Written by John Kruse, one of the leading experts on Bailiff Law, this consumer friendly guide is essential reading for anyone who comes into contact with a bailiff.
The book is easy to understand and clearly explains the rights
a bailiff has, and also what they cannot do when collecting debts and repossessing goods etc.
recently had a run in with the local council when i was on holiday and paid my council tax a couple of days late. I refuse to do the direct debit thing as if something goes wrong then the back charge me £35. Anyway as this was the second time i'd paid a couple of days late. the lovely council sent me a court summons with the final months payment tacked onto it as apparently i had lost the right to pay in instalments now
After nearly falling through the floor after reciving the court summons. I phoned council and paid the last instalment. I asked the lovely women from the council if they wont be taking us to court now and she said they'd still be taking us to court because we had to pay them £87.30 court costs
After alot of arguing with the women on how they can take me to court for not paying council tax when i'd now technically paid my council tax she told me it wasnt court fee's at all it was a late payment charge and that i should pay my council tax ontime in future!!!!
After speaking to the CAB who were not really helpfully apart from telling me that i should avoid the liability order the council was seeking at all costs. I blinked first and paid the £87
Apart from feeling i've been completely robbed i've been looking at there so called court summons and i'm starting to think it looks a bit ropey. a 1.couple of points
2.court summons has the council logo on it and not the HMCS logo
3.is signed by the head of council legal services
4.looks basically like a council tax demand but has a different reference number on it
does anyone know what a pukka court summons should look like i did a google image search and came up which one that has a court logo on it and was also signed by the clerk of the court. basically the councils court summons looks alot to me like some dodgy letter a DCA would send out to scare people
Also the women on the phone from the council couldnt tell me why if they has supposibly sent late payment reminders where they not sent recorded delivery or why the court summons wasnt spent recorded delivery
The reason that it is not the normal HMCS logo is that this is a summons to a Magistrates' Court, not a civil court; and the LA are the prosecuting authority instead of the CPS
Court Summons
and paid my council tax a couple of days late. I refuse to do the direct debit
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