Equita Bailiffs...help needed please

[caro]

I think it's up to them to prove you owe the money. You haven't entered into a contract with them, received any goods or services, have had no bills, so I can't see how you can possibly owe money.

[Emma Royd]

Thanks for the replies

 

Shall I just ignore them or sent them a Bog Off Letter?

 

thanks

xx

[hallowitch]

send them a prove it letter they are trying to charge you for 2 visits £24.50 for first £18 for second they cannot charge you for letters only visits

send them a letter asking for dates and times of these so called visits and the name of the bailiff that allegedly visited you

[blueboy987]

I've had bailiffs involved with debts on a number of occasions, pretty much every time I paid the original creditor directly and not a single penny to the bailiff. I don't remember any of them chasing me for payment, even though some of them did make visits.

 

I'm not sure what the law says, but I'd have thought that as you never entered in to any agreement with them you can't possibly owe them money for anything.

[Emma Royd]

Thanks for the replies yesterday

 

I've had another bloody letter from them today. They certainly aint giving up without a fight are they

 

It says:

 

Removal Notice

Dear Emma Royd,

 

Despite our previous applications for payment you have failed to pay the outstanding Council Tax due to South Derbyshire District Council.

 

Therefore, we have arranged for our bailiffs and their removal teams to call at your home this coming week when they will remove your goods to the local Auction House. These goods will be held for a period of five working days prior to being sold.

 

We would prefer that you were in attendance when your goods are removed and should another day be more suitable we urge you to contact our office immediately.

 

We trust the content of this notice will be given your utmost attention.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Bailiff Manager ( no signature, have they been reading this site )

 

 

 

 

The removal bit isn't so threatening this time...the last lot have been in red and nowhere on this one do they mention an amount.

 

What winds me up is that every letter they send make it obvious that it's from the bailiffs as the Certified Bailiffs bit shows through the window everytime :evil:

 

Emma Royd

xx

[Peroni]

What winds me up is that every letter they send make it obvious that it's from the bailiffs as the Certified Bailiffs bit shows through the window everytime :evil:

 

Emma Royd

xx

 

Certifiable bailiffs more like, if they think they can get away with this.

[GamekeeperToPoacher]

HHmm,

 

We have spent all day waiting in for Equitas - that is me and the dog!

When they turn up I will ask for compensation for remaining in in order to MAKE them understand that I do not owe them anything.

 

I am a 17 stone bearded biker with an attitude and my name is not SHARON!

They also claim to have knocked yesterday - what with a feather as my dog didn't here them.

 

GK

[caro]

I suggest you write back and send copies of evidence proving you've paid the debt.

[jewelinthedust]

Hi all...

I've just had a pelethoral of very similar equita problems over a parking ticket, in the Bath area. Finally I have put a form four complaint in against the bailiff, for a multitude of sins including giving of false information, intimidation, bullying, over charging of fees, no paperwork detailing them, etc etc etc..I'm waiting to hear about the court date, and I know from the humble phone call i received from the bailiff, reducing my fees from £470 to £150 just like that, that he has been requested to make a report to the court. Sadly for him, I am classed as vulnerable as I'm under a doctor for depression and also a single parent (don't these parasites just love us?! we're so easy to bully!) The bailiff was practically telling me his life story, and that people 'liked him' on his rounds and 'called him by his first name', in a bid to win my sympathy. He finished by saying that now I had paid the £150, the matter was all resolved, and it was 'up to me if I went ahead with the complaint or if I would withdraw it', I asked him if he was asking me to withdraw it on the basis that he had reduced my fees, kind of like a bribe, to which he said no, no not that at all, it's just that I can see you're a 'genuine case', not just trying to blag me into not paying...What?!! what kind of joke is that??!!

Anyway, it goes on, and on, local press have reported on it, local council director written me semi grovelling letter saying they would wash their hands of Equita/bailiff if proven guilty (funny, I thought s**t stuck together?! So....it's occured to me, that considering I have read page, after page of stories, cases and complaints about Equita on the net, and every one just as bad as the last, maybe some of us should considering collectively taking them to the high court in London, and finally get rid of this immoral, illegitimate outfit? What do people think?

