Please help, terrified of bailiffs.

[lucy60]

Had bailiff out in december for council tax and signed walking possesion order, didn,t realise at the time what it was as he said it was payment plan and I was under duress while he was there,I was seriously ill and unable to work for 7 weeks so missed a payment, informed them of this and restarted payments again last week ( I pay online to them). They emailed me back saying my payments would have to increase to cover what i had missed, which i was willing to do. Less than 10 minutes later they recalled the email and sent another telling me to contact bailiff. I rang him and he said needed the whole amount or he would take goods. He came later that day and put a letter through the door charging me another £110 for this and telling me to ring him again. I only got the letter late friday when i returned, and am now so scared of ringing tomorrow, he has point blank refused any sort of payment but the whole amount. I am terrified he will come back tomorrow as I am a registered childminder and will have children in my care alll day and cannot deal with this. Is there anyone who can advise, council don't want to know.

[the main man]

Hi,

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly, which company are acting on behalf of the council?

[lucy60]

Rossendales, can anyone help, goods listed on order are either on hp or needed for my work.

[BellaGoth]

They're not allowed to seize goods which are needed for your work, and if you have stuff which is hire purchase you'll need to show the hire purchase agreement for each item.

[BellaGoth]

Edit, read this it has useful info on your rights.

 

Debt Basics - Bailiff Guide - know your rights

[the main man]

Also watch the charges they add on, Rossendales added additional charges onto my council tax debt, I complained, they backed off and the council took it back in house. I have made a formal complaint against Rossendales which is currently under investigation.

[UK26]

Who are investigating this case?

[tomtubby]

Can you let me know the name of the bailiff and I check to see if he is certificated . Can you make sure that you send this info by private message ONLY.

 

What items have been put on the walking possession?

 

You need to be aware that bailiffs can assume that you own the goods. If is for you....not the bailiff to prove that the items are exempt. Did you tell the bailiff that goods are on HP?

[the main man]

Who are investigating this case?

 

my local council at present, I am trying to find out the name of the bailiff concerned to take further action.

[UK26]

I'm at Stage 3 with the council whereby they have an independant investigator now looking into this.

 

I have advised them, should they not conduct a fair investigation, i shall put this matter before a distruct judge to look into. They are at the moment playing ball it would seem.

 

But Stage 1 and 2 of the Councils complaints system have failed.

[the main man]

I'm at Stage 3 with the council whereby they have an independant investigator now looking into this.

 

I have advised them, should they not conduct a fair investigation, i shall put this matter before a distruct judge to look into. They are at the moment playing ball it would seem.

 

But Stage 1 and 2 of the Councils complaints system have failed.

 

I won't hold my breath then, do you have a thread on this that I can look at?

 

Apologies for the hijack

[lucy60]

thank you for replies,

items on order,

tv

sofas

dvd

all on hp

table

cabinet

microwave

all used in line of work

hi fi

didn't tell him they were on hp as didn,t know he was listing goods, had 3 children under 3 in my care at the time and was distracted by them. Trying to look after kids and have conversation with someone, impossible, he just said what i should pay, i agreed, he said sign this, i did (stupidly without reading it) then he left saying i can see you have your hands full.

I will try to pm name of bailiff i spoke to on friday now. thanks again.

[UK26]

I won't hold my breath then, do you have a thread on this that I can look at?

 

Apologies for the hijack

 

 

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bailiffs-sheriff-officers/133907-peterborough-city-council-equita-5.html

 

and

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bailiffs-sheriff-officers/133288-peterborough-city-council-equita.html

 

I did have telephone recordings from Equita and The council

But i had a letter from there Solicitor asking me to remove them

[lucy60]

I have read the link on advice, but it looks like i have none because i signed the wpo.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do when they come back, as i have no right to stop them from forcing entry, and with children on the premises i also risk loosing my job.

[BellaGoth]

Hi Lucy, I've done some digging around the forum to see what wiser heads have to say on the subject.

 

This thread has some good advice in, in the first page there's a suggested letter you can use to contact the council, you'll need to edit it to suit your situation.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bailiffs-sheriff-officers/58550-council-tax-bailiffs-3.html

[BellaGoth]

I have read the link on advice, but it looks like i have none because i signed the wpo.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do when they come back, as i have no right to stop them from forcing entry, and with children on the premises i also risk loosing my job.

 

Is it possible for you to head up to the council offices tomorrow even with kids in tow? And demand to see somebody high up. The council can take the debt back from the bailiff.

[lucy60]

Thanks for all advise so far, but the problem is i have already let them enter, so they have all the rights now and i am at my wits end on what to do now. I can't think straight and am so stressed. All i want to do is pay this and to be able to sleep at night. I couldn't help being ill and missing a payment, and now with this added stress i am going to end up ill again.

[BellaGoth]

It isn't over yet, you need to get in touch with the council and ask to speak to a revenue collector, tell them everything you've said in this thread, that you're a child minder, that you've been ill for several weeks and been unable to work, and because you were not working you had no income and were unable to make any payments. That you've been told to speak to the bailiffs but they won't listen to you because you're not able to make a full payment, and they're threatening to come round and seize your stuff some of which you need for your job as a child minder, and also if he comes when you have the children there it could potentially mean you lose your job.

 

Are you able to make a payment tomorrow? If so tell him you're willing to do that, and then make regular payments until the debt is paid off.

[lucy60]

Thanks for advise, will phone council tomorrow, and hopfully get someone who will listen, when i rang on friday they did'nt want to know, said it was out of their hands. I have already made this weeks payment, and next weeks is due tomorrow, which i will make in the morning. I am not refusing to pay, i was just unable to pay for a few weeks.

[BellaGoth]

Oooh have the council accepted your payments?

[lucy60]

No, I'm making payments to rossendales.

[BellaGoth]

It'll be interesting to see if they accept tomorrows payment.

 

You should also mention to the council that Rossendale has charged you £110 for one visit, I'm pretty sure they're not meant to charge more then £20.

 

I have to go to bed now, it's very late. I really hope things get sorted for you with the council tomorrow, keep asking them until you get to speak to somebody senior. Sending positive thoughts up north to you.

[lucy60]

Thank you for your thoughts, I'm off to bed to, probably won't get much sleep though.

[lucy60]

No sleep again last night, very stressed today, contacted council they will not interveen. Have tried making my payment online to rossendales and cannot get onto their website, have been trying for 2 hours, have always paid to them this way and never encountered this problem.

[lucy60]

Managed to make weekly payment on line at last, payment went through but have not yet received confirmation email that i usually get yet.