need help with equita bailiffs now!!

[HEFFER13]

i have outstanding council tax, was £758 and have paid equita £308, recieved letter from equita today saying removals notice so i called them. they gave me mobile number of bailiff dealing with my case he wants full amount including £200 charges, i have had no notifacation of charges no home visits both letters been delivered by royal mail. i have only recieved 2 letters the first with the amount i owe with no charges and one today that is computer generated that doesnt have any amount on it. when i called bailiff he was very rude so i text him to say i would pay the full amount to the council tax office and take him to court for the charges to be dropped as he was not willing to tell me what the charges are for, all he text me back was "good luck" and said he would be round to list my goods. what should i do now i have the feeling that he is going to keep on adding charges and at a rate of £100 per letter i cant afford that.

[felicity2009]

And he can't afford to keep making pointless visits.

 

Don't worry. Keep your doors and windows shut and locked and pretend you are not home. I take it you haven't signed anything?

 

He will want you to sign a 'walking possession agreement' I should think.

 

Keep ignoring him, and I'm sure someone else will be along with more specific advice shortly, to do with council tax. You are doing the right thing though to deal with the council, not him.

 

And move your car to another street if you have a car.

[HEFFER13]

i have a car but it is on finance so i believe they cant touch it but can they clamp it or take it and then i have to go through the hassle of sorting that? i spoke to the council today who said they can only recall the debt in extreme situations, and said they would email equita and get them to call me to explain why i might have been charged but surprise surprise nothing..

 

i cant sleep through worry i have 4 children 3 of them under 3 yrs and im to scared to leave the house tomorrow in case this man turns up.

Edited April 23, 2009 by HEFFER13

[felicity2009]

They aren't supposed to take a car on HP but I wouldn't trust them to behave within the letter of the law. Just move your car.

 

Then ignore the door and deal direct with the council.

 

I wonder if you would be classed as 'vulnerable'? Its a good thing to be classed as, in these situations..

[dx100uk]

its a council tax debt!

they can only charge £24.50 and one other small fee!

so £200 is a lie.

 

don't pay them anything, deal direct with the council.

you are a special case, don't take no for an answer from the council.

 

use the search and read up about about council tax and bailiffs.

 

go to sleep, you have nothing to worry about

 

dx

[HEFFER13]

IF £200 is a lie and i pay the council tax direct online so they accept the payment will the bailiff leave me alone or keep coming out and charging me? will i have to park my car away from the house forever and keep my house locked up all summer? i cant even let my children out to play as i cant risk the door being left open. do the council have to call equita off if i have paid my debt?

how much responsibility do the council have to take for the stress these people are causing me that they employ?

[scatz1972]

I hate Equita with a passion!

 

Here is a letter from the forum wiki (written by Tomtubby bailiff expert). It advises the bailiff company in advance that your car is on finance and therefore exempt from seizure. You need to adapt it to fit your own circumstances.

 

To: Bailiff Company

Date:

 

 

 

Dear Sirs,

 

Re: Account reference.

 

I refer to your letter/visit dated (enter date) informing me that your company have been instructed by (enter local authority) to enforce a warrant/liability order etc against me, in respect of (a parking charge notice/council tax etc).

In your letter you state that you will be visiting/returning to my home to (seize/auction etc my goods.) unless full payment of (enter amount) is made by return.

I am aware that statutory regulations provide that certain items are exempt from seizure. These include:

"Such tools, books, vehicles and other items of equipment as are necessary for use personally in employment, business or vocation”.

Could you please note that, although I have the use of a motor vehicle, this is however (not owned by me/subject to lease/or finance). As evidence, I am providing photocopies of (enter details).

For the reason stated above, if your company attempts to seize the above vehicle and/or charge me additional fees to do so, I will consider making an official complaint about your bailiff’s conduct to both the County Court and the Local Authority that instructed him.

Could you please confirm safe receipt of this letter. (ensure that you keep a copy and send the letter recorded delivery)

 

 

Yours Faithfully.