By the way my empathies are with you Emma, truly..I hope the hassle has ended now..

[Guest Happy Contrails]

maybe some of us should considering collectively taking them to the high court in London, and finally get rid of this immoral, illegitimate outfit? What do people think?

 

The idea of setting up a bailiff fee recovery service using no-win no-fee terms has been punted around for a while, it was akin to these bank charge outfits that spawned in 2007 and TV personal injury firms. Somebody did have the plauisible idea of a subscription based phone/email consultancy where they can assist in recovery of unlawful bailiff fees and claiming compensation both via court and by negotiaiton with the authorities. I was happy to volunteer some free time for it but as always, it came to nothing. I couldn't see myself on the end of a 090 premium rate number.

[Emma Royd]

Helpppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp

 

Please bare with me if I sound all confuddled. Half an hour ago there was a knock on the door. Opened the door and a bloke stood there. Me thinking it was a DCA (had a visit last week) and was all prepeared to send him away.

 

It was a bailiff regarding my council tax. I told him it was paid months ago...i rang the council recovery debt while he was there to get them to say it was paid. She was no flipping help...again it's my own fault for paying them and not Equita. I'm shaking....I feel sick....hes given me a letter saying I have to pay £227 in 24 hours. I've told him I owe Equita nothing as i've paid the council direct and that Equita aren't allowed to charge for letters and i've had no visits. He said 'this is a visit'.

 

I tried to stay calm and told him that I know my rights but inside i'm a quivering mess

 

What do I do now?

 

xx

 

PS he's wrote the time as 10.20am when infact it was more 9.20am and he's also got the registration of my car. I told him it wasn't my car

 

Please help i'm scared he'll come and take my car away now

[hallowitch]

get on the phone to your M.P. now

[hallowitch]

did he leave a form 7 for the car (walking possession order)

[Emma Royd]

thank for speedy replies hallowitch

 

No form just a letter that says 'DELIVERED BY HAND'. I saw my car registration on his clipboard.

 

just found out my MPs' number but i've got to nip out in a mo will ring it when I get back.

 

Am I right to say I owe them no money?

 

Paid council tax bill in full direct to SDDC

countless letters from Equita say that I owe them £42.50

NO VISITS EVER

and now this happened today

They aren't allowed to charge me for letters right?

 

thanks

xx

[hallowitch]

correct no visits before you paid the council no money honey for the bailiffs

if the bailiff thought he could legally Levey your car he would have done it this morning ( your reg on the clip board where you could see it was there to scare you in my opinion ) i wonder where the extra £184.50 came from because there would have to be levy to charge that no form 7 no levy

[Emma Royd]

just to let you know that i've just spoken to someone in my MPs' local office. I've tried to tell him calmly whats happening and hes going to have a word with MP and get back to me as soon as. I've told him it's urgent as they've given me 24 hours to pay this £227

 

thanks again xx

[hallowitch]

hopefully this will get it sorted keeping my fingers x for you

[Emma Royd]

Thanks hallowitch. Just had a call from MPs office asking for Equitas details . I can't believe how long this saga has been going on . Will keep you posted. I've just told the bloke that rang that it's urgent cos they've only given me 24 hours so hopefully it will get sorted today x

[Emma Royd]

MP has just rang me. He's been on the phone to Equita but cant get through their security system. I've now given him my pin number to see if he can bypass with that. If not he says he's going to write to them and ask them to explain charges. I'm struggling to make him see that I don't owe them any money. He's saying that they will want their fees.

 

Back to locking doors and windows and hiding my car again

[gustavius rex]

Hi all...

