Okay so this is a bit messy! Basically (after 3 years) a baliff company send me their breakdown - my payments their charges - they show I did pay them all of my debt AND charges of over £400!!! However, council still asks for the money and even has set up a commital hearing!!! But I try to explain it quickly: Basically I owe the council a sum of £4019 for council tax 10/11, 11/12, 12/13. I was shocked when I found out the sum! I had one bailiff company coming to me in 10/11 and the same in 11/12. I used to pay them a lot of money - after paying them all together over 2400£ I stopped as the more I paid the more I owed! They never provided me with a breakdown nor did the council help me out in this case. I got into debt for 11-12 and 12-13 , because I was to say at least confused about what is happening with my payments! However I did try to set up a payment plan for 12/13 with a new bailiff company who called me horrible names. I was devasted when I found out that I have 2 commital hearings and that I owe the council over £4000 (well now I know I only owe them max 2000£! but they do not seem to know). My partner however said something cannot be right and so we called the council so they can send us their breakdown of what I owe them and what I pay. My partner saw then that I made almost no payments according to their papers, however had proof of paying them at least 400£ in 2012/13 which did not show. So I emailed them and they said these payments were calculated in my 2010/11 payments simply because they are the oldest outstanding debts. Fair enough .But that would mean I paid £0 in 3 years! impossible! Thank God I also asked them to ask the bailiff company to send me a breakdown of their charges as they never did and was surprised to see that this time I did receive one! And what did I see there?!!! I paid MY FULL DEBT for 2010/11 and crazy charges of £400!!! So my question is: WHY DO THE COUNCIL DOES NOT KNOW THAT?!?!?! They must know because Phoenix has the breakdown as they have send it to me! Plus how can I get those charges back? They charged me stuff like: 250£ van costs and the again 50£ van costs and never picked anything up! and other crazy charges!! The biggest problem is that because of their mistakes I owe the council for 11/12 and 12/13 because at one point I stopped paying as my debt was growing the more I paid whch was ridicioulous! I was advised to write the CEO of the council - which I will do and I have attached the breakdown and evidenve of my payments. But I will be still left with a courts hearing and bailiffs on my neck for this year. So I want him to call all actions off and let me pay my debt off to the council withing 10months with monthly direct debit payments. I think I am quite reasonable here?! They made a fool out of me, messed up my finances, let me miss days of work, stress etc! DO you think he will accpet my offer and cancel my hearing and call of the bailiffs from 2012/2013? Please help me guys! I feel totally confused - but as well happy to be able to proof that I do not owe a penny for 2010/11! Cant undertsand why they still ask me for it and want me to go to court.... So I do own them 2000£ instead of 4000! Which is quite a difference....

Hi all, It might be a little bit cheeky and not sure if it is possible but thought it was worth a try. i have recently moved in with my partner and we've been sorting the finances and I've found out that she paid over £1000 to a bailiff over the past year. One was for clamping a vehicle and cost just under £600 just for one visit (for PCN). The reason I'm asking about claiming back is because she had a terrible year in her personal life, very bad anxiety and mental health problems. She was the single mother of 3, one who is disabled and all this pretty much tipped her over the edge. I sorted out the last bailiff problem with the council and they took back the debt and everything is a lot better now. But the bailiff was horrible and threatened me so I'd much prefer any money my partner spent to be in her pocket than the bailiff. Is there any way of claiming back? Was it legal to clamp the car for a parking ticket when she has a disabled child? He was overcoming cancer and the car was needed for trips to the hospital but the bailiff said that didn't matter and she had to pay the £600 anyway. So that's all, any advice would be appreciated Thanks

Hi - new user, so hope I'm in the right place to post this Had a Bailiff at my partners house (we don't live together) he left a notice of seizure of goods with his son. He didn't show any ID and his son didn't let him in. He noted a few items in garden i.e. furniture etc and left. My partners says he never received any letters etc in post to say it had gone to court or was being sent to Bailiff - maybe he did ? we would have paid it immediately if we had seen it. It was for £340 owed to council for council tax. The notice said to pay £340 council tax, £24.50 first visit fee, £35.00 Levy fee and a whopping £220 for enforcement costs ?!!!! He didn't take any goods and was there 5 mins filled out form and left. I called to pay the debt to him - and tried to get the enforcement costs taken off. I had looked on line and it said they are illegal costs but he wasn't having any of it. In the end I paid on credit card - additional 5% charge as I was scared and worried he'd return and take furniture from garden - which worth more than the £340 owed. I looked online to see if he was an accredited bailiff - at justice.gov.uk and he's not on the list I want to claim back the enforcement costs - too steep for such a small debt. And it also looks like it's not legal to add this kind of fee on top of a debt. Do I go to my credit card company and get them to stop payment - try and resolve it. ? Do I go to the council and complain and also the debt agency - Alexanders ? Any advice from someone who's had experience or knows what to do would be very much appreciated. Many thanks

A a current thread highlights Harrow Borough Council, apparently allowing its bailiff contractor, Newlyn, to charge a £235 fee for a single attendance in connection with Council Tax enforcement. Harrow council caused controversy when it called for its bailiff contractor to hand back 8% of its fees collected from householders who owed money to the council. Is this why Newlyns are having to inflate their fees to the point of extortion? Coincidentally, a Freedom of Information request has been submitted to Harrow which might throw light on why the council allows its bailiff contractor to impose these levels of charges.

