Ross & Roberts - Need help!

[fightinghard]

3 weeks before xmas bailiffs turned up at door - son in on own so didnt answer. They put a letter thro door. Husband called number and left message on answermachine offering to pay £200 per month - no reply and then they turned up again.

Husband refused to let them in advising we had made an offer - they said this was to another colleague of theirs who had not passed on the info! Husband again reiterated offer which they refused unless they could gain access to property to take walking possession. Said they would return on the Friday and if they didnt gain access "would send in the enforcement team" also saying "we know how to deal with people like you".

As our teenage son is often in the house after school on his own we agreed that they could come back on the Friday which they did and took walking possession of our goods -we paid them £200 and agreed £200 per month. I asked if we could pay on the 1st of each month which was refused saying we had to pay on 19th or make 2 payments this month - unreasonable!

Now we have received another visit from them relating to a different council tax account and I can see this hassle starting all over again - i really dont want to let them in again (more charges!!) - any advice on how to deal - he really is a bully and his mate is absolutely huge.

Thanks

[nevos]

A friend of mine had a cure for them, edited.

Edited January 8, 2009 by HSBCrusher

[lamb to the slaughter]

A friend of mine had a cure for them,edited

 

 

Very helpful that comment, NOT, hit them edited and your in the wrong and possibly jailed, try helping the poster!!!

Edited January 8, 2009 by HSBCrusher

[lamb to the slaughter]

can they not put the second case on hold until such times as you have paid off the first case, surely if your paying one case and dont default then they can sit on the other case, also if you have no other goods to levy on then they cant put you on to an arrangement for the second case anyway, what goods did they levy on for first case??

[chris600uk]

Now we have received another visit from them relating to a different council tax account and I can see this hassle starting all over again - i really dont want to let them in again (more charges!!) - any advice on how to deal - he really is a bully and his mate is absolutely huge.

Thanks

 

By now you probably know that you didn't have to let them in in the first place, they are accomplished liars because they say this sort of stuff to people all the time. They had no right of entry and you should have left them outside for as long as they wanted. It was certainly cold enough to discourage them for waiting for very long.

 

However that's one liability order, and now you are talking about another.

This time I strongly suggest that you don't even acknowledge their presence at the door, and only communicate with their office either by email/backed up by letter or recorded telephone conversation if you really want to talk to someone at the bailiffs.

 

You NEVER EVER let them in, and NEVER EVER get into conversation with them, you should'nt give them any feedback at all.

 

Now that you have signed a WPA and let the first lot in, you'll have to keep to that agreement, because they now have the right of entry. Actually they don't want your stuff, it's more trouble than it's worth to them; what they want to do is scare the money out of you.

[chris600uk]

It is time you started reading the posts and stickies on this site to see just what bailiffs can and can't do.

 

Don't be intimidated, keep to the deal you've already agreed to and don't communicate with the muscle heads again - do check that they have current certificates to collect for that company, because if they haven't the WPA will be invalid and that would change things completely.

[HSBCrusher]

I have just edited a post advocating violence... please do not post things like this.

[lamb to the slaughter]

fightinghard, what part of the country are you in please???

[chris600uk]

Violence of any sort towards a bailiff is likely to be counterproductive - and the courts really don't like it, after all, he's collecting tax.

 

Also, not all bailiffs are bad people, some are just ordinary folk trying to pay THEIR mortgage.

[nevos]

Take it easy guys, while it was true! I did not say he hit anyone.

 

I don't condone any kind of violence.

[fightinghard]

Thanks - I am going to contact the council today and see if they will deal with us direct. I know we shouldnt have let them in but my son was terrified with 2 big heavies banging on the door for 20 minutes and I cant have that.

We did try to speak direct with the Bailiffs office and she was unhelpful and rude so that isnt an option

Lamb to the slaughter - I am in Hampshire.

[fightinghard]

Hi All

thanks for your advice and support which gave me the confidence to ring the council this morning. I spoke to a very helpful gentleman who has noted down all my complaints about the bailiff concerned and agreed that the new debt can just be added on and I can continue to pay at the agreed rate - he is going to contact the bailiff's immediately to instruct them not to attend again.

A result as far as I am concerned.

Thanks again

[chris600uk]

Thanks - I am going to contact the council today and see if they will deal with us direct.

 

On what basis? You see the council are contractually obliged to hand the account to the bailiffs unless you fall into on of the vulnerable categories.

And as council people often do, they take the line of least resistance and will be very unhelpful - it's easier.

Also they are liable for the bailiffs actions, so it's in their interest to maintain that the bailiffs are acting correctly.

 

 

I know we shouldnt have let them in but my son was terrified with 2 big heavies banging on the door for 20 minutes and I cant have that.

 

This is fairly normal behaviour, and if you can't cope with it, expect a miserable time because if they think that you'll fold after a bit of drumming on your door - then they'll do it all the more.

You just have to toughen up a bit and ignore them, they will go away because they don't have the right of entry, they aren't stupid, and they won't waste their time on someone they know won't open the door, but they'll spend lots of time on someone they think they can scare into opening the door.

 

 

We did try to speak direct with the Bailiffs office and she was unhelpful and rude so that isnt an option

 

Speaking to the bailiffs is NEVER an option - only ever email and write to them, and when you do use a template letter so they know you are getting the right information and support.

They aren't paid to be helpful and nice - they are paid to get the money off you and fear works very nicely as a tool.

[chris600uk]

Well I'm really pleased to hear that!

 

It's not what I expected at all - as you can probably tell from my last post.

 

Good luck.

Edited January 9, 2009 by chris600uk
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