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LadyDay

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  1. Hi All, it's February 26th 2015 and I just wanted to UPDATE you all on what happened for anybody reading this thread. Now it's a bit of a short 'anti-climax' but a result is a result in my book and it worked out for me. I did get a letter from my social worker which evidenced that this was a condition which pre-dated my CT arrears and how it affected me on a daily basis. I also had photocopies of a few doctors letters and interestingly photocopies from the Baliffs own website about vulnerable people in which case it stated that these cases would be referred back to the Council!! So I had done all my homework (with help) and had a bundle ready to take to my local councillor. However, (anticlimax) I had just missed the surgery with my preferred Councillor and her next surgery was the following month...so I was stressed, tired and frankly just left it for a few months. When I was gearing up to nip it all in the bud and finally see this Councillor , I decided to check my Council Tax statement to make sure I had all my numbers correct. I then found the following note on my file. RETURNED NULLA BONA When I looked up that Latin phrase it turns out the the Ballifs were so sick of attending my house (but not getting a response) as I NEVER once opened the door to them, that they sent my account back to the Council and 'cut their losses'. ^^I never knew this even existed^^ This therefore meant for me that rather then all the added Baliffs fees which were totalling nearly £500, I was then left with the original Council court costs of £95, which was the remaining debt as I had already paid everything else off. Of course I paid this off immediately!! You'll note from this thread that even though I had been in Council Tax arrears, that I was always continually paying the Council who were accepting the money (despite verbally saying they would not). So by the time it would have come to them authorising a new Balliff to take over, the debt had already been paid. I am now fully up to date and even though real tough circumstances caused the initial problem, I'll ensure that this never happens again as the added stress I could have lived without!! I mean they don't go after their rich tax dodging masters, only ordinary people who get into problems! Anyway, that's the end of my story. Please take from it what you will. But I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everybody who responded with useful advice and information. This site is amazing!!
  2. Hi, I'm very late to the claim back party and have had a call from Harringtons who are offering to help me claim bank & store card charges back at a whopping 39%. as its such a hefty charge I thought I might try to do it myself. The thing is my claims would date back between prob 2000-2004/5. Regarding the M&S card it was my first store card and I probably signed up for PPI on it but I was also always late paying it off and had late charges of about £35 a go. Can I still claim back in 2014 from all this time ago and how might I go about doing it?? Any pointers would be useful. Thaaanks!!
  3. I was certainly in a 'vunerable position' from the outset if thats what 'ab initio' means, but the Council wasn't aware from the very start as I thought I could just 'get on top of things' on my own. Nor did I realise at the time that the Council could have a perspective on these kind of thngs. I guess that means I'm informing them 'after the fact' although my doctors notes and other various documents could verify all the things that we're happening at the time the problems started to happen.
  4. Thanks caro thats good to know. And DragonFly1967, thats's correct I have paid off the court costs and have the amount outstanding that yes, I'll be able to pay off next week. Do people think/ anybody know then whether I would have to now pay 2 lots of balliffs - Jacobs and Newlyns - fees for what amounts to the same debt?? I suppose I assumed that it was just Newlyns I was dealing with now??? because there have been no Jacobs letters for about 6 months or more according to the dates of the letters we've been through. But then again my assumptions to date have proven to be wrong Thanks brassnecked. I think contacting ballifs will have to be on my to do list at some point but only after I've spoken to the local councillor and written to the Council etc as has been suggested and see how all that goes. See if they might acknowledge my(our) situation. It's still current but maybe just a bit better handled. Thanks everyone.
  5. Hi, I know thread this has generated a lot of heat but do hope it stays open. We tried to look at previous posts that might have touched on this type of situation after the new legislation in April but didn't find many on any forum so all your opinions are really valuable and I'm sure this thread may be helpful for other people who may at some point find themselves in similar situations. So very grateful. All my health issues still apply today. On some days with the Chronic Fatigue, I can't even get out of bed I'm only in my 30's! It's just that I've begun to stop hiding my head in a hole thinking it would all go away and support is beginning to help me sort things. I didn't think/know anyone would take notice of any of my problems and it's just the kind of mindset/black hole you end up in. When I lost my job, it even took me a YEAR to fill out any forms to get benefits (ESA) even though I was entitled to them. It just now that I know that support might be given, I've got the help to ask the question. Ploddertom & brassnecked. Yes, this did go back years and at the time it was passed to Jacobs balliffs. I know when we finally got a breakdown from the Council, they said there had been 2 liability orders and it had gone to court twice because there were 2 lots of court costs for £95 each that had been added on top. There were also just lots of unopened Balliff letters titled 'pay immediately' '24 hours removal' etc that I couldn't deal with and lots of door knocks, but since somebody finally helped go through the letters it would seem that Jacobs stopped sending letters at some point and then in April (?) this year Newlyns PLC started sending letters? No balliffs have been into the house though (is that how they levy?) and I've not phoned them either for a breakdown of costs. I just started paying the Council directly and they did take the payments off the arrears until there is now £90.60 owed to them and then all this added Balliff stuff ontop. I really don't know if Jacobs will start asking for money from old bills as well as Newlyns??? It's all just got a bit complicated really. I know it was my fault this mess happened but the circumstances were way beyond. Thanks lookinforinfo, that's useful. We'll use this info for the letter as well. Cheers All.
