Thanks for the replies. I will try freecycle for her first and if no luck will get her to try for a loan. thankyou

Hi, My sister is coming to live with me and had an IUC a while back where she admitted to failure to declare. She has severe mental health needs and so has come to live with me. She has to begin to pay back the overpayment and I was wondering how this affects any applications she puts in to social fund for either budgeting loan or community care grant as she needs bedroom furniture to furnish the room she is going to be using as i don't have the means to do so. Its just been an empty spare room up to now. Does the overpayment amount get added onto any social fund amount owed meaning its a waste of time her even applying for a budgeting loan as it would take her way over a maximum allowed or is any overpayment regardless of amount totally separate from social fund totals? I've been phoning local office for days and can never get through. I'd be grateful for any help if anyone knows. Thanks

Thanks for the advice. Will the police turn up though if i ask them to in advance? Also is it worth contacting northampton court to let them know that i have provided proof of tenancy etc and that i have informed Drakes more than once that my son does not live here? Is the court then likely to tell them to leave me alone? Also how do i show the proof if i can't open the door. I'm told i will get a time and date. How prompt are they, because I'll wait outside with the proof if necessary.

Thankyou for your quick reply. I am shocked though that as the debt is not in my name and I have provided proof that i am the tenant, that bailiffs can still come in through an open window or door. I thought in this country that I was not financially responsible for my adult son. I have just emailed Drakes to ask them to send me the exact law that gives their client the power to stipulate that even though they have been informed the have the wrong address for the debtor that they still have to turn up. I thought only a court could order bailiffs in. Why do the people responsible for congestion charges have the right to send in bailiffs without giving the debtor a chance to appear in front of a court and ask for a payment plan?

Hi!! I hope someone can advise me. I received two letters regarding london congestion charges at my address, addressed to my 20 year old son. Apparently he had gone to London for the weekend, for the first time ever and over the two days had driven into a no no area. He hasn't lived at my address for a long time, but the car was registered with the DVLA at my address [i can only assume because my son was having a bad time of it at the time and was apparently sleeping in the car or in various friends houses] I managed to reach my son on his old mobile and he had no idea he had to pay any money for where he had driven and didn't know he had to pay a small charge upfront. With all the worry he has been going through it was just one more thing to pile on him. [i don't expect anyone to have any sympathy for him, it's just a fact]. He owns nothing but some clothes anyway and the car was a gift from a friend, which he told me he no longer has. Anyway, I can't contact him anymore and as far as i'm aware he doesn't have a fixed abode. I opened the two letters and immediately contacted the congestion people who were very rude and not interested in the fact that my son did not live at this address. I told them that he might not even be aware that he had to pay any money as he had never been to london before. They basically said tough luck. I contacted DVLA who were very helpful and removed my address in connection with the car, but the congestion people are having none of it. They then sent two more letters regarding the two separate days, each now demanding 150 pounds per day. A few days ago I received letters from Drakes Bailiffs saying they were coming here to get property to the value of the money owed. I phoned them immediately and got a message saying 'if you are phoning to tell us that the person named does not live at your address, send in proof that it is your home' I posted my tenancy agreement and copies of tv license and a bill. All in my name. I got an email today from them saying the following: Dear Madam With reference to your recent email, I apologise for any inconvenience caused but it would appear from the DVLA records that at the time of the above offences your son had registered his vehicle at your address. However in the case where the defendant is a family member our client stipulates that one of our representatives have to attend the warrant address and verify that the defendant is not resident. A bailiff will now be assigned to verify the occupancy of the warrant address, and view your proof of occupancy at a convenient time to you. Yours Sincerely Drakes Group Ltd My problem is not them turning up at the door and me showing them my tenancy agreement, it is with the sentence 'verify that the defendant is not resident and verify the occupancy' I am an agrophobic with a severe anxiety disorder 'panic attacks' etc and I really couldn't cope with some strange people pushing their way into my home and going into all my rooms to prove my son isn't there. Surely, proving that i am the tenant etc should be enough. How can bailiffs enter a house that is not in the name of the debtor? They say because I'm his mother that they can. Yes, i know people are going to say my son should sort this out, but i can't get hold of him and to be honest he doesn't even have a roof over his head as far as i'm aware, let alone any money. Could someone please give me some advice???? How can a bailiff turn up without it even going to county court? Why do they not give people time to pay, especially those who are not working etc. Many thanks