Good morning all...... Just need a bit of quick advice. I had for the 3rd time in a month had a visit from Bristow and Sutor regarding Council Tax, we have never let them into our home at any point. And as I understand it they cannot force entry. However the letter pushed through the door mentioned The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 schedule 12, after reading up on this can they gain a warrant to gain entry? or are BS just pulling things out of the air in hope of gaining entry by peaceful means? The letter said I have to make contact by Tuesday otherwise they are coming back and what that is supposed to mean I'm not sure. But to confirm again BS have never gained peaceful entry into our home. All advice is most welcome.

I have been in a long running dispute with Bristow & Sutor over a Council Tax Bill for several months now. They told me I had to pay £445 per month or else, at first i paid it just to keep them off my back, but I got made redundant and only had my partners income coming in, the £445 I was paying them became unsustainable . I have not let them into my property at any time, and have started to stand my ground with them, I have now refused to pay them and have said I will only deal with the council, my question is can they force entry now this new bill has been passed through government, or has the industry got to become fully regulated before it comes into force?

Hi everyone I hope you can help me please. In 2008 I left my council house to move into a private rented house. While we had been at the house we had been behind with the rent, but over a few months I had managed to get back up to date. Fast forward to October 2013 we applied to get back on the council list and were turned down due to an outstanding amount of unpaid rent on our old account. The amount was for £136. I was certain that it was paid but wanted to make sure so that we could continue with our application for a house. I asked the council in writing to send me my account details so that I could see what I owed and why. I didnt hear from them again. In the end we moved to another private rented house and we claimed council tax and housing benefit, meaning that the council had our new address (we weren't trying to hide anyway). On Saturday morning (29th March 2014) we received a letter from Bristow and sutor for £136. It says that we have to pay in full within 7 days, we must pay them and send any correspondence to them and not the council? I know it is not a huge amount but I am still unable to find it within 7 days and to be honest I have dealt with these people before from a debt that had mistakenly tried to pin on me and I don't trust them. Can I just ask the Council to send me a statement of my old rent account and then make arrangements to deal with them by paying on their online form? I was going to offer the council 3 payments of approx £45.50 over the next 3 months, but if dealing with Bristow and Sutor it is as though they go out of their way to make it harder. Thank you for reading this Jaylie x

Hi all, I rang my local authority this morning to sort out my council tax as I've recently moved home and I'm now in a better financial position to pay it, the letter I had from the council states I owe £761.98 however I need to apply retrospectively for the 25% single persons discount which the guy I spoke to said couldn't be applied today. We agreed a payment plan of £100 per month to clear it and he went off to speak to his colleagues, when he called me back he said the payment plan was no good as the debt had gone to the bailiffs already and as such the council were unable to take the debt back, he also told me that he could see the bailiffs had me down for a visit today? I have found a letter that I had packed away in my old place from Bristow Sutor dated 22nd Feb stating I owe £899.48, this amount is surely incorrect as those fee's seem extortionate. The letter stated the bailiff visited on 21st Feb but found nowhere to leave a letter securely (I lived in a block of flats). Anyway, I have a few questions: 1) is there a letter template anywhere I can send to the bailiffs requesting info on the charges they have levied? 2) can I tell the bailiffs, by letter, that I wont deal with them regardless of what they do and that I will be paying the council direct? 3) is there anything the bailiffs can do to stop me doing the above? Thanks in advance!

I had a letter from bristow and sutor as I owed council tax to the value of about £200, I spoke with them and said that I could not afford to pay £40 per week as they were asking me to. They told me to wait until a bailiff came round and I could arrange a payment plan over a longer period of time. Unfortunately having had them round for a previous debt, I am fully aware of the visit charges that can be incurred, I asked what would happen if the bailiff attends while I am not in as Im not sat in the house all day! I was informed that the bailiff would leave his number and I could contact them and see if they were able to come back and if not I could make the payment plan with the office and would not incur a visit fee. A bailiff attended yesterday and I was not in, he did not leave his number just a letter telling me to call the office and that I owed £47.21 which included a visit charge of £24.70. I called the office and asked why this had decreased and the council had told them I was owed council tax relief. When I explained what I had previously been told, the lady told me I must have misunderstood and that there was no way I had been told all of the above on the previous call and that I should take legal advice if I don't want to pay the charge! I'm very annoyed as I know what I heard and don't know where to go from here! Please help!

