Thank you very much, your advice is truly appreciated!! Last question, should I be concerned that the council have said the debt was with Drakes however it is Marsdens chasing? Thanks

Thank you so much for your help! Ill contact Marstons tomorrow then to arrange payment. Is phone ok or would you recommend sticking to letters? Thanks

Thanks, are they allowed to enter around the back of a property? Back door is often open for the dog. I am wondering whether to contact Marstons, if they are chasing a small fee then it may be worth just clearing it. Is this likely to open up a box I would regret? Thanks

Thank you for the fast response! Would the notice of enforcement have come from the council or a recovery agency? There has definitely not been anything to our current address from the council however we she may have had one to a previous address. Ill get her to go down and speak to them again see what they say. Should I contact Marstons and see what they are trying to claim or best to just ignore completely? If they do turn up in the meantime is there anything I can do it to stop them taking the car? Thanks again,

Hi All, I am looking for a bit of guidance. In September last year my partner received a letter from a recovery agency stating they where working for Liverpool City Council and recovering debt in the region of £550 for unpaid council tax. My girlfriend did recall a previous council tax debt from around 5 years ago that she believed was settled, so that week she visited the council office to enquire. They explained it was a debt from a previous address several years prior, in an attempt to just close it off she offered full payment there and then. The council rep refused to accept payment and said that she must deal with the recovery agency. Up until last week we had (foolishly) done nothing on this, until a agent working for Marston's turned up at the house claiming to have a liability order. I sent him packing without letting him in. The next day my girlfriend again visited the council and offered payment, this time the council rep accepted and even said she isnt sure why the offer was rejected last time. My girlfriend also explained she met the criteria of a vulnerable person due to ongoing severe depression and believed that the council should not have passed this onto enforcement without prior contact. The payment was made there and then and a receipt obtained. The receipt is simply proof of payment no mention of the debt or the LO being settled etc. My girlfriend was then told she needed to contact the recovery agency directly (was actually told it was Drakes not Marstons) to settle any of their fees. I have today written a letter to the council asking for a breakdown of the LO with dates, fees etc and asked them to confirm that is is now settled and any enforcement action has been withdrawn. Ive also asked why the offer was turned down the first time. I have written a separate subject access request to the council to check there are no other outstanding debts with them. My questions is what should I do next? Should I contact Marstons or leave that to the council? If they turn up what should I say? I appreciate how precious all your time is, any guidance is welcomed. I will obviously not let them in however it worries me that her car is often outside and it is not uncommon for the front door to be left open when the kids are playing out. Regards MJM