Thought I'd share this - more for the sake of sharing, although any advice appreciated. My parents received a visit from a Newlyn bailiff at their address for a council tax debt I'd forgotten about (with a liability order I believed I had paid, but I hadn't). The letter said it was their third visit and he had come to seize goods - however no correspondence had been received at the address prior to the visit and the bailiff did not ring the doorbell or knock the door. By chance, my parents solicitor was present at the time, and also witnessed the bailiff come down the drive, push a letter through the mailbox, and not knock the door. He put the walking levy on her BMW - which was pure comedy, really. Note - I do not live at my parents' address! But they let me know, so I paid Harlow Council what I owed them and contacted Newlyn. Newlyn claimed that they had visited twice before, and wanted to charge me around £160 in fees for these visits. My parents are over 80, so they do not go out much, and they knew for certain that they were in the house on the dates that Newlyn claimed the bailiff had visited the first and second time - but no correspondence had been left, and the doorbell hadn't been rung, and the door had not been knocked on these dates. 5 or 6 letters later, Newlyn provide me with the GPS reports for the bailiff that clearly show that his vehicle was right outside my parents' house on the dates they claim the bailiff visited. However, my parents are willing to go as far as making a legally sworn statement that they were in the house on those dates and times and that the bailiff made no attempt to contact them or leave any notice of his visit. They know they were in, and they know they had no visitors. Newlyn said the onus was on me to prove that the bailiff did not visit, but refused to accept an affidavit from my parents as evidence, as it 'could be biased' (because affidavits are just worthless???). They're asking me to prove that someone didn't visit a house I don't even live in. No correspondence had been received at any point before that alleged 3rd visit - from either Harlow Council who I owed the debt to, or Newlyn Plc. I wrote to Harlow Council regarding the matter of the fees Newlyn were chasing, and they never replied. This is what I've done: 1. I've complained to the court that Newlyn would not accept an affidavit from my parents, 2. I've complained to the local council omnibudsman that Harlow Council were avoiding entering into correspondence with me regarding the matter. 3. I've asked Newlyn Plc to provide me with copies of all correspondence they claim they sent prior to the visits, and the correspondence that the bailiff allegedly left on his first and second visits. Anyone with any similar stories? What was the outcome?

please help! I woke up this morning to find my car had been clamped at 5am. When I called the mobile number on the notice which they bailiff had left i was advised that my car had been clamped as a result of non payment of 3 separate PCN - none of which I was aware of. When I explained my case I discovered that the PCNs had been sent to my old address - admittedly I'd forgotten to update my address with DVLA/Log book. However, I do find it strange that my car was clamped outside my new address given that all the letters went to my old address... As it stands the bailiff won't give me PCN reference numbers and I've been unable to speak to anyone at the council - recorded messages etc - so I really dont know where to turn. The bailiff is asking for £1700 to remove the clamp and if i dont pay they will tow it away. I need the car to get to work but like most people I dont have £1700 to spare and nor do I think its justified - in fact Ive got no idea what this figure is made up of. Basically I need to know what I can do to resolve this nightmare. Is it best to pay up and hope to pursue refund via courts or should I try and pursue through council in hope that my car is not towed in the meantime? Apolgies if this posting is in any way unclear - I'm stressed beyond belief! Any advice would be gratefully received