Hi could someone help me please? I have just a a bailiff round to see me and as I was home with my 2 young babies I lied and said I wasn't me. Now he has taken the letter away with a false name on it and I don't have a payment plan. So I will need to have them back out to me, and he will know I've lied, and I don't know how much trouble that will land me in? Does anyone know what I can do? Feeling very Ill with the stress now.

Hi, A person from Bristow and Sutor came yesterday, I didn't answer door, he posted a letter. Apparently I owe an amount for council tax. I checked my receipts and I owe half of what B&S are claiming that I owe. I am a single parent and cannot afford to pay the amount all in one go. Can I ask the council to buy back the debt from B&S and set up a payment plan with the council? Thank you.

Help, We have had a letter from Bristow & Sudor saying that Rugby Council had obtained liability for my council tax and that i need to pay the full balance in the next 14 days or further action will be taken. We have been paying £120 per month to the council already for the council tax and didnt know how best to proceed, I am not in a position to pay off the full balance of the council tax however would like to continue paying instalments. Do I continue making my £120 payment to the council via their website or do I make contact with B&S and make the same payment to them? They have not visited me only send my the first letter saying that I need to direct all payments to them. Any help would be appreciated as this is rather stressful.. Thanks Scott

Hi guys, perhaps I could get some help here with dealing with Bristow & Sudor ref my council tax. We have had a letter from them saying that they have been ordered to commence recover action for my council tax, this is after we have been paying £120 per month for the council tax directly to them via their website payments screen. B&S are saying that we have 14 days to pay the full balance before they start proceeding which we are unable to do. What is the best / correct way of dealing with them in regards to setting up a payment plan that does not financially cripple us yet stops any nasty door stop visits ? Hope someone can help. Thanks Scott

hi need advice urgently please, my girlfriend has had bristow and sutor at the door, i told her not to let them in,so she didn't....but her car was on the driveway and they wrote a inventory of goods seized for the car...reg number make and model and tax disc info on the sheet and posted it through the door. now my question is i will pay her overdue council tax by debit card directly on line, where would she then stand with the bailiffs? also could they remove the car before or after payment?

help please if possible just had bristow and sutor at my door for unpaid nndr from 2004 he said ive come to take goods i said your not coming in he said ill take your car i said its not mine its the wifes (worth £400 ) amount owed is around £700 one thing the car is registered to my wife and the receipt when she got the car is made out to her i drove off with the car anyway they left paperwork saying they have seized the car but tax unknown why do this im sure they have the powers to check the cars not mine and theres also a caravan on the drive but never even mentioned this any advise please

Hi All Right in a past life i got in a mess with a number of things C/Tax was one of them got 3 different accounts outstanding to a total of around £1500 so not outrageous been having some visits from these people demanding that we pay them for 1 of the accounts totaling £246.52 (as you may tell I have had dealing with them before) my wife was getting a bit worried I said I would start a good will payment to the council (not B&S) of £5 per week on each of the 3 accounts (total £15pw) council have refused this offer before as I refuse to show my income and outgoings (none of there bloody business) got a visit from B&S tonight trying to demand payment to them (again) threatening my wife (i was in the bath at the time) that they was coming to take our stuff even after she said we were paying the council she shut the door (I keep telling her not to open it to them but she never listens) they posted there 3rd final notice RED letter through the door that is showing a change in the balance (Paid £15 onto this account in the past 3 weeks) reduction by £10 (guess there is a delay in the accounts being updated) whats my next step with B&S as being like that with my wife is not on I am more annoyed that I did not wait for my bath I am sure somebody will have a nice firework i can shove up there rear and light

Hi, Thanks for taking the time to read this. I stupidly got two parking tickets last year, which I accept was my fault. I had a lot going on I was in and out of hospital having operations on my kidney, I lost my job and home and simply forget to pay these tickets. I moved into a shared house at the start of this year and on the 28/5/13 got home to a letter from Bristow and Sutor advising that I owed £814.89 which included a charge of £254.41 for their visit that day. I then had another visit from them and I let the bailiff in, he made a list of my belongings I explained I wasn't working as a week before I'd been let go from my new job, due to no fault of my own. He agreed a payment of £20 a month. Unfortunately I simply couldn't afford the first month so waited and paid double the second month when I'd started my new job. I got home to a letter the day I'd made that payment, stating they had been out again and had added another £200 + onto my outstanding amount? I called the bailiff and he was extremely rude and said if I didn't pay him there and then he would come back that night and take everything and if he didn't come back that night he'd be back the next day and if I wasn't there he would come to my place of work and take my car from the car park? Can they do that??..He never turned up, so I called them the next day and they said he could and would do it if I didn't agree to paying £100 a month. I agreed simply to stop him coming back, but I can't afford it and have to pay by the end of this month!.. Any help and advise would be really appreciated. I'd just like to know where I stand and if what they say is true? Thank you

