Bailiffs wonder why they are universally loathed? This is why. You can get this guy in serious trouble. How much was the council tax liability in the first place?

Well as far as I'm concerned the court HAVE accepted the money as it's now been over 3 weeks and no sign of it being returned! We spoke to our local Fines Office yesterday, very helpful lady told us that they would probably have accepted the payment and informed the Bailiffs, but if for some reason the fine is not going to be accepted and the money returned to the defendant, then they must tell the Bailiffs this as obviously the money needs time to reach the defendant to pay to the Bailiffs. In our case nobody has been told that the payment has been received or rejected and when you try and get an answer out of the payments cemtre for the issuing court they hang up on you, even the lady from our local fines office who is looking into it for us had the phone slammed own on her!! If the Bailiff turns up again Knoiwing that the fine has been paid & There are 2 vulnerable people in the house that he has been informed about Then I will take it to the very top. The ministry if Justice is next on my list to call and we are also lodging an official complaint against the issuing Magistrates court fine collections dept.

Bear in mind that council tax bailiffs have no right of entry unless you give them peaceful entry, they can gain access through an Open Door or Ground Floor window. Fees are £24.50 first visit £18.50 for 2nd visit, if you don't sign a levy then they cannot charge anything else. The onus is on you to prove it is not your van. Good luck with your bankcruptcy, if you are getting benifits then you can apply to have the final fees waived. Check on the bankcruptcy board for more info. I have never met a nice bailiff although alledgedly there are some that will write off your debt with no goods to levy, though I am not sure if that can happen with Council tax.

We visited the local fines place this morning who are going to phone the fines office that I paid on my behalf. They said that if it was them they would usually accept the payment and advise the bailiffs of that or if they didn't accept the payment that they would forward it directly to the bailiffs they also said that as it has been over 3 weeks since the payment was made that the payment must have been accepted as they cut cheques every two weeks. They also said that as the bailiffs have been advised as to the vulnerable people in the house that they should leave us alone. They will phone me back when they have an answer. Just goes to show that people are much better when you speak to them face to face.

Thanks Tomtubby we live in Hertfordshire

No it isn't. My advice is do not deal with the Bailiffs in any way at all, start to pay your Counci tax online direct to your Council (they won't refuse your payment) and accompany each payment with a letter to them advising of the payment. The only thing I suggest you contact the Bailiff company for is a Screenshot of your account, which they cannot refuse you under the Data protection act. This will show up all their charges and actions taken. They're bound to have added extra fees, this is something most Bailiffs can't help themselves but do. Once you have this you can take ay relevant action against them. Remember - Bailiffs have very limited powers when it comes to Council Tax recovery, that's why they try and bully money out of people instead!

According to Direct.Gov website a Bailiff CAN force entry into your home for an unpaid fine? Now I'm pretty sure this isn't the case, but my husband is getting concerned now as we still have Marstons harassing us for a HMCS fine which was paid direct to the court 3 weeks ago, but the Bailiff insists he is coming back at the weekend for the full amount plus £225 in fees! I have another thread going regarding this, but in short, we wrote to Marstons last week to let them know the fne had been paid after one of their thugs turned up to collect payment, they replied to the letter so know this is the case, yet the Bailiff turned up again today. How do we get through to these "people" that the fine has ben paid, it seems like they are intent on harassing us?

Hi, My husband paid a fine 3 weeks ago directly to the court on 14th April. Bailiff arrived on the 27/4 13 days after the fine had been paid. I wrote a letter to the Bailiff company stating that the fine had been paid and that a bailiff should not be visiting 1, The fine had been paid 2, Heavily Pregnant woman at home 3, Autistic child in the house Today the Bailiff arrived again and put another notice through the door stating that he will be back this weekend to do a removal. Red notice. I have phoned the Bailiff and informed him that he shouldn't be calling for the above reasons. Of course he insists that I am responsible for the bailiff fees even though he came out to the house 13 days after the fine had been paid. He is going to call the office. Now a couple of things, can this guy just force entry with the warrant that he has? Who should I complain to now?

The bailiff has just been back banging on my door (I ignored it) and he's posted a notice through the door again demanding payment of £580!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Marstons are fully aware that the fine has been paid, of my Vulnerable status (33 weeks pregnant and carer of an Autistic child) and that we have written to the Chief Clarke of the court demanding to know why the Bailiffs are still calling. I know Marstons know all this because they acknowleged the letter last week! I wish I'd spoken to him now, why are they still sending Bailiffs for the full amount when they know it's been paid to the court?

