stress to us without adding ever more distress to the lives of vulnerable people.

At your council you need to identify who has corporate responsibility for equalities, a staff group representative, the union & HR. There is No Way any council as an employer can get away with giving u less than you are entitled to. They are a public service organisation and have extra 'duties' placed upon them to act as exemplar employers.

What a nightmare. Not sure if this helps but some years ago I was renting a room in a shared house and my brother was renting another (4 different tenants in total). Anyway, housing benefit wrote to me saying that I would be getting a visit from one of their team. Bloke arrived asked me to explain who John Smith was to me... They thought he was my partner. I laughed and said no, he's my brother. The bloke went into our rooms and then to the kitchen, when he saw that we had separate cupboards for food and separate shelves in the fridge he was happy. I just wonder if you and your ex have a similar set up at home? Have you not been visited before benefits was stopped?

Interesting. I haven't spoken to the Student loans company for years but their letters seem to follow me every time I get a new address. Guess I had better get this one sorted.

Hello again, Today I am in a much better place. Far less stressed but still very angry. I thoughly agree that these councils and their bailiffs cannot get away with causing such distress. I am a fairly confident and articulate person but this kind of thing brought me to my knees in the past, and my panic attack last week really upset and angered me. I WILL be writing to the council, I will pay only them and as for Rossendales, they can have £1 a week.. that will give me great pleasure. I will also see if I can get some of their fees squashed. I fear for people who are on the brink of suicide for fear they have nowhere else to turn. Feeling you are a prisoner in your own home is awful. Being afraid to answer the door or leave the house empty for a moment. I am determined to follow through on my complaints. Well done CAG... I am your newest fan and more than happy to get involved in campaigning. Let me know what else I can do. Again, I can't thank you all enough.

How's it going?

Phew! I know exactly how you feel today after going through the same yesterday. Well done you. Im now going to complain to council about their treatment of me via their bailffs... they can't keep putting people under this distress all the while knowing they 'could' help from the start if they chose to.

Fascinating. Does this mean I can get back the £300 benefit payment they swiped from me last year? I had waited MONTHS for my benefit situation to be worked out by the DWP and when backpayment was paid into my account, they had gone. It totally messed up my other payment arrangements at that time too.

Thank you Im getting there!

Hi there, Just wondering what "SAR the OC" means? Im trying to learn fast

Hello Lucy, I want to say 'panic not'... please see my alarmingly similar thread about Rossendales. I too had 'late' payments on more than one occassion and just argued the case with the council that I HAD tried to pay on time. Didn't think the 15th was so crucial and had in fact paid early more often than not. They are now off my back and the council have recalled the bill back into their hands. I wish you lots of luck and cannont recommend enough that you read through a number of posts on the same subject. Knowledge IS power, and even though 'technically' you have defaulted, you HAVE tried your best to pay. Let us know how it goes x