Thanks everyone. I wondered if it was internal or external security. I'm just getting madder. I am going to write to the store manager and copy head office. I don't think I will ever shop there again. A blessing in the long run as I'm sure it'll save me money. Another thing I remembered is that my prescriptions are all issued to the Lloyds pharmacy in store because it is so close to home

I've been going to the same Sainsnurys store, both shopping online and in store weekly, for over 22 years. I have cancer and suffer from extreme stomach pain. When this happens I become very distracted and do stupid things - think gravy granules in fridge etc. During shopping I was in pain and did my usual - panic that i had left my card at home. I took out purse and without thinking dropped tablets that I had in my hand in my handbag so I could use both hands. I forgot. I then noticed this man following me all over the shop. He was really obvious. After about 20mins I cottoned on and checked my bag. Sure enough the tablets were there. I took them out and paid for them. When I left the store the man approached me. He told me I had been banned for suspicious behaviour. I didn't deny I did it but I wasn't given any chance to explain. I wasn't asked to provide any personal details. I feel ashamed. But i feel angry. After so many years of faithful custom I think this is an unacceptable way to treat your customers. I have loads of nectar points on my card which I was saving till Christmas. Worst of all my good friend works there and I have no idea if they will display a photo or anything. Anyone else had something similar. I lack the energy to engage in battle. I should add that he said behaviour was suspu jobs because I only took tablets and my shopping trolley was full??? This makes no sense to me.

Thank you. I've seen correspondence that details their intent so I'm pretty sure. I was hoping that a grievance would help to at least air everything but i may be naive. They are putting a lot of pressure on me to document everything I do too which doesn't help. Am I not better following procedure? Or is it just a case of waiting? If I don't document my discontent then surely I will have no recourse later?

Hi I think my employer is trying to force a redundancy. After several promotions and promises of additional resources which were never forthcoming, a few months back they announced a part of my job had changed. More recently they announced in a meeting where there were others present that someone else was coming in to take over another part of my job and report to someone else and that I should hand over to them. I also know that further changes are afoot. I didn't agree to these changes so have to do something. A redundancy situation couldn't be fair as the work has not diminished? It has increased. The thing is that they've done this with others. I don't want to go the grievance route but I feel I have no option? I always think of grievances as the relationship breaker but having said that the relationship appears to be broken anyway? I know I have to act soon but any guidance on where I stand would be greatly appreciated. Their behaviour to me on a daily basis is both hostile and distant and the stress over the last few months has been enormous. Thank you

Thank you for that. Reading through the new legislation it seems that at this stage the maximum they can charge is £235 but this is if you ignore their letter which I didn't but they are saying I did (hence your last para) and looking at new total they have applied this amount however just reading final notice it says if I don't pay within 24 hours they will apply more fees? Surely they can only apply more fees now if they take control of goods and have to sell them?

Hello Please can you advise me. I received a letter through the door from Rossendales regarding payment of arrears in council tax in early April. I then contacted the man to arrange to pay via instalments. I am already in a debt management plan. Whilst I still own the property and the debt is mine, I no longer live there as I work and live in Glasgow. I arranged to come to Peterborough to meet the gentleman to sign the installment papers but he called me the day before to say that new legislation was coming in which would change the amount of fees they could charge so he wouldn't come around, he would leave the papers through the door and I should sign then amd send them in and it would be under old fee arrangement. I filled in the papers and send them but did not send them recorded delivery. I also paid him £50. Some weeks went by and I then tried to get in touch with him to see what was happening. In the meantime a final notice arrived. I tried to call, I texted. I asked for email address to provide a copy of what I had sent off. I have now received another final notice. I got hold of the bailliff and he said it was too late, I had to pay the full amount - which has gone up from 440 to 748. I explained that I couldn't, he said he would have to remove goods. I explained that I don't live there anymore. He said tough he would still go around there. I called Rossendales office and offered to pay £200 today and then £100 per month until debt is cleared. They refused. They told me to phone the bailliff again. What can I do? I want to get on with settling the bill but cannot settle it all at once. It is impossible. Can they enter the house when I am not there? Can they take stuff not belonging to me but to the people that stay there? I'm sure they can't but I heard that the onus of proof can be established at a later stage once they have removed stuff. The people that are there work late hours and there is a child at the property - can they force their way in? Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You. I will do it and post to the thread if anything happens

Apologies if I am really asking a stupid question but I went to OFT website and it says not to contact them direct as they don't respond to individual or trader but to go through advicedirect?