DD is constantly defending bailiffs actions, regardless of whether the Bailif in question has broken the rules or not! This kind of "advice" does not help a confused or distressed poster, who wants to know true facts on where they stand legally when they have one of these thugs threatening them with all sorts of fraudulent claims! Diddiydicky if you read this post - no I do not have bad attitutde, just a fed up one with having to put up with the bo**ocks of this archaic practice and the law that does not protect people from the wanton bullying and fraud that Bailiffs commit on a daily basis. Let's face it if I did have a bad attitude wouldn't I be looking for a career in the Bailiff industry myself

They are just trying to intimidate you, a typical bailiff approach! They have no legal right to enter your property unless they have been allowed in previously to do a walk in possession. You can do something called a form 4 complaint, also write to the Council immediately demanding an explanation to why the Bailiffs have been instructed to harass you when you have clearly paid the debt! Remember a Bailiff has no right of entry to your property, so any threats of bringing the police or a locksmith etc etc are completely out of their powers and they can get in serious trouble for saying such things! If they come round keep the doors and windows locked and just ignore them until they go away. Also watch for any charges they may try to thieve off you, the max they can charge for unpaid council tax is £43, though they always try to get away with [causing problems] at least 10x's this amount out of you!

you read something like this thread and then you read these bailiffs defending each others actions on these boards and have to come to the conclusion that they a scourge on society.

The name they have written on the form sounds phoney anyway. Another attempted fraud.

Remember that the police are there to keep the peace and this guy is causing a disturbance.

Phone the police and tell them that someone is trying to break into your house.

Get that in writing from the bailiffs then report them, they cannot just turn up with police. Have they levied or been allowed access to your property?

What a daft comment.

Susie All what Scatz has said is correct, as for other advice offered - let's just say some people have the Bailiffs interests at heart rather than those of us who are constantly harassed by these thugs who cannot help but misrepresent their "powers" You can usually pay your Council Tax arrears direct to your council via their website, if you start paying what you CAN afford a.s.a.p and write to the Council informing them of this, you will not be seen as refusing to pay, so any threats of going to prison is nonsense and something again which should be reported for misrepresenting authority. Advise your Council (go to the top) of the Bailiffs threats, as they are just as responsible for contracting these Numptys to harass you unfairly. God I hate Bailiffs! Lisa

Not at all tarring them just saying that there are other ways, ways to protect people from bullies and feeling threatening in their own homes. I wish you luck, have you taken them back to court for questioning as to their means and failure to pay?

So you think that because you are owed money that baliffs should be able to rob people blind? Look at these forums, full of people that are getting charged fees that are unwarranted and illegal. I am sorry that you are owed money but I am talking about large corporations like Councils and banks.

GtoP I think you will find that the majority of cases are for council tax with people that are genuinely skint, there are other ways. Bailiffs are outdated and unneccessary in todays society. Court wants to get money off someone? Attachment of earnings, deductions from benefits etc... Bailiffs are just legalised thieves helping themselves to unjust and often illegal fees.

Hi Take a look at this where a typical ****** Bailiff is trying to threaten and intimidate this woman with a locksmith, got his come-uppance though

Good, everyone should complain about them all and all the time, clog up the courts with it, maybe they will get around to disbanding this outdated method of debt collection eventually. Fully licensed bullying and burgulary in my opinion, whatever happened to an Englishmans home is his castle?

They cannot levy for their own fees, they will have to go and get a court order for the £42.50, then of course you will be hit with the court costs on top of that but you can stand in court and dispute the charges, There is nothing in the law that requires you to do business with a bailiff, the contract is between the bailiff and the council to which you are not a signed party.

Sorry do not agree with what Diddydicky says - not a Bailiff by any chance are you?. For one a Bailiff should conceal any notice they put through you letterbox in an envelope due to data protection, and not sticking out of your letterbox for your neighbours to see your business, tell them you intend to report the Bailliff for that offence too! Secondly as advised by Contrails the contract is between the court and the Bailiffs, unless there is a court order for you to pay the bailiffs set fees etc then they cannot force you to. Stick to your guns and contact the Office for Judiciary complaints, also speak to the Ministry of Justice, once these ****** Bailiffs know you mean business you'll be surprised how quick a response you'll get! Oh and do add the word Fraud to the letter it's one word a Bailiff understands well enough as they commit it most days of their sad little lives! Right on a rant now so gonna end there! Good luck