Unfair Bailiff Charges Help Reclaim- Penalty Charge Notice Please Could some one help me with reclaiming unfair bailiff charges The Story: 1) I had a penalty charge notice with Haringey Council which was disputed. 2) I made representations to Haringey Council and did not receive rejection notice in connection with the Penalty Charge Notice. 3) I then filled out a Witness Statement for unpaid penalty charge notice- form TE9, stating that i had made representations within 28 days of service of notice but did not receive a rejection notice, this was done on 20.02.2012. 4) on 23.03.2012 i received a letter from JBW group- High court enforcement and certified bailiffs, saying a warrant of execution has been issued, and i have 7 days to pay. 5) I then wrote to the Court directly on the 26.03.2012 stating I had made representations and had not received any rejection notice. Also telling them that I have now received a letter from the bailiffs, demanding a payment of £221.44, a copy the letter enclosed herewith. Further stating on the letter I would be grateful if you could put a hold on this matter and advice Haringey Council and the bailiffs not to take any further action until I have been given the opportunity to have my representations considered accordingly. 6) The TE9 form, which i had sent to the court earlier, was returned to me on the 27.03.2012 by the Court stating that they have been unable to process the form and is returned, reasons being that the witness statement was received outside the timescale allowed and the requested me to complete another "Out of Time" from TE7. Although i had sent it within the timescale. 7) I Sent the form TE7 form and a copy of the TE9 form to them stating again that I had made representations to the council but did NOT receive a rejection notice. This was done on the 2.04.2012 8) The Next day on 3.4.2012, Bailiffs came to my house and clamped my vehicle. and posted a notice of seizure of goods in my letter box for £499.84. 9) I then got a call on private number, i dont know how these guys got my number, asking me if i am going to pay, and if not he will arrange the tow-truck to come. I said I have made representations and this matter is ongoing with the court, I asked him to give me 10-15 minutes. to let me contact the court, asking have they received the form. they said they had not received the forms yet. The bailiff then called up again about 5 mins later, saying he has been in touch with my finance company and said they have also asked him to tow my car, saying i have not paid them, which was a absolute lie as i have been upto date with them, I then tried to get hold of my finance company, but at this point i was put under intense pressure, all of a sudden. They were taking ages to answer so i gave up. Again the bailiff calls, asking me to come out and pay, so I did go out and pay the £499.84...forcefully...i showed him all the recent paperwork saying that this penalty charge is still in the appeal process, and has not been settled yet..the bailiff ofcourse did not give a flying monky's and demanded the money, or the car goes. I still have not heard from the court yet as to the appeal, but i do wish to reclaim the ridiculous charges of these bailiffs- JBW GROUP. On the notice of seizure, the Breakdown of the £449.84 is as follows: Penalty Charge Notice and Court Costs: £202 Sending a letter: £16.20 Levy/Attendance to Levy: £57.00 Other: £ 175.00 (This is the one that i don't get at all...Other?) :@ VAT: £49.64 Total Amount due today: £499.84 any advise/feedback/help on what to do next to get my money back would be appreciated..Thank you for reading

Please Could some one help me with reclaiming unfair bailiff charges The Story: 1) I had a penalty charge notice with Haringey Council which was disputed. 2) I made representations to Haringey Council and did not receive rejection notice in connection with the Penalty Charge Notice. 3) I then filled out a Witness Statement for unpaid penalty charge notice- form TE9, stating that i had made representations within 28 days of service of notice but did not receive a rejection notice, this was done on 20.02.2012. 4) on 23.03.2012 i received a letter from JBW group- High court enforcement and certified bailiffs, saying a warrant of execution has been issued, and i have 7 days to pay. 5) I then wrote to the Court directly on the 26.03.2012 stating I had made representations and had not received any rejection notice. Also telling them that I have now received a letter from the bailiffs, demanding a payment of £221.44, a copy the letter enclosed herewith. Further stating on the letter I would be grateful if you could put a hold on this matter and advice Haringey Council and the bailiffs not to take any further action until I have been given the opportunity to have my representations considered accordingly. 6) The TE9 form, which i had sent to the court earlier, was returned to me on the 27.03.2012 by the Court stating that they have been unable to process the form and is returned, reasons being that the witness statement was received outside the timescale allowed and the requested me to complete another "Out of Time" from TE7. Although i had sent it within the timescale. 7) I Sent the form TE7 form and a copy of the TE9 form to them stating again that I had made representations to the council but did NOT receive a rejection notice. This was done on the 2.04.2012 6) The Next day on 3.4.2012, Bailiffs came to my house and clamped my vehicle. and posted a notice of seizure of goods in my letter box for £499.84. 7) I then got a call on private number, i dont know how these guys got my number, asking me if i am going to pay, and if not he will arrange the tow-truck to come. I said I have made representations and this matter is ongoing with the court, I asked him to give me 10-15 minutes. to let me contact the court, asking have they received the form. they said they had not received the forms yet. The bailiff then called up again about 5 mins later, saying he has been in touch with my finance company and said they have also asked him to tow my car, saying i have not paid them, which was a absolute lie as i have been upto date with them, I then tried to get hold of my finance company, but at this point i was put under intense pressure, all of a sudden. They were taking ages to answer so i gave up. Again the bailiff calls, asking me to come out and pay, so I did go out and pay the £499.84...forcefully...i showed him all the recent paperwork saying that this penalty charge is still in the appeal process, and has not been settled yet..the bailiff ofcourse did not give a flying monky's and demanded the money, or the car goes. I still have not heard from the court yet as to the appeal, but i do wish to reclaim the ridiculous charges of these bailiffs- JBW GROUP. On the notice of seizure, the breakdown of the £449.84 is as follows: Penalty Charge Notice and Court Costs: £202 Sending a letter: £16.20 Levy/Attendance to Levy: £57.00 Other: £ 175.00 (This is the one that i don't get at all...Other?) :@ VAT: £49.64 Total Amount due today: £499.84 any advise/feedback/help on what to do next to get my money back would be appreciated..Thank you for reading