Rossendale Bailiffs

[stressed&harassed]

The bailiffs have kleft a notice through my door today requesting immediate payment of £700.00 will not negotiate and requires in 14 days any body got any suggestions

[dawnwb]

What is the debt for?

 

Have you heard from the bailiffs before?

 

If you put as much info on here about the situation your in then people will beable to help you if they know something about that type of debt.

Edited September 29, 2009 by dawnwb
addition

[stressed&harassed]

The debt is unpaid council tax they called once before while I was at work they have never written to me or spoken to me directly only to my daughter and never been in my home. I work and they never call when I am @ home and I won't give them mobile number.

[stressed&harassed]

going home now will log on when I get in

[Slimrabbit]

The debt is unpaid council tax they called once before while I was at work they have never written to me or spoken to me directly only to my daughter and never been in my home. I work and they never call when I am @ home and I won't give them mobile number.

 

 

When is the debt from? Do they have a liabilty order against you (have you seen it). How old is your daughter this relates to what the bailiff may have said and if they've broken any rules!

 

What does the notice say on it?

 

More info = more help

 

Remember your in the right place now help will be forthcoming.

[Slimrabbit]

Forgot to say keep all doors and windows locked and if you have a car thats not on finance might be worth parking it round the corner til we can get you a payment plan sorted.

[dawnwb]

Forgot to say keep all doors and windows locked and if you have a car thats not on finance might be worth parking it round the corner til we can get you a payment plan sorted.

 

Yes remember that the bailiff cant force entry to your house unless a window or door is open, lock garage if you have anything worth taking in it.

 

They have no right to force entry.

 

As slim rabbit said they can make a levy on your car even if its in your wifes name and shes not on the liability order, if she lives with you shes liable for the council tax also. So you might need to park elsewhere.

 

If the bailiff cant make a levy" seize" on anything he cant start to charge you for stupidly large fees such as "enforcement fee" "attendence to remove fee" although they do try!

Dont speak to the bailiff on the phone put everything in writing and send recorded delivery.

 

Like slimrabbit said more info= more help

 

By the way I think 14 days that they have given you is great!....I got 24hrs! But i still managed to halt it, so dont give up and stick with this site

Edited September 29, 2009 by dawnwb
addition

[impecunious]

The bailiffs have kleft a notice through my door today requesting immediate payment of £700.00 will not negotiate and requires in 14 days any body got any suggestions

 

If you have been issued with a Liabiity Order for council tax arrears, you don't have to negotiate with Rossie's bailiffs - just start making payments to the council direct electronically - quoting your reference number, etc so that they don't set the repayments against your current year's CT bill. It is not unlawful NOT to deal with bailiffs.

 

The National Debtline have a really good income and expenditure sheet to calculate your disposal income (if any) - and its reasonably generous - work out what repayment you can make to the council and stick to it. Just remember that CT is a priority bill. I currently only pay £12,50/month for an outstanding CT balance of some £1,200. So please don't give up hope.

 

Don't forget to keep your windows shut and your doors locked, move your car well away from your home and remove everything from outside your property, eg. garden tables/chairs, etc.

 

DON'T let Rossies intimidate you - they think they're rotties but, in reality, unless they can levy on something, they're just paper toothless tigers!

 

I'm sure lots of other fellow CAGgers will give you great advice.

 

 

Impecunious!

[stressed&harassed]

No!!! I was wrong they said they are coming back today!!!!!! daughter is 28 she tried talking to them yesterday but they were having none of it thanks for advice so far

[sillygirl1]

Pay something online and hand them the printed receipt and tell them to go away. You have a right to ask the council to take this back and negotiate a reasonable settlement, which they WONT get if the bailiffs are involved. You need to tell the council that if you pay the bailiffs last years amount you won't be able to pay this years amount therefore comprimising your liability again - they should listen - if not go to the CAB who might be able to help call off the bailiffs. They have a lot of deailings with the council on this subject.

[dawnwb]

No!!! I was wrong they said they are coming back today!!!!!! daughter is 28 she tried talking to them yesterday but they were having none of it thanks for advice so far

 

Dont open the door to them. If you want to tell them something put it writing to him and give it through letter box.

[seanamarts]

Firstly the bailiff should not even get into a discussion with your daughter regardless of her age, unless she is also on the liability order, no bailiff is allowed to discuss a debt with a third party unless they have been given permission by the debtor.

I think you really have only two choices here as this debt has to be paid, either phone the bailiff and ask for a reasonable repayment schedule to be set up or ask the council if you can pay them directly. If you can afford to pay off the amount you owe then I suggest you pay it straight to the council via their online payment methods. If you pay the bailiff you will incur charges of the two visits that he has made which is £42.50. If you are in financial hardship I suggest you contact the council and tell them about this.

[stressed&harassed]

Have just paid £40.00 on line straight to council got ref no from my inbox because I was making an attempt to pay this earlier in the year. I haven't spoken to any one from the council yet and rang daughter she says no one has been yet.

[FairPlay77]

Have just paid £40.00 on line straight to council got ref no from my inbox because I was making an attempt to pay this earlier in the year. I haven't spoken to any one from the council yet and rang daughter she says no one has been yet.

 

 

AS bailiffs often add on illegal charges, it would be helpful if you could tell us how much the council-tax bill is for and how much the bailiffs have added on in charges.

 

We can then tell you how much the bailiffs are fraudulently trying to extract from you (which may well be a lot!)