I have now had the following response after going to a debt management plan. Is this even legal if I'm doing what I can? The interest is accummulating rapidly. original debt £800 Client: NDR – ToothFairy Pay Day Loan*** Client Ref: Our Ref: Date: [date] Dear We have been notified that you have instructed a debt management company/advisory body. In accordance with the Office of Fair Trading Guidelines on Debt Management: Marshall Hoares are not obliged to accept reduced repayments or to freeze interest suggested by your debt management company/advisor. Repaying the same debt over a longer period of time will lead to an increase in the total amount you have to pay. We are obliged to deal with Debt Management Companies/Advisers only to the extent that they propose a reasonable offer. In the event that this is not forthcoming or that they do not respond to us within a reasonable time frame we are entitled to and will return to corresponding with you directly. Their offers to date have not been acceptable. Full interest and costs will continue to accumulate during the time they negotiate with us. 2.13 of the OFT Guidelines on Debt Management ....collection actions, including default notices and litigation, can ensue and that there is no guarantee that any existing or threatened proceedings will be suspended or withdrawn Any cheques received from third parties will be cashed and credited against your account but are NOT deemed acceptance of any repayment plan that we have not confirmed as suitable. By contacting us DIRECTLY to arrange settlement we may be able to REDUCE some of the fees charged. This will speed the process and reduce fees that are continuing to be added to your debt whilst we deal with your debt management advisor. This is the quickest and cheapest way to resolve your debt. You can contact us TODAY on 08433811111 quoting reference xxxx to confirm: a) the very most you can pay; and b) when this will be. This is the most efficient way of ensuring your debt does not increase and is settled. Please note: that any offer will need to clear the balance within 6 weeks. if the offer is sensible, we may agree to freeze interest and charges at 2152.69 if you cooperate and stick to the repayments agreed. If we do not hear from you or receive a reasonable offer within 7 days from your advisor then a door visit will be scheduled to discuss options and collect the debt . Yours Faithfully Alex Adams Door Collections Marshall Hoares Bailiffs Telephone: 0843 381 1111 (92) The content of this email should not be considered as an acceptance of any offer unless we previously review and expressly approve in writing your terms and conditions relating to the subject matter of this email. The information in this email is private and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient(s) or have otherwise received this email in error, please delete the email and inform the sender as soon as possible. This email may not be disclosed, used or copied by anyone other than the intended recipient(s). Any opinions, statements or comments contained in this email are not necessarily those of Marshall Hoares Bailiffs Limited. If you wish clarification of any matter, please request confirmation in writing. Marshall Hoares Bailiffs Limited. Registered Company No.: 6871092 Consumer Credit License: 631168 We take precautions to minimise the risk of this email containing a software virus but you should use virus checking software.

We have written to Equita and the Council to have the charges dropped as they called at the house after payments were already being made. I will keep you informed.

it didn't come out clearly, so below the text from teh letter: "Thank you for your recent letter in respect to arrears and Bailiff action on the above account. As per my previous letter the outstanding debt will remain with Equita and will not be recalled from them. However, I have been in contact with Equita to advise that you have started to make payments towards your debt and they have set up an arrangement of £25.00 per week. This is in line with the payments that you have been making. The arrangement will stop the Bailiff from attending your home providing payments are made each week. Payments can be made directly to Equita or the Peterborough City Council. Equita will write to you to confirm the arrangements. Please do not hesitate to contact this department if you have any further queries. Yours sincerely, "

thankyou to everyone and particularly wonkeydonkey for the draft. we used the letter almost verbatim although added in that equita had threatened contacting our employer and issuing a warrant for our arrest. we received the attached reply from peterborough city council (and pretty quickly i might add). not the perfect result but a perfectly satisfactory outcome so to anyone else in the same situation, i recommend wonkeydonkey's letter and this course of action.

We wrote to the local MPs and the council. We have made payments directly to the council. The bailliffs will not back off and now keep calling and texting saying they are going to get a warrant for arrest issued. The council have now replied with a letter that states: "Thank you for your letter in respect to Bailiff action on the above account. I note that you will need to call Equita Balliffs with any issues you may have in respect to Equitas collection of your outstanding council tax debt. We are unable to recall the debt from Equita and you may need to discuss a payment arrangement with them. I also note that all payments should be made directly to Equita. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any further queries." THe issue is that Equita will not accept payments that we can afford and the council won't negotiate. Arrghhh. What to do. It is Peterborough City Council. Kind regards,

My lodger received a bill from a previous property for council tax. He agreed to make weekly payments as to what he could afford to pay off the bill but the debt had been handed to Equita. He approached Equita with a payment plan of £100 per month but they said they would not accept less than £300. He has been making regular payments to Equita on what he can afford - 2 weeks ago, 50 then last Friday £40 and prior to this he paid the council £80 directly. The bailiffs have been relentless. Today they arrived at my property and noted my car. I phoned them and said that the car was mine and they said they did not care that they would clamp it and leave it to me to prove it was mine. I pinned my car reg document - V5 to the window and they returned and couldn't take the car but were verbally abusive saying I am in breach of the requirements of law in not notifying they were staying at this property. Patently ridiculous as this is the address the council addressed correspondence, as have the electoral 'wotsits' and yet the bailiff said they are not on the electoral roll. Well, we have the postcards to prove they are. The man was incredibly abusive. Threatened me and my property. But more to the point, if my lodger is making regular payments and paying what he can afford, then how can they continue to treat people like this. Does anyone have a letter template that we can send to Equita. We note from other forums that payments should be made directly to the City Council and not to Equita. Your advice and help is, as always, greatly appreciated. Kind regards, JessicaX

Thanks for your reply. I modified the letter I found on this thread and couldn't send via their webform as it said acct not found. When I used the email address they provide on their website I got mail undelivered response from their mail server. Clearly they do not seem to be bothered by complying with anybody. I have an iPhone. I'm not sure how to block SMS but best to keep getting them as it is a paper trail of sorts to their scare tactics....