Hi all, right lets go from begining. Bristow and sutor has started sending letters for £1800 council tax which we started making payments by instalments of £400 every fortnight. apparently we have missed and forgotten making last payment of £391 and month later they send warning letter saying we have to pay it otherwise they will visit. they came to our house few days ago but we didnt open the door and he put the letter thu with fees of £180. i have spoken to them and i told them we were about to make a full payment tomorrow (friday) but because £180 fees is ridicilous we will not pay it and they said thats because he came with a van to remove the goods and i told him there is no proof he came with a van and the charges are stupid and it should have only be £18. he has been here once but we did not let him in so he has no list of goods. he said we can make the payment of £391 tomorrow and the £180 fees next month. we are not going to pay £180 as its bit stupid. are the charges right ? what you guys reckon we should do ? thanks in advance for help.

Have been having problems with Bristow Sutor over two parking fines. Never received the necessary details from Cotswold DC and the matter was passed to Bristow Sutor. Again never received anything from them until a bailiff appeared at the door without notice. Did not let him in. He wanted £560.48 there and then. He asked about my car parked outside. I told him it was a Motability car. He then went away and two minutes later put a Notice of Seizure Goods and an Inventory of Goods Received through my letter box - and of course he put on the forms - my Motability car. He sped off. I have been following the various threads on here - very informative thank you, and did what was advised to other similar cases. I am considered a vulnerable person, I am on the highest level with DLA for both care and mobility on an indefinite basis. I suffer with a chronic disease and only came out of hospital 2 days before the bailiff visited, having undergone further heart surgery. I suffered a major heart attack last July and this has left me in a very poor state. And this is not helping. I did as was advised to other people on here and sent a letter to Bristow Sutor explaining my vulnerability and asked for the case to be returned to the council. Received an email back a few minutes ago saying they would not do that. I also copied my letter to Cotswold DC and they have received it and they say they have forwarded it to the relevant people. As you can imagine this is doing nothing to for my health at all and I am experiencing similar bad heart pains to my heart attack, although I don't think I am having one! The tickets were given to me when I parked in a safe place to visit the toilets, showing my disability badge and clock. I explained to the council why I parked where I did for 5 minutes at a time, I had only come out of hospital two days prior to this, my wife drove me for an afternoon out, I was not allowed to drive at that time. To spare you the nasty details, the medication I was taking meant I had to visit the toilets quite frequently. What can I do now do you think. Desperate Chris

I received a summons for unpaid council tax for a property i used to live in a couple of years ago. The amount was for £513.64 They asked for 1 payment of 257.00 and a second payment of 256.64. They refused to accept anything lower even though i couldnt afford that amount. I paid £50 online last month and today i have come home to find a letter hand delivered from Bristow Sutor demanding payment of £540.14. What can i do?? I am happy to pay monthly installments but in no way can afford the entire amount up front

