Phoning him?

[CuddlyClaire]

I had a letter through my door yesterday to say the Baliff had been for a council tax debt, and was returning tommorrow with a removal unit.

 

Now I sent an email saying that I have no had the time to deal with this issue and would appreciate a little time to ascertain details.

 

They have emailed me back and said I need to talk to the Baliff in question. When i did a search on him he isnt registered to that company. So i rang their office and said I wasnt willing to talk to him as he wasnt showing up as with them. Apparently he moved job on Monday. (Hoping this makes sense)

 

So I dont want to ring him, and dont think I should and wish to only deal with the matter via letters as I havent even offered them any payment yet.

 

Is that right?

[rebel11]

I'm sure he needs a court order to take your property so the removal unit it's going to be needed. Just sounds like hot air. Hopefully an expert will arrive shortly.

[PSB123]

As long as you DON'T let him in to your property you will be fine. He needs to gain peaceful entry first, and then for you to sign a walking possession order before he can take your goods.

[ploddertom]

I had a letter through my door yesterday to say the Baliff had been for a council tax debt, and was returning tommorrow with a removal unit.

 

Is this the first you have heard of this or have you had previous visits from the Bailiff in this matter. Do you know how much the Liability Order is for and how much is now outstanding, the Council can tell you this. He cannot collect any goods unless:

a - he has previously levied on them

b - he must give you a date and a time in writing when he intends to come.

 

Now I sent an email saying that I have no had the time to deal with this issue and would appreciate a little time to ascertain details.

 

They have emailed me back and said I need to talk to the Baliff in question.

Nothing nowhere says you have to deal with the Bailiff. Refuse him entry to your property, make sure you have nothing lying outside he can levy on and if you have a car get it moved pronto. At the very most if you carry out this procedure he can only charge you for 2 visits, it's a different ball game if he gains entry.

 

When i did a search on him he isnt registered to that company. So i rang their office and said I wasnt willing to talk to him as he wasnt showing up as with them. Apparently he moved job on Monday. (Hoping this makes sense).

He can only collect the debt if he is registered with the company he works for. If he has just moved company then he should already have notified the Court of a change in his circumstances. He must also have a copy of the Liability Order when he calls.

 

So I dont want to ring him, and dont think I should and wish to only deal with the matter via letters as I havent even offered them any payment yet.

 

You can of course make payments direct to the Council through their Online system or automated phone service, an alternative is to use BillPay if they are registered there. Only ring him if you can record the call. Do not believe a word he says.

 

Is that right?

 

There are plenty more who will offer sound advice as most have been in similar situations in the past, present, future.

 

PT

[CuddlyClaire]

Thanks Tom

 

I have not had him visit before and it just says in one of those fill in the blank forms that he will return Thursday. No time or date really.

 

I was sensible enough to BCC the email to the council that i sent last night, and have had a response from their officer who have told me to ring the baliff. So i have responded saying that he isnt registered with the company so I am a little hestitant to do so.

 

If i had money laying around at the moment I would give to the council directly, however I dont even have a pound in my bank account.

 

I just dont think that less than 48 hours is a reasonable notice period. Or am I losing the plot?

[ploddertom]

Thanks Tom

 

I have not had him visit before and it just says in one of those fill in the blank forms that he will return Thursday. No time or date really.

 

Usual Bailiff speak trying to exert pressure, let him know you know your rights and scales of charges he is allowed and he may decide to bog off elsewhere and pester someone more unfortunate.

 

I was sensible enough to BCC the email to the council that i sent last night, and have had a response from their officer who have told me to ring the baliff. So i have responded saying that he isnt registered with the company so I am a little hestitant to do so.

 

If i had money laying around at the moment I would give to the council directly, however I dont even have a pound in my bank account.

 

Are you by any chance:

On Benefits

Single parent

Suffer from illness

 

There are other categories as well but need to look them up. If so then you may be classed as a vulnerable person in which case he should be referring straight back to the Council.

 

Don't forget that Council Tax is classed as a Priority debt, make sure you are not classed a "won't" pay as given the long arm of the law you could be subject to a Committal but that would be a long way ahead from now.