[stressed&harassed]

Council tax bill is £434.04 bailiffs want £686.54

[stressed&harassed]

should I just pay instalments to council & ignore bailiffs? is that possible ?

[hallowitch]

if the bailiff cant get a levy he will eventually leave you alone

keep paying the council

when the bailiff finds out you are paying the council this may cheese him of

so don't let him in hide your car don't leave things in the garden Lock garage garden shed

 

next thing you need to find out is why he has added £252.50 in bailiff fees this is defiantly wrong

[seanamarts]

bailiff charges are very wrong here.. way way too much. If the bailiff has only visited you and not taken a WPO then all you should owe is for two visit. This is a good reason for why you should contact the council and ask them to take the debt back as the bailiff is trying to charge you illegal charges.

You can write to the council requesting that they investigate this matter and ask them to request a full break down of the bailiff charges. The council are responsible for the bailiff actions regardless of what they might say.. ie 'its in the hands of the bailiffs etc' The council are aware or should be aware of what the bailiff can and cannot do and can and cannot charge.

[Slimrabbit]

Rossendales will try and say they have charged you the following

1st Visit £24.50

2nd Visit £18.00

Levy £38.00 (based on £434.04)

WPO £12.00

Van Fee £160.00

 

Total £252.50.

 

 

Have they been in the house before ever? Do you or your partner park a car outside they may have levied without you knowing it!

 

I think you need to send of for a Subject Access Request and a FULL COMPUTER SCREENSHOT of your account. Do this today via email and registered delivary.

 

If they havn't levied then they must remove the van fees and the levy fee. Until you get your breakdown do not pay the bailiffs anything.

[stressed&harassed]

Please excuse my ignorance what is a levy ? and no they haven't entered my property at all and as far as I know they don't know what I look like or what car I drive:confused:

[Slimrabbit]

Please excuse my ignorance what is a levy ? and no they haven't entered my property at all and as far as I know they don't know what I look like or what car I drive:confused:

 

When a bailiff visits his intention is to get mony out of you and have the debt paid.

 

He can as you will have read be legally allowed to charge you for two visits under the Council Tax Admistration and Enforcement Regulations.

 

They will then perform a levy or seizure on your goods this then makes them the leagal ownership of the bailiff and if you do not pay the debt then they can remove them and sell them at auction to recoupe the cost of the debt. Or at least that the theory. Really its an excuse to charge you more money, the levy fee is based upon the amount you owe and with the figures you have given £38.00 seems right to me.

 

However this is normally only charged after the second visit so in order to maximise on the amount they can charge you. im pretty certain that they can't charge for a levy on the same day as a 1st or 2nd visit fee.

 

They can perform it on a car parked outside and its not unusual for them to pick any car in the immediate area. My advice would be to ring the bailiff or write which ever your more comfortable and ask him for a breakdown of fees and what he has levied on.

 

If the levy is unlawful and they won't remove the chages we have the basis for a serious complaint:)

Edited September 30, 2009 by Slimrabbit
Information misleading my mistake.

[hallowitch]

Please excuse my ignorance what is a levy ? and no they haven't entered my property at all and as far as I know they don't know what I look like or what car I drive:confused:

 

its not ignorance

 

when a bailiff levy property they use this to secure payment if they don't get payment the goods are removed and sold if an agreement to pay is made with the bailiff and you miss payments this gives the bailiff the opportunity to add a van fee

 

a bailiff can charge a fee for this levy

 

don't be surprised if the bailiff says he has a levy on a car

believe or not it doesn't have to be your car but if there is a car in your drive or in the street parked outside your house he has the right to assume it yours

 

having said that if the bailiff has levied a car he should have left a walking possession agreement listing the car and the charges incurred

and he wouldn't be first bailiff to post a levy through your door after you complain about the fees so don't park you car in the street

[danboy381]

Council tax bill is £434.04 bailiffs want £686.54

 

 

 

Am I reading these fees right ? What S***e is this?

 

stressed and harassed, please write an official complaint letter to the Ministry Of Justice, Petty France, London. Check the net for their full address.

 

There is NO WAY they can legally charge you fees of this amount. Full stop. Period.

 

Also you would be doing yourself and others a big favour if you write an official letter of complaint to the council concerned too.

 

In the meantime, ignore the thieves and pay the council directly. Park your car down the road too.

[Slimrabbit]

As much as i agree that the fees are excessive they are right and are set down in law, the only grey area is the van/enforcement/attending to remove (or whatever they want to call it) fee as the government legislation states that the bailiffs can charge 'reasonable fees/costs' .

 

what is deemed as reasonable is anyones guess but none the less these fees are set down in law.

 

Of course you should still play hide the car and i stress again to get a copy of your Screenshot and subject access report to se when they levied against you what dates the visits where conducted on etc etc. Only once you have these details can we look at formulating a proper complaint.

 

Until then windows and doors locked, car hidden and pay the council what you can afford and nothing more.

 

Slim

[dawnwb]

What did the letter say on it when they visited?

 

Did it say notice of seizure? ( which is called a Form7)

 

If it did it should have a list of the items the bailiff seized (made levy on).

If you havent got one of those forms that means they have not made a levy and they can not charge you more than is set out in the guidelines for collecting council tax.

 

Look at the paperwork they left at your house and if in doubt scan it and cover personal details and post it here for us to look at, check the back of it also.

 

The law states that in order to charge for removal costs i.e Vans then the bailiff MUST have given you a notice of seizure with an inventory of the seized goods, or left one at your house if you were not in at the time he made the levy.