Just a curious question, how long was it from when you were issued the liability order to when your account was passed to Equita ? Were you told you had to pay Equita direct after the liability order was issued ? Also, which Council is this ? This sounds like another one for Me Hallowitch. Has all the usual hallmarks.

So are they to do with GE Money Home Finance ? I did have a mortgage with them .

Yes its Village Investigations not collections. Does anyone know if they are associated with Credit Solutions ? they are the only people I have had dealings with around that time.

Yes it was experian.

Not sure if this is the best place or wether the Credit Reference forum would be better but here goes. Have done a credit search which has thrown up some interesting info. I have had several searches carried out by DCA`s , one had searched twice within 5 weeks. Another has searched on my current address but I have no idea who they are other than possibly linking them to another company. The DCA was Vicol ( Village Collections Ltd) around the same time I was getting calls and letters from Credit solutions, are these two known to be linked ? I have also had another DCA move an alleged debt to my cuurent address claiming it to be a credit card but they make no mention of who the card is for. On my record, my past few years is showing a good record however this alleged debt they have now moved to my current address is showing defaulted in 2005. I have another DCA who has put up another alleged debt, again with no name of the origional company just says Communications Supplier from Lowell Portfolio 1 Ltd . Im assuming this is for a mobile, my mobile bills are all up to date and can`t recall one ever being cut off etc. Any help would be apreciated as I can see light at the end of the tunnel with my credit rating now.

Hi, Have you posted it yet ??? Would have been better to have done an SAR on the Bailiff company first. Have sent you a PM with details of my aproach.

Have sent you a PM. We really need more classic cases like this to put to other councils to build up some examples to push this.

Would be keen to assist with this if you are up for taking it all the way. Regardless of any notices sent or not sent Barnet have behaved badly and its VERY likely you will get all bailiffs fees paid back. This would also be another classic "Test Case" for what I am trying to prove and pave the way for others. Let me know if you are up for it.

Maybe the next revolution but at this stage its about proving a point and not offereing a no win no fee service. I'm just looking for specific examples to prove a point so this can be rolled out. Am particuarly looking for people who had a bailiff visit within 3 months of the liability order being granted and who have paid off the amount outstanding.

Have been looking at the whole bailiff and council tax issue and have discovered a lot of anomolies in my own case and have filed a complaint to the council. the upshot is I'm looking to try a few "Test Case's" with other councils and am looking for people who have had to pay bailiff fees they did not think was correct, phantom visits etc. who are interested in pursing a council complaint as far as it will go in order to get a complaint justified. Am also especialy looking for people who paid the bailiifs in full at the time of the 1st visit. Due to the nature of what I have uncovered I will only liase with people who have posted what apeers to be a genuine post regarding their issue. I don`t want this to be stopped before I get it started ! If you think this is you and are up for a challenge then PM me. There is absolutly no fees involved and you will be helping others in putting a stop bailiff action.

Am starting to confuse my self now.... So are you saying the council can still let the bailiff collect his alleged fees even if the council tax account is showing a zero balence and they have advised the bailiff the account is clear etc ?

Speak to the council and see if they will accept an arrangement to pay off the arears. You will probably need to send the form back or they will just pass your account to Bailiffs who will start adding more fees and cause more problems. Best thing is to keep it with the council and speak to them asap.

You must put in the letter that you are requesting it under the Freedom of Information Act or they will duck and dive and avoid the issue.

Yes, the council will provide their service level agreement / Code of conduct for bailiffs. Makes interesting reading and in my case did say no subcontracted bailiffs which I would read as no self employed either. You must include the council as co defendant and would also make a formal complaint, escalate through their stages and then take it to the Government ombudsman who will take notice of it.

As well as verbal confirmation from the council that the account was clear I also have letters, a screenshot from the councils system which also included an electronic message advising the bailiff to put my account on hold, return warrant liability order. It also took some months from the account being clear to the bailiff turning up.

Have stumbled across a number of issues with council tax in general as a result of bailiffs at the door and just wonder on a few questions..... The fee for a liability order is around £90 to £100 ish. It seems to vary from area to area. Is that fee a fee that the court charges and recieves , is it a fee that the council charge and they receive or split 2 ways. If if its the latter, does anyone know what amount the court actualy charges for a liability order ?

They allegedly made 2 visits however I know they did not take place. On the 2nd visit they allegedly levied for goods however again I know this did not take place. On the 3rd visit they had no WPO but wanted all the fees for the first 2 visits and an levy fee.

I was fairly sure the police would not get involved however it amazed me that he pretended to speak to them yet he hadn`t. The police were actualy fairly concerened he had used this tactic and are keen for more info and a statement. Another question, if the bailiff had already levied for goods and then a different bailiff returned should he have had a copy of the walking possesion with him or is it acceptable for him to just quote whats owed. ?

Have had a bit of a read through similar, I had a bailiff at my door demanding money however I had already paid the council direct some months previous. The council have confirmed this in writting and so when the bailiff came there was nothing owing on the liability order. He wouldnt leave and tried to call the police on me as well ! Well he pretended to make the phone call however when I spoke to them they had no record of his call so wondering if this is another common tactic to involve or pretend to involve the police.

Can a Bailiff attend to collect to collect fee's alone even if the council tax has been paid to the council directly ? I have confirmation from the council some months prior to a bailiffs visit that the account was cleared yet the bailiff still attended to to seize goods for alleged fee's owing. Also wondered about the walking possesion form and authority from the council letter, does the Bailiff need to have a copy of the walking possesion form with him and also authority from the council ? What if its just to collect fee's alone ?? Have been trying to call the Bailiff advice line for a few days now but its constantly engaged,

We had many of the same issues regarding an SAR, first letters ignored, then asked for £10, then not sent and claimed it must have been lost ...etc etc etc... When it did arive they refused to put anything other than a screen shot which didn`t even show finnancial figures on. Upshot of it is we tackled it from another angle and would recomend 110% for others to do, and that is an SAR to the council. They provided everything down to recordings of telephone calls etc. which has given us enough evidence to show what has gone on.

Just looking at this and wondering, are there many self employed Bailiffs ? Do all the big companies use Self employed bailiffs ? Would have thought that they would all have to be employed by the company.

Hi Gilly, like the others say, keep your car away so it can`t be clamped and don`t let them in or open the door. Would be intersted in what council this is for and what fees the bailiff has added.

Yes , would be very interested. Mine is a very similar case with an attendance fee but no levy etc. I never recieved a full breakdown either and am unlikely to.

which council was that with ? SODC