 

I just dont think that less than 48 hours is a reasonable notice period. Or am I losing the plot?

 

It's the way they work, they will have you believe the moon is made of cream cheese, he needs entry to use the phone as he's having a heart attack etc etc. I would imagine most have degrees in lying and cheating. Providing you can defeat him by denying entry or any other means of him gaining a levy he will have to return this to the Council. Please make sure you have locked your doors and windows as he is allowed to gain entry if they are open.

 

 

PT

[sherbrook]

As long as you DON'T let him in to your property you will be fine. He needs to gain peaceful entry first, and then for you to sign a walking possession order before he can take your goods.

 

You must remember that a Bailiff can gain peaceable entry through a window or unlocked door. And not everybodies assets are in their house ie: car etc.

 

I think it would be foolish not to contact the bailiff by phone. It is often this very action that lands my debtors with higher bills.

 

My two cents.

[MRSWESTHAM]

Phoning the bailiff goes against all the advice Caggers give out. Bailiffs lie and unless you have a phone that records conversations I would ALWAYS get everything in writing.

 

Hide your car as well

 

Bailffs are Tossers.

Edited November 12, 2009 by MRSWESTHAM
spelling

[PSB123]

You must remember that a Bailiff can gain peaceable entry through a window or unlocked door. And not everybodies assets are in their house ie: car etc.

 

I think it would be foolish not to contact the bailiff by phone. It is often this very action that lands my debtors with higher bills.

 

My two cents.

I beg to differ re phoning the bailiff. You may well be forced in to agreeing payments you can not afford. Keep it in writing

[pink_eeyore]

if you go to the stickies there is a number you can call to see if he is certificated to work for that company or as a self employed bailiff - if he is neither report it to the council pointing out to them that the company has allocated and uncertificated bailiff to action their cases which is a contravention

[sherbrook]

Phoning the bailiff goes against all the advice Caggers give out. Bailiffs lie and unless you have a phone that records conversations I would ALWAYS get everything in writing.

 

Hide your car as well

 

Bailffs are Tossers.

 

Very grown up of you Mrs Westham.

 

Not all Bailiffs lie and cheat. I had to deal with one myself a few years back and he was OK. I owed the money so came to a short term arrangement to pay it. Fair enough, I got caught.

 

My point was that burying your head in the sand and not calling them only invites further visits and more charges.

 

If you're foolish enough to agree to things over the phone that you cant keep to then surely thats your fault!

[MRSWESTHAM]

Posted this on the other post your talking crap on.

 

Just incase you didnt see it, here it is again.

 

Its not burying your head in the sand. I have rang a bailif who advised me

 

"We do not just come in through open windows and doors" I asked him if he was Santa as the only other way he would get in peacefully is down the chimney.

 

He then told me "Its not usually peaceful". He then told me I cannot pay an istallment plan. He then told me £670 fees on a £1000 odd bill was acceptable.

 

Shame at the time I hadnt been advised by CAG to never speak on the phone. If I had all those lies in wriing I would be laughing.

 

Lucky for me I had a lovely dad who paid my bills had I not, I can guarantee you a bottle of paracetamol were looking like the best option.

 

Whilst I agree whple heartedly we should pay what we owe, I do not accept that we should be bullied and manipulated by these little power trip freaks into paying what we cannot afford. Thank God for CAG .

 

Im a pretty tough cookie coming from where I come from but the telephone call from the bailiff left me contemplating suicide. Thats why I would never CALL one again.

 

And grown up or not... They are tossers.

[PSB123]

Very grown up of you Mrs Westham.

 

Not all Bailiffs lie and cheat. I had to deal with one myself a few years back and he was OK. I owed the money so came to a short term arrangement to pay it. Fair enough, I got caught.

 

My point was that burying your head in the sand and not calling them only invites further visits and more charges.

 

If you're foolish enough to agree to things over the phone that you cant keep to then surely thats your fault!

It has nothing to do with being foolish, more to do with being frightened in to making promises you can't keep. They also play on peoples ignorance and make out they have more power than what they really do.

 

As I said, keep it in writing, that way you won't be burying your head in the sand ;-)

[gstanny]

well said mrs westham