Hi there, I have just had a visit from a B& S enforcer who has messed me around all day. Back in November I allowed entry on thier firs visit and i signed a walking possession order.. The man DID NOT list any goods during this visit. The debt was for £340.00 and he asked me to pay £33.00 per WEEK. At that point i was a single mum on income support. I told him that i could not afford this and he eventually agreed to £65 per month and told me that i only had a certain amount of time to pay it and that was the lowest figure he could agreed to(even though i made it very clear that i could not afford it) I managed to meet the first payment but then defaulted on the second (february). They returned to my property about 2 months ago, added a charge of £180 and i made a payment of £70, i told them that i would make a payment once a month of £50 They returned 2 days befor the month was up and added another £180 I made the next payment on 17 april. The next payment was due this coming Friday, They came again today at 1:30pm while i was at work. My friend was here decorating. they told him that they would return at 3pm to seized the goods listed in the walking possession order (there was none listed) I rang them straight away and he told me that he wanted payment now or he would return at 3 and add another £180 and seize my goods. I tried to reason with him and offered to pay the full amount on tuesday of next week which he said was now £450. He wouldnt have it. I got the cash together, called him and he said he would visit my work place to collect. He called me at 4pm and said that he was tied up and would get to me before 5 or would return to my house after as i would be finished work. At 6:37 I had heard nothing so i called him, he said he would be 30 mins. He turned up here at 8pm. I had done my reasearch and told him that i had his money but first i wanted to satisfy myself that they had the right to do what they were doing. I asked him for 2 things: 1.Evidence that it was mandatory that i paid the debt in 7 months which resulted in high, unaffordable payments (he told me on the phone that this was ordered by the council) 2. the "list" of goods that i had signed for and agreed to on the WPO. He did not produce evidence of 1 He produced and sheet of paper with a list of goods that did not tally with the contence of my house completely.. there was listed items that were in my kitchen/diner and i can only assume what was meant to be my front room tv. At NO time did the guy who took the WPO enter my lounge, he only stood in my kitchen. The list i was shown tonight did NOT have my signature on it and I have never seen it before. Does all this sound genuine, acceptable and in accordance with guidlines? He left saying that i was "messing him"around and added another £180 to the bill. He told me that i had til tomorrow morning to pay by card or he would return, add another £180 and seize my good via forced entry. I have the £450 cash in an envelope right now, i have no way of paying before the morning! Someone please tell me that they have made mistakes and that i can redress this some how? Thank you!

Hi, I have searched through the forums but cant seem to find a thread close to the issue I am having. I got a PCN, totally forgot about it and we moved house. We went back to the old house to pick up mail and found a notice of assignment from B&S and also a notification of visit, these were 12 days apart. The outstanding balance claiming to be £129.04. I then paid this online and in full 25th March. We went back to the house to find another visit from the B&S 30th April showing a balance of 312.00. I checked online that the payment had been made, which it had which meant I was now in a position of owing £312 on top of £129.04 which I had already paid - total £441.04! I called B&S to say I had paid in full but they claim there was another visit 19th March which added a charge of £152! I had no notification regarding the visit. I asked for a breakdown of fees which they list as following; Opening balance £82 21/02 letter £13.44 5/03 visit £33.60 19/03 visit £108.00 19/03 attendance fee £44 30/04 visit £108 I don't understand how they get to these figures because they don't add up? Please could I get some advice how to stop this - I just don't know where to start and it is making me terrified. Many thanks in advance

ok i arrived home from work to find bailiffs at my girlfriends door, apparently they came in feb and she allowed them in to make an inventory of things to take and signed a form to say so, she didn't tell me about this,i have only been with her just over a year and maybe she was scared to tell me. anyway she didn't make the payments and since they made the inventory i have moved in with her and brought most of my furniture and household appliances, there was £952 owing, because i didn't have time to seek advice i payed £515 on my credit card plus a £20 fee, they also charged £170 because they came with a van to seize goods and £50 per half hour they were at our address. she has had an attachment of earnings since nov 2010 of around £50 per month,i asked her what debt she owes the council and she doesn't know!!! do you think £170 for attending with a van is a fair charge,and what should i do now. i told her she should have told me the first time they came,and she should not have let them in but thats to late now.they also said if we didn't sign an inventory for her car they would seize that for the balance of £417.56. i intent to make the 3 instalments we have agreed to,so that shouldn't really be a problem,just after some advice moving foreward, thanks you in advance phil

Can somebody please help me. I have had a 2300 pound debt and paid 1200,a change in circumstances means i am currently out of work. I have contacted Bristow and sutor and explained the situation. Even though there are 2 names on the debt they have chased me. I am willing to pay the debt but cannot afford 300 pound a month and they have said i have defaulted levy'd my car and I feel that they bully. Every other company I have dealt with have been great. I have informed them i am very willing to pay the bill just not this month due to no money. I am frightened that they are going to land on my doorstep bully my son as i have landed a new job whilst i am away training. I have spoken to the council, national debt line and bristow and sutor. Council wont take the debt back and say it's nothing to do with them. Bristow and sutor say it does and they are getting the money anyway they can.