  6. Well we're already beginning to put the formal complaint letter together so if I get some stronger support documents via social worker and local councillor then hopefully the Council should take more notice and will have to at least put something in writing in return. I should think they would have to have all their facts straight when they respond rather then settling for info via some Council Tax Call centre woman. Cheers
  7. Thanks Talksense, yours is a valuable perspective to have so hope you don't mind me asking a few questions? I have a family member who has looked up some information (and is helping me write the suggested letter and forum posts!! ) but I know you're suggesting to speak directly to the balliffs. Anyway he's just found Newlyn PLC's own code of practice regarding vunerable people which it says include those with: serious illness, mental impairment, physical disabilities and severe financial difficulties. He says, according to the information, 'where a debtor falls into a vunerable persons category, recovery action will be referred back to the billing authority where the criteria has been found to have been met'. So wouldn't Newlyns possibly have to consider this in relation to my case (vunerable household?) as this is what I would also be explaining regarding my situation if I was to speak to them? Also maybe you could help me regarding fees and the new structure? I actually owe £90.60 on my original bill but the Balliff letter says I owe £458.10, which would come to £367.50. As of yesterday I know about a £75 contact letter and the £235 for Control of Goods letter but NO Balliff has been into my house. So if I 'owed' them £310 - what might the other £57.40 be for?? And can they keep charging loads more on top? I find it so demoralising and stressful to tell you the truth! but thanks
  8. Great thanks. I'm starting to build a strong picture of how to respond to this. Admittedly, my social worker (who has been a brilliant support) was a little flustered when the CT worker told her point blank there was no way the debt would be called back because my OH was jointly liable and therefore should just pay the balliffs directly. My SW did say she'd get more advice on the issue but seemed resigned to the inevitability of having to contact the balliffs at some point. but that will just send my stress levels through the roof! But I will get my SW to write that letter verifying my condition etc. and see how all that goes first. thanks all
  9. Cheers, I appreciate that. The CT woman was practically snorting with derision when my Social worker spoke to her and falling over herself to spout the infamous CT commandment 'thoust must contact the Balliffs'! So okay, my MP is next port of call.
  10. I had a bad few years from 2011 onwards after getting Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (which left me bed bound), and subsequently losing my job, having a child bereavement and all the anxiety and depression that came with all that. Prior to that I had a decent job and my OH and I had divided up the bills accordingly, with me paying Council Tax amongst other things. Unbeknownst to my OH, when the proverbials hit the fan, I just 'switched off' ignored my payment responsibilities (hiding bills etc ) until things got out of hand and the CT bill got passed first to Newlyn PLC. Long story short, I've applied for benefits (and after selling off some of my belongings) have managed to pay off an outstanding amount of over £1500 (directly to the Council) in the last year including £190 in court costs, with only £100 of the CT arrears remaining. However, Newlyn EA fees keep sky rocketing and according to their last letter (I have never been in contact with them), the debt is £470 and counting. The new legislation that came in April just complicates things further! Anyway, my social worker just rang the CT department and explained that under the circumstances, (being diagnosed with a chronic illness and mental health issues) that I should be considered a vunerable person or a vunerable household. However, the CT call centre operative, who conferred with CT Recovery dept has said that since the CT was in both mine and my OH's name, making him therefore jointly liable for the debt (even though he wasn't aware of it because I was hiding the letters) my specific circumstances made no difference and that there would be no circumstance in which the household would be considered vunerable. Meaning they would not consider calling the debt back. The conversation took all of 3 minutes and they were very closed to considering anything. They would not even pass my social worker onto the Recovery dept so she could speak directly to them. I guess I'm asking if their position is the correct one or whether there might be anything I can do? It was a massive blip caused by unforeseen health issues but it seems that any support or consideration is not forthcoming from the Council. Any views would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
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