Hi everyone - I've received a letter stating that Richburns on behalf of EDF are proposing to gain entry to disconnect the mains supply. There is an outstanding invoice but I no longer live at the property. I have called them to make an arrangement to pay and given them my new address to send any correspondence but they have said, regardless of whether I live there anymore, they will still disconnect the supply if I don't pay the full balance today. I rented the property for a year and moved out a couple of weeks ago. The property belongs to the landlord, not me, is it correct that even though I don't live at the address, they can still disconnect the supply and install a pre-payment meter in my absence? Why can't the debt just be assigned to me at my new address? Thanks in advance.

Thanks for this bigal007 - I'll speak with them tomorrow and state that the debt is in the LTD company name and there are no assets belonging to the company at my residential address. Should I strike off my company ASAP? It hasn't traded for a long while and was kept open only to retain the name. Its registered address is NOT my personal home residence. Could a winding up petition be ordered? Not that I understand what that is but it was mentioned by the creditors solicitors back last year. Is it worth me making an offer of repayment to the sherriff? It would then be considered by the creditor. I could explain that the company is defunct, has no assets and that, I, as its director have no assets either. Finally, would bankruptcy be a sensible option for me or perhaps an IVA?

Hi - any further thoughts here?

Thank you, much appreciated.

Wow. I read the document. On my paperwork it is to: My Company Limited (Defendant/Debtor)

Its addressed to the limited company but at my personal address, not the registered company address. There is no mention on any documents of my personal name and surname.

Yes the company became liable for the entire debt unfortunately, I dont know how they got hold of my home address. So the debt is to the company of which I'm the named director. The office I used to run from has now closed and there are no assets there either, its an empty shell. There are certainly no goods at my home address that used to belong to the company, I suppose my laptop could be deemed as being so but thats honestly it.

Hi - the company is a LTD company, I should have mentioned (I'll edit in the original post now)

Hello all, I'm hoping I could be given some guidance. I received paperwork today from the high court: . form 55 - notice of seizure . walking possession agreement The amount is for 16K which is a debt owed to a supplier by my company. In short, we were never paid by our own client, and hence the debt has fallen at our feet. My company hasn't traded for near 2 years now (though its been kept active for future use) and unless things pick up pretty soon, I'm going to apply for job seekers allowance. The recession single handily ruined my business and all my financial freedom. The bailiff hasn't entered my home (yet) and I haven't signed anything, I spoke on the phone to him and he said I need to send a proposal of payment to The Sheriffs Office. I'm wondering what to do next? My company is dormant so should I, at first, strike it off? Or should I consider bankruptcy/liquidation. I don't know the best course. Though the debt is registered against the company, the address they attended is my home. I rent the property and as such nothing, apart from my clothes and a TV, belong to me - how can I be sure they wont attend to take my landlords goods? Should I email a copy of my apartment itinerary to prove 95% of what is here, isn't mine. My vehicle isn't registered in my name or company but I guess I should think about moving it whilst this goes on. I basically have no assets. Is the best course to register unemployed and make this known to the claimant, go bankrupt or make an offer of repayment as best I can right now. I need to make the claimant understand that any offer I do make, is going to be the only amount I can afford. Certainly if I go bankrupt or register unemployed, the amount offered is going to be ridiculously small, whereas, if I try to claw back my business, the amount will be certainly a little better. With many thanks in advance.

Hi PT - no they've never been into my home. You are quite right, it was sent by UKMail and after any time to comply.

Hello everyone - a quick update, I received a letter on the 14/4/12 from a company called M3PR: http://imgur.com/A38xX I do owe them the balance of the court fine which is 290.00. Is the content of this letter correct? If I were to pay, for example, next Thursday (26/4/12) would they not accept it because it would be beyond the '5 days from the date of this letter' (which would be yesterday, 19th). If that were the case, then today would be the 'first Friday following the expiry' as they have detailed. I notice that the proprieters of this company are Excel Civil Enforcement so I assume this is just a guise to get even more heavy handed. Can I assume, if they don't turn up today, that my deadline is next Friday? If so, can I pay on the Thursday or will they just ignore the gesture? I wouldn't have thought so. Finally, can they use a locksmith? This is a court fine after all. Many thanks in advance everyone.

Well, I can't really afford it in all honesty, its money owed to others than invariably is pushed to another source. Its not great, but its necessary unfortunately. Yes, the court had effectively 'sold' it, I suppose. Hey, ho.

Ok I contacted the court who told me to speak with Excel directly. They told me another bailiff has been assigned and I was given his number, a Mr Durrant. I spoke with him and agreed to pay £510 tomorrow with the remaining amount at the end of this month. I was shocked when he asked, "How about we leave you for a few hours so you can call a few people and get some more money". Quite offended really, thankfully laying hands on the £510 didnt involve asking cap in hand to friends and family but I do sincerely feel for those people who have to do that, its degrading. Anyhow, 510 tomorrow, I wont let them in, I'll get a receipt and await another visit on the 28th of this month.

