I would suggest you report this to the council. Do it first personally or on the phone so that they know about this as soon as possible and then repeat what you have said in writing, and make sure you keep a copy.

 

As for your question of where did the bailiff get his extra charges, the answer is almost certainly that he concocted them out of the blue because he was hoping you would be ignorant of the law! And, as others have said, don't open the door if he pays a visit or if you suspect any visitor is a bailiff.

 

Finally, treat the bailiffs with the contempt they deserve. In other words 'sack' them and deal only with the council.

This is exactly what I told the Citizens Advice Bureau! Given that they had been, rude, added on fees and the bailiff is not properly registered I believe I stand a good ground!

We tried to pay online but I get this error: Details of the account could not be found within the system.

I spoke to CAB and have an in person appointment with them on November 24, they said the council is not allowed to refuse a payment which they did with me, they also said that the bailiffs had to back off while we seek advice. I called the bailiffs to let them know we were seeking advice and were allowed the time and they told me they didn't care and would continue to come to our house! This is so infuriating! CAB also said what I already knew which was that we need to make a formal complaint about this bailiff not being registered correctly which thanks to this forum I can do. So thank you so much everyone especially Hallowitch! I'm still quite upset that Pheonix refuses to back off!!! Also I have made a payment of £150.00 (which was our orginal payment plan deal) through the automated service and have a reference number so until the 24th I wait and work on my complaint.

I've given them strict instructions not to, my flatmate may have to sneak out the back door. I'm wondering if we should do as my friend suggested and pay online? This guy is certified with a different company as well doesn't that make a difference?!

The bailiff is at the door right now my flatmates have just told me! We're very nervous he will push his way in! I can't get through to the Citizens Advice Bureau and my flatmate has to go out to a job interview :/

I have the bailiffs name yes, I did the search and it came up as he works for Newlyn plc?

 

a bailiff certificated to Newlyn plc cant collect council tax debt for Pheonix bailiffs

Really?! Should I take this information to CAB? Or to the council?

yes bailiffs play on fear

 

i would send the council an e-mail and ask

the date of the liability order

the amount of the liability order

the date and amount passed to the bailiff

 

i was always under the impression the council had to have a liability order to send it to the bailiffs

 

did you get the bailiffs name is he certificated

I have the bailiffs name yes, I did the search and it came up as he works for Newlyn plc?

ok you are in a strong position regarding your bailiff because he has not been in your home and you don't own a car

 

if you keep him out you will be OK and the most he can ever charge you is £42.50

 

did the council take you to court for a liability order

get in touch with the council find out how much you still owe keep paying online

I have no idea if the council took us to court for a liability order as literally all they told me was that they couldn't help me it had been moved over. I tried to get more information but the guy on the phone just kept saying he couldn't help me. And as for the bailiff where does he get off charging the extra £120??? At the time I was pretty much crying (that is extremely embarassing to admit) but I was just so upset and everyone was being so unhelpful! If I had had the money right then I would have paid it, do they just play on fear?

Hi

 

 

Try not to panic , lots of us has been in your position and come out the other side:)

 

xxx

I have a different situation but it's just good to hear theres a way out of any of this!

yes you can pay the council online

Arrears due to authority: £199.94 i assume this is all you you owe the council in total

See now this is where I'm confused, we were on a payment plan because (I thought) we owed much more then this because as I said we had fallen quite far behund in the past when my husband was dealing with it.

 

fees to date: £42.50

this is bailiffs fees for 2 visits if you have only had 1 visit then the fee should be £24.50

 

Well this is the first letter we've gotten but perhaps the first visit was the first time we fell behind?

 

he said our total was £362.44. I said we didn't have that and could we pay have now and half in 2 weeks, he said no we're coming to get your stuff.

has the bailiff been in your home or levied on a car if not the fees are wrong

 

He has NOT been in our home and we have no cars. We have also recieved no more letters. I suppose I should call the baliff to find out why he's charging so much but he made me so upset and angry I would find it hard to speak to him to be totally honest.

If possible I would like to deal with only CAB and the council but the council said 'Theres nothing we can do it's already been moved over' it's unbelievale how unhelpful the bailiff and the council have been!

We definitely plan to not open the door to the bailiff I suppose I was just nervous they would say there were someone else and use that to get someone to open the door. We also have a houseguest staying with us so unless I’m actually in the house I’m a bit of a wreck thinking they’ll get in :/

sorry to have so many question but another: if you were to open the door to a baliff are they able to push past you?

My flatmates and I were on a payment plan which I didn't know about, the task of paying the council tax was then given to me, I was a few days late and we got a letter saying it had been moved over to Pheonix baliffs this was dated Monday November 9th. The letter from the baliff says:

Arrears due to authority: £199.94

fees to date: £42.50

total: £242.44

I tried desperatly to contact the baliff all day Tuesday but had no luck, finally Wednsday I did and he said our total was £362.44. I said we didn't have that and could we pay half now and half in 2 weeks, he said no we're coming to get your stuff. This was horribly upsetting as you can imagine. By this time CAB was closed and we were at a loss.

My urgent question is this: a good friend of mine who has issues with the council before suggests that we pay the council tax ONLINE for either the amount we were supposed to pay on our payment plan (£150.00) or the £199.94 which is on the letter. She says even just paying the £150.00 would look good and then explain to CAB the situation. Will this work? I absolutly cannot deal with the baliff he was horrible and unreasonable and also we simply do not have that amount!

They were able to pass it along so quickly because we had fallen behind before which I didn't realize. I suppose it was my fault it wasn't paid in that I was only a couple of days late. My flatmates put it on me to pay it and I had some personal stuff happening and fell just a few days behind, so no I wouldn't say it's all my fault or anything like that. I'm absolutely kicking myself for not having council tax cards and having everyone do it separately but now here we are and phoenix won’t let us make a payment plan and we don’t have the full amount. Also I find it odd that we got the letter on Monday November 9th, I tried all day Tuesday to contact them (called many times, left voicemail) and when I finally was able to get a hold of the man in charge of our case he had somehow added on £120.00 to the amount in the letter from Monday! Is this right?!

We will not be letting them in while I try to sort out who can help us make a payment plan. The whole situation has left me upset, confused and fustrated.

I live in a flat with my husband and another flatmate we had fallen behind on our council tax payment plan (my fault but it was only a few days late!!!!) so they have moved it to phoenix commercial collections who I tried to make a payment plan with but they refused and we just don't have anymore then that. Now I have to admit that I don't really have anything of value. My flatmate does but is there some way we can put the council tax only in my name and let them see in my room I literally have nothing on value at all?

This is almost exactly what is happening to us right now! Except that it is phoenix commercial collections. It is so upsetting and I think the worst bit was that I tried to make a payment plan with the baliff but he refused and was just the **** of the earth!