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.
Hello I'm new but have lots of issues, gripes and seriously bad experiences with Hackney Council over council tax and housing benefit. I will start from today and work backwards:
6 weeks ago I was sent an adjustment notice telling me that I had overpaid and was in credit by £308.43. Last week I got a new bill for the next financial year confirming this as the decision. I have not received a refund. I called today and was told a number of points:
1 - (they) were currently at the end of their finacial year and that was holding up an y payments
2 - (they) were dealings with bills owed first
3 - sorry but because of the finance department dealing with end of financial year accounts it would take them another 2 weeks to deal with it
4 - they would need to check with Housing Benefit that this calculation was correct
I asked to speak to a senior colleague Miss Edwards:
5 - she then asked me had I made a claim for my money - I said no and said there was nothing on the form that said I needed to. She then said
6 - the refund claims procedure was manual and they had to wait until I claimed manually before they could send the form manually which would then be dealt with manually before reaching the finance department who would raise a cheque but she couldn't say how long that would take and that it would be at least 3 weeks because of the financial year end.
I pointed out that if I owed them I would have had a bailiff round before now and was taht a manual process. No she said 'that process is automated". 'Seems unfair" I said, "well that's the way it is and there's nothing I can do" she said. I then said I was recording teh conversation and she got upset and said that was unfair and I was interceting onto her private life. Tried to transfer me to a senior colleague and tried to get my contact details to call me back (they never call) back. I said No and I wanted to speak to somoeone in finance about when I could get my money back. Eventually I was passed through to Miss Playy - Quality and Development Officer who said she was just walking out the door and had no computer on, that the database for finance and refunds was different fromthe council tax accounts so there was nothing she could do and would call me tomorrow morning on my mobile and took my account number.
I have had a visit from a bailiff due to council tax when the housing benefit service wasn't communicating with council tax and it went to court unbeknown to me and a bailiff came in listed all my belongings and made a list of threats and options open to me. I paid the whole lot by debit card putting me over my overdraft. A week later I got the net money back but not interest, no bank charges no apology. Single-mother, no money, claiming benefits for very good reasons.
Hello I'm new but have lots of issues, gripes and seriously bad experiences with Hackney Council over council tax and housing benefit. I will start from today and work backwards:
6 weeks ago I was sent an adjustment notice telling me that I had overpaid and was in credit by £308.43. Last week I got a new bill for the next financial year confirming this as the decision. I have not received a refund. I called today and was told a number of points:
1 - (they) were currently at the end of their finacial year and that was holding up an y payments
2 - (they) were dealings with bills owed first
3 - sorry but because of the finance department dealing with end of financial year accounts it would take them another 2 weeks to deal with it
4 - they would need to check with Housing Benefit that this calculation was correct
I asked to speak to a senior colleague Miss Edwards:
5 - she then asked me had I made a claim for my money - I said no and said there was nothing on the form that said I needed to. She then said
6 - the refund claims procedure was manual and they had to wait until I claimed manually before they could send the form manually which would then be dealt with manually before reaching the finance department who would raise a cheque but she couldn't say how long that would take and that it would be at least 3 weeks because of the financial year end.
I pointed out that if I owed them I would have had a bailiff round before now and was taht a manual process. No she said 'that process is automated". 'Seems unfair" I said, "well that's the way it is and there's nothing I can do" she said. I then said I was recording teh conversation and she got upset and said that was unfair and I was interceting onto her private life. Tried to transfer me to a senior colleague and tried to get my contact details to call me back (they never call) back. I said No and I wanted to speak to somoeone in finance about when I could get my money back. Eventually I was passed through to Miss Playy - Quality and Development Officer who said she was just walking out the door and had no computer on, that the database for finance and refunds was different fromthe council tax accounts so there was nothing she could do and would call me tomorrow morning on my mobile and took my account number.
I have had a visit from a bailiff due to council tax when the housing benefit service wasn't communicating with council tax and it went to court unbeknown to me and a bailiff came in listed all my belongings and made a list of threats and options open to me. I paid the whole lot by debit card putting me over my overdraft. A week later I got the net money back but not interest, no bank charges no apology. Single-mother, no money, claiming benefits for very good reasons.
I suggest you need to go in to you local council offices and ask to speak to the benefits dept. This is so you can ensure you have the correct infomration about the overpayment (how much is owed). You can then ask how you go about claiming that back. If you are there you can do all what is necessary at one time, and you dont get fobbed off as much face to face.
Try to be clam. It is a lot of money and Im sure it will come in useful at this time, but please remember to keep clam when dealing with the staff as they are only there to do a job (open self up to being stomped on now lol) They will be a lot more helpful if you remain polite but firm.
You will have to give them some time to refund the payment, and giving them 3 weeks seems about right to me as this is the year end, so tell them you are happy to wait 3 weeks, but no longer. Tell them you expect to have the payment refund in writing by 3 weeks and the payment to follow no longer than 5 working days after the claim has been agreed. This is acceptable to the council as hopefully acceptable to you.
Good luck
Ps if you dont think your thread has been looked at, please dont repeat the thread, go to the original one and write bump on the reply section, this will bring yur thread back up to the top.
All advice is based on my experiences. I am NOT qualified and as such cannot be held responsible for any mistakes. If in doubt...get professional help.
If you like what i have said then make me a star!!
refund of council tax
and was in credit by £308.43. Last week I got a new bill for the next financial year confirming this as the decision. I have not received a refund. I called today and was told a number of points:
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