 

 

 

So long as you never ever allow the bailiff to levy on anything or gain peacful entry to your home then the most they can charge you for is 2 visits. £24.50 for the 1st and £18 for the 2nd. Knowing Equita they will have added this amount to your account as soon as your case was handed to them.

 

Are you in receipt of income support of JSA?

Are you a lone parent?

 

Just trying to ascertain if you fall in the "vunerable" catagory according to the national standards for enforcement.

Edited April 24, 2009 by scatz1972
spelling

[dx100uk]

great help.

 

now, once you have paid the council direct or setup a payment plan, the bailiff can go swing dixie! they CANNOT latterly use the liability order to collect their fees, so have a laugh at them that way.

 

if they do appear at your door once you have done either of the above, they are breaking the law & should be

1, reported to the police for fraud

2. reported to the council concerned about their unlawful tactics.

 

remember, the COUNCIL are responsible for the actions of any bailiff they put on a case!

if you feel he has been out of order or abusive etc etc TELL THE COUNCIL

 

dx

[HEFFER13]

i have been to the council tax office and paid them £275 today i am going to pay them another £80 this afternoon as i have sold the childrens kitten and on monday morning the full amount i owe to the council tax will be paid off i even got them to put a note on the computer that i was paying arrears that they had sent to the bailiff.

i have also sent by recorded delivery a letter to equita which i found template for telling them i was paying directly to council tax that the charges are illegal and i will not be letting them gain entry. i will send them the above letter about my car aswell.

 

i have spoken to the council and told them they are responsible for the actions of equita and they say they have emailed the department they use for complaints and that i will be called today although i wont hold my breath.

im hoping that once council tax have been paid monday, and notified equita that they have recieved the full amount then equita will give in and cut their losses although im not sure how likely that is???

[Faz_London]

well done ! i'm sure they will not bother you any longer. i must admit equita must hate this site !!!!

[scatz1972]

i have been to the council tax office and paid them £275 today i am going to pay them another £80 this afternoon as i have sold the childrens kitten and on monday morning the full amount i owe to the council tax will be paid off i even got them to put a note on the computer that i was paying arrears that they had sent to the bailiff.

i have also sent by recorded delivery a letter to equita which i found template for telling them i was paying directly to council tax that the charges are illegal and i will not be letting them gain entry. i will send them the above letter about my car aswell.

 

i have spoken to the council and told them they are responsible for the actions of equita and they say they have emailed the department they use for complaints and that i will be called today although i wont hold my breath.

im hoping that once council tax have been paid monday, and notified equita that they have recieved the full amount then equita will give in and cut their losses although im not sure how likely that is???

 

 

The kitten .....these people make me wild with anger

[dx100uk]

aw poor kitten, thats just not right,

scumbags for putting you in corner...

 

dx

[pascha]

Cant believe you had to do that. these people should be stopped. there isnt good enough laws to protect people from these scumb bags.

If he does come to your door dont answer it. Ask him to quietly leave your premisses. If you do have to, speak to him througfh the letter box. Tell him the debt has been paid to the council, and that you have reported him for his fraudulant charges to the courts and will be forwarding your complaint to the court who issued his certificate.

Bomb under bum comes to mind.

[HEFFER13]

have just got back from citizens advice who called equita to find out what £200 of charges were for, he said they must be for visits but couldnt be sure, so she reminded them that they need to leave a letter or have proof of a visit and that the amount they could charge for a visit certainly wasnt £200, he said as long as council tax notify them that the full amount is paid they will close my case. she asked them to write to me telling me that it was closed and reminded them that if they try to pursue any costs that she had recorded the phone call they were having and that they could be subject to an harrasment order, they asked for her to apologise to me for any distress caused. :):)

[dx100uk]

captured!!!!!

 

funny how they always backdown when confronted by someone that knows what they are talikng about.

 

dx

[HEFFER13]

just want to say thanks to all the advice i have been given on this site, my husband was all up for paying them off in the hope thEy would go away. it was a really distressing couple of days and kids still not over me selling their kitten coz they all under 3yrs so dont understand. but now we can look forward and not have to worry. this site is a godsend. THANKYOU ALL. :):)