Here's more weight as its Gwent court who issued the fine: http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/archive/2012/03/01/Latest+News/9564494.Gwent_crackdown_launched_on_court_fines/ I'll call them now. Wish me luck.

Oh God. I've made a massive mistake here. It is, as most have correctly identified, infact a mag court fine (motoring related) and nothing to do with my council tax, I'd completely forgotten about it and now its accrued so many different charges its near twice the original amount. How embarrassing. Sorry if I've wasted peoples time here. Though, I'm still in the same pickle, albeit its now actually pretty serious. I can muster possibly half of that £810 for Friday, do you think they'd accept that? Is it worth calling the office or should I try and negotiate with the bailiff. I dont want them anywhere near my home, so I might wait outside the gates for them to arrive instead. Is this the right course? I feel like a right plumb.

Hhmmm, well R&R entered initially and took a list of my possessions. Is that still withstanding? I'll contact Excel later and post the response I'm given by their goons.

Ok, on Friday I'll just have to talk to them through the door. This is all terribly embarrassing. Forgive my paranoia but they arent going to return with locksmiths are they? Thanks again, the support of this forum has really been helpful, I've had sleepless nights over this.

This also adds some weight and this was same period last year, March being the month of CT public flogging it seems: Cardiff fine dodgers warned of new crackdown Cardiff magistrates have hailed a clampdown on court fine dodgers a "huge success" and say they will run it again. They say about £150,000 of unpaid fines, fees and compensation has been reclaimed since 1 March as part of a targeted operation. Magistrates, court staff, bailiffs and the police joined forces to issue 828 arrest warrants. Offenders who had failed to pay were jailed or forced to pay up. Viv Edwards, deputy chair of the bench at Cardiff Magistrates' Court, said: "People with outstanding fines who ignore the orders of the court will continue to be targeted and will be arrested and brought back to court to ensure that outstanding fines are paid. "The message from 'Operation Crackdown' is clear; fines will be enforced robustly and those who do not pay can expect to suffer the consequences, which can involve the loss of property and the loss of liberty. "Fines imposed by the court are due on the day they are imposed and any time to pay granted by the court is a concession and not a right." More than £29m worth of fines are outstanding in Wales, with a third owed by people in south Wales. HM Courts Service (HMCS) organised a similar operation in February 2010 in which 9,425 warrants were executed and £1.02m collected across England and Wales.

Thanks everyone. Ok, this has shown that the debt is for CT and its the real deal, following going to court, then R&R now to Excel. What should I do in respect of Friday, if I call them I do need to explain that if they arrive here, I wont have 810 in cash available so its a wasted trip. Would this mean they'd return with the police? I just need more time to resolve this, I can get the funds together but I'd need at least a fortnight as opposed to 4 days. I accept I should have kept to the 150 p/m agreement, and I had been doing so, one month default and R&R write to me stating the agreement wont be reinstated and then I get this 'operation crackdown' letter. I have 150, I would prefer to get back to the arrangement but I suppose this wont be possible now. Anxious.

Thanks again all. I do have a sinking feeling this may have gone to court, then passed to R&R, I defaulted with them (just the one month, Feb) and its now with Excel. I will check my paperwork in an hour. If that IS the case, what is the best recourse if it is infact a magistrates court fine. When R&R visited (I know, I shouldnt have let them in) they did an inventory of my apartment, I did explain that all but the TV were the property of the landlord and not myself. They told me it made no difference and that the goods would be taken regardless, and the landlord would be contacted to verify the goods were infact his, and he could then recover them. Is that true? Apologies for going slightly off topic.

Thanks everyone for all your help here, its really appreciated. The amount is 810.00 - 'brassnecked' has kindly posted a copy of the letter link in this thread. In the brief conversation I had with Excel over the phone, they told me the debt 'had been sold to them' by R&Roberts.

Hi Brassnecked - no, no outstanding fines. I've uploaded a copy of the letter, its at tinyurl dot com forward slash letterfrombailiff (the forum wont allow any links yet, as I need another few posts)

Here's an explanation of operation crackdown: "Operation Crackdown is the second campaign of its kind in Wales and will focus on a specific, undisclosed area in South Wales. Lyn Harding, enforcement director for the courts service, said: “Outstanding fines are at a pretty high level. The purpose of the operation is to make sure the fines are collected, so that people have confidence in the magistrates’ courts who imposed them.” Where necessary, those who refuse to co-operate will be arrested and appear in a fines court at a time specially set aside to deal with defendants targeted by the operation" Should I call them up and tell them that if they do come on Friday, I wont have £810 in cash.

Hi Conniff - no, I'm in Wales and its Welsh CT

Hello everyone - received a letter on red paper today from Excel Enforcement Ltd - 'certificated bailiffs and sheriffs officers'. It's for outstanding council tax, I did have an arrangement to pay with Ross & Roberts but missed last months payment and so it appears to have been sold on to these guys - 'operation crackdown' seems a bit OTT to me. So, they've told me to find 810 in cash by Friday 6AM when they'll be coming to get it. It suggest on the letter that I could be arrested and put into police custody? Should I be overtly concerned? I'm going to struggle to find near 1K before Friday thats for sure.