I've just had a pelethoral of very similar equita problems over a parking ticket, in the Bath area. Finally I have put a form four complaint in against the bailiff, for a multitude of sins including giving of false information, intimidation, bullying, over charging of fees, no paperwork detailing them, etc etc etc..I'm waiting to hear about the court date, and I know from the humble phone call i received from the bailiff, reducing my fees from £470 to £150 just like that, that he has been requested to make a report to the court. Sadly for him, I am classed as vulnerable as I'm under a doctor for depression and also a single parent (don't these parasites just love us?! we're so easy to bully!) The bailiff was practically telling me his life story, and that people 'liked him' on his rounds and 'called him by his first name', in a bid to win my sympathy. He finished by saying that now I had paid the £150, the matter was all resolved, and it was 'up to me if I went ahead with the complaint or if I would withdraw it', I asked him if he was asking me to withdraw it on the basis that he had reduced my fees, kind of like a bribe, to which he said no, no not that at all, it's just that I can see you're a 'genuine case', not just trying to blag me into not paying...What?!! what kind of joke is that??!!

Anyway, it goes on, and on, local press have reported on it, local council director written me semi grovelling letter saying they would wash their hands of Equita/bailiff if proven guilty (funny, I thought s**t stuck together?! So....it's occured to me, that considering I have read page, after page of stories, cases and complaints about Equita on the net, and every one just as bad as the last, maybe some of us should considering collectively taking them to the high court in London, and finally get rid of this immoral, illegitimate outfit? What do people think?

By the way my empathies are with you Emma, truly..I hope the hassle has ended now..

 

 

Sorry for butting in here, but, just a short agreement and the addition; it's not only Equita, but Marstons and a whole bucket full of others. You are absolutely right, something has to be done and that soonest.

GR

[blueboy987]

How about going to the council offices first thing and asking for a written statement of your account, with the letter making it clear whether there are any outstanding arrears or not?

 

If the bailiff is saying its council tax they are collecting, a letter from the council saying you don't owe anything might do the trick.

 

Hang on in there and don't let them get to you.

[Emma Royd]

Hi guys thanks for the replies. Couldn't get on the net earlier and now....well now I just can't sleep. I've not felt like this since before finding CAG. I feel proper sick and my stomach is churning.

 

I never heard back from my MP so presuming he couldnt get through Equita security I rang them myself. Answering machine message telling me I have to ring the bailiff or press 1 to speak to someone. I pressed 1 and got through to some young lad and I asked him if anyone had been trying to access my account today.

 

He gave me the name of the lady from the council so she must have rang after i'd spoken to them this morning. I asked if anyone else had tried to access my account. I then told him my MP had tried to ring them about the charges that had been placed on my account. The lad confirmed i'd paid my council tax but owed them their fees. I told them they are not allowed to charge me for letters and that i've never had a visit EVER until today. He said that I had. Now I know that this is NOT true and all letters have been sent through the post and NONE hand delivered until this morning.

 

I then asked him if I sent them a SARs that it would show the times of these visits and he said yes.

 

blueboy987 wrote:

How about going to the council offices first thing and asking for a written statement of your account, with the letter making it clear whether there are any outstanding arrears or not?

 

 

I already tried that blueboy987. On the 1st of April I got the council to ring Equita and confirm the council tax had been paid in full. After a couple of hours I rang Equita and asked if the council had been in touch and could they confirm council tax paid. I was told yes it was on the computer that the lady from the council had rang.

 

 

I have no clue what to do now. The bailiff gave me 24 hours so I have until 20 past 9 or 10 in the morning? Even the time on the letter was wrong . I have parked my car at my sisters and walked home. I've locked all windows, doors and the back gate. Do I ring the bailiff first thing?...Do I ring Equita?....Do I ring my MPs' office?...Do I ring the council?

 

The only thing i'm sure of is i'll be having no sleep tonight

[caro]

You may find this a useful link Emma. Read it right to the end.http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/bailiffs-sheriff-officers/173481-devon-cornwall-police-guidelines.html#post1871849

[Emma Royd]

Thanks caro

 

have read it through. Don't know if it's me being thick or if it's cos i'm tired but I cant quite take it in tonight . I'll have another read in the morning. I'm going to try and get some sleep now.

 

thanks again everyone x

[caro]

Just note this bit for now and get some sleep.

8.2 The basic rule for Bailiffs is that entry should be without force, thus they have the

right to peaceful entry only. There is no legal requirement by a debtor to let a bailiff

into their home.