Thanks again for your hallowitch and happy contrails. Would still like a couple of questions answered though if you can. Does it make a difference that the first letter I got with any kind of fee on when was hand posted AFTER I had settled the debt? (The other two being deliberately ambiguous and posted through royal mail.) What is the best way of finding out where the £168 figure came from? How do I make a complaint about this bailiff if anything has been done illegaly or immoraly? If he comes to my address again and is let in by my house mate where do I stand? Many thanks.

This letter came through AFTER the debt was payed. Does that make a difference? Are there any templates of the letters you reccommend out there? Thanks again.

Ok. I was just wondering exactly what it was as thats when charges seem to escolate. So what would you advise me to do with regards the 168.50 claimed for against a debt which has been settled with the council? I should point out I have no car or garden furniture and all I have recieved is two posted letters and the hand posted one from yesterday which is the first with any kind of figure on it.

Ok. Thanks again. Can you explain what a levy is to me please?

Thank you very much for your help. I will do what you say. I have seen other people saying to ask for a breakdown of his 'costs or fees' etc. Is this worth doing? What exactly is a levy? I have told my (female) house mate about the situation and am worried they might let them in in my absence what would happen if they did?

I will try and explain my situation as best I can and would be greatful for any advice given. A couple of months ago I rather stupidly ignored a request from the council regarding payment of council tax as I was in the process of claiming for JSA and thought this would cover it. This request was delayed or denied and I recieved a letter through from a bailiffs firm about two weeks ago. This was then follwed by another a week later on the 4th of June. I tried to get some money together to figure out how to pay this and my brother agreed to help me last week. I initially tried to make payment over the net which wasnt working but told me the debt was at £152 ish I then tried ringing the agency to make payment who told me that was wrong and the fee was actuallly £280 plus. I explained what i had saw literally 5 mins before and he put up quite a lot of resistance and bustle when i advised i could afford to pay that he said he would be round later that day to sieze goods etc. and that the fee wasnt right as their systems hadnt been 'updated' Sure enough I checked not long after the call and the fee he had given me was on. I then started looking on here and eventually managed to pay the council direct the original debt over the phone - £110. The bailiff had been very curt and abraisive (bordering on abusive) with me after calling me several times to see if i had got this £280 plus money available. Once I had spoke to the council I advised him on his next call that the debt was settled and he said I had not paid "the right ammount" I said how do you know? Its showing on our systems what you paid. Ok I said, what does it show is left, he actually said "£140 something" a completely abitrary and made up figure then followed by did you go in and pay it, to which i said no and he then changed his tune saying the full £280 is showing on the system still. He was quite clearly making it up. I said i have paid he countered again saying he would be round later that day etc. After rereading on here i expected that to be the end of the matter. But yesterday a hand delivered letter was posted saying; Total due £168.50 I called today with transportation to remove good. I will return within 48 hours with police assistance if necessary to complete my task. etc etc. My question is what do i do next. The council are happy the debt is paid and satisifed but clearly the bailiff is not. Many thanks for any help given.

Think thats all I need to know really mate. He claimed to have visited and left something which i dont have. Then said he was coming out today regardless of me telling him the debt was clear. It seemed like scaremonger tactics but I could be wrong.

Wanted to post in this thread as it seemed like the best one. I can post it in a new thread if need be. Basically I was out of work and claimed council tax benefit from march time to the end of the tax year. My claim was partially approved but seemed i owed about 110.00 after a second threatening letter from bailiffs a couple of days a go i tried to do something about it. I rang them up as i was logging onto their site to make payment. He said he had been round once before and dropped a note (which i hadn't got) and that it was too late as they were on there way out today unless i could pay £283. I couldn't of course. I argued that it was only 157 on their site and he said that didn't include today's costs sure enough as i tried to pay it after getting off the phone. It had gone up to £283. I have since been trying to find the money to sort it and reading on here the best plan of action. I eventually spoke to someone in the council tax office and paid what they said I owed. This was £110. I then spoke to the bailiffs who said this wasn't the right amount and they are going to come round today anyway. Obviously I wont be letting him in but where do i stand and what is the best course of action? Many thanks.