Hi all, Came home to a Bailiffs letter posted through door with a notice of seizure of goods. Two things that are important her is that I have an arrangement with Council for arrears, due to an accident was unable to pay at the time but have been paying since back at work. I have not received any letters from Bailiffs to say that they now handle the case ? I have received letters from council threatening action but brought the account up to date on the arrangement. Now these Bailiffs have put a seizure notice on my Daughters car that was in the driveway, is this a measure of there level of intelligence or just there idea of trying to frighten people. I do understand they can not take anything that is not mine but what reason would they do this ? The other thing is they have 5 levy fees as the Council tax for whatever reason is broken up into separate bills, the levy fee charges are relevant to the amount owed ie. the higher the amount owed the higher the levy fee ? is this correct. They have given me a 5 day notice for removal of goods ( Daughters Car ) Lastly the council will not deal with me, have told me I have to deal with the Bailiffs now ! Thank you for any help you can give

Hi all. I'm posting this on behalf of a friend/neighbour. I'm afraid that the details are going to be patchy, because her paperwork isn't great and she seems to have done most of this on the phone. She has two liability orders from her local council for unpaid CT. The first is for £179.00, and the second is for £560.00. At initial bailiff attendance, he took down her current circumstances (two adults, one child, both adults currently unemployed) and told her to contact B&S offices. She contacted the offices and agreed to pay £104 a month (!) which would be coming out of her child benefit of £80 topped up by £24 from her JSA. This is barking, she clearly can't afford it. Unsurprisingly, the first payment, which was due beginning of last month by standing order, bounced. She hasn't contacted them by phone since then (and can't - her phone is on incoming calls only and the only number given on the paperwork is an 0871 number which she definitely can't call from a mobile or payphone) but has written to them with no response. She had another bailiff visit on 29/11 while they were out. As far as I can tell from the paperwork she has, she's been charged £42.50 per visit. Can someone please give me an outline of what she should do in this situation? I understand that the council won't take the debt back in order to take payment direct from her benefits due to there being two liability orders? There's no levy in place, and she has no car. Additionally, there's no email address on any of the paperwork, although there is an online account option - this doesn't work, when she tries to log in it just says that due to the type of debt she's not able to make an online payment arrangement.

Wonder if anyone can give me a bit of advice,please Got my TE3 from TEC charge of £75 + £7 court reg fees total £82.oo Now got these toe rags in tow Bristow & Sutor , who I have missed for some reason but am always in when they post through door, they do not knock 15/01/13 Notification of a visit[1st contact with them either via post or door] Say I amount due £258.08 including fees of £33.60, no itention of phoning them, and I have had illness issues anxiety & depression & still under meds etc Today get visit, am in but no knock and letter through door Notification of Bailiff Visit no amount other than £108.00 for visit today 1man 1 vehicle £90 + £18 VAT No levy made [toe rags wont get in nor be let in] so how can he charge for a vehicle and charge VAT Mobile number to ring but not falling for that one either Anybody know Who they are and the debt from £82 seems to have increased rather alot, no itention of dealing with them, council office young jumped up whipper snapper no help thanks in advance

Hello, I arrived home last night to find a letter from Bristow & Sutor bailiffs stating I owe them £198.24 for a parking fine from Leicester City Council. I paid this fine directly to LCC months ago after a long dispute. The council have no record of any outstanding debt, so i'm assuming they're after their own fees. They say yesterdays visit was £140ish. The bailiff was named as B Ward, I cannot find him on the official register... Any advice would be gratefully recieved., Thanks

Hiya. Need advise please asap. About 2 months ago a council tax final notice letter turned up my door step.It isnt from the address where i live now its from my prev address from 2008 to 2009 ,they state £489.00 is owed Anyway i rang the council and questioned this due to my husband being on dla and esa at this time ,they gave me a weeks leway and asked i get a letter from ESA to provide evidence of my claim etc ,done all this and ESA wasnt happy the council needed a letter when all they had to do was call and get the information straight from the horses mouth so to speak.Sent letter from esa to council and today i recieved a letter from the council stating that i was underpayed for the dates in question by the amount of 91.52 i could either have a cheque to cover this or pay it off my arrears,so i called the council again this morning and asked them what arrears i still have they told £489.00 ,i actually cannot understand how iv been underpayed and still owe them money ,spoke to very snotty lady in council tax dept and she said its from another year and i should pay the underpayed money im opwed off this balance ?????? strikes me they dont know what they are talking about ,anyway she stated my debt was with bristows and sutor and she gave me an 0871 number to call to ask what will happen if i pay the £91.52 off the debt ,couldnt get through so i put in my case number on the b&s website and they dont have record of it....Do the council have to inform me that my debt is now passed on to bailiffs before the bailiff can knock my door ?? please help and advise needed as my disabled husband is getting very very stressed about this and im none to good myself