help

[stags r going up]

hi, a couple of years ago my wife and i split. we got back together after a few months. however while we were split she ended up owing the council tax of £138.14. this has gone to bailiffs.

i tried ringing bailiffs to make an offer of £5 for the first 2 months (due to the fact i am paying my council tax off) and then £25 a month until its paid off. the bailiffs tell me this is not enough (even though i told them i cant afford any more) and it had to be paid back in 12 weeks max and if i needed longer its up to the council.

i phoned the council and they said its in the bailiffs hands and its up to them what they do.

the bailiffs have said they will send a bailiff out to levy goods and charge me for the privalage.

i know we owe the money and i want to pay it.

is there anything i can do to stop the bailiffs coming round and pay the amount i can afford.

[Signaller]

Hi Stag,

typical threat from Bailiffs.Not Philips or Jacobs by any chance?They will use many different threats to get you to pay.All councils have a number you can phone to pay your council tax.It is an automated service and very easy to use.From what you say, the arrears are not that big.I'm surprised it has even gone to bailiffs.They can only levy your goods once you or someone else has let them in to your house.NEVER let them in.

As I said, phone the number for the council tax line.You can pay using a debit card.I've used this service myself.It shouldn't take long to pay the arrears off.The payments will be accepted.If the bailiffs do call, just tell them it's being paid.They will check with the council,and you shouldn't have any more bother with them.They mention 12 weeks because if they cannot recover payments in 12 weeks it's passed back to the council anyway.Pay via the phone, you don't need to speak with anyone.If you keep up with your current council tax you shouldn't hear anything from the council.Pay the Bailiffs nothing, and NEVER let them into your house.Hope this helps.Let us know how you go.

Regards

Signaller

[dx100uk]

or use internet banking and the details form the reverse of any ctax bill

 

dx

[comebackjimmy]

Hi

 

Last year I failed to pay my Council tax and after the court proceedings I got a letter from the appointed bailiffs. I called them and offered a payment plan which they refused.

 

I then looked around this site and found some useful information. Basically your position is that you do have to pay the debt but you are under no legal obligation to deal with the Bailiff.

 

I wrote to my council explaining the circumstances of my delinquency, acknowledging the debt and making the explicit statement that I was not refusing to pay. I offered a payment schedule which was both within my ability to pay and had the advantage of being complete before the next year's liability began. I also asked them to recover the account from the bailiff and deal direct.

 

In short, it worked. Here is a draft letter based on what I wrote which you can use:

 

DATE

 

 

Recoveries Department

COUNCIL

COUNCIL ADDRESS

COUNCIL ADDRESS

COUNCIL ADDRESS

 

Dear Sirs

 

 

REF: YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER

 

 

On DATE I spoke with your debt collector BAILIFF NAME on the telephone and offered them a repayment plan. They refused stating they required payment within 12 weeks which I am unable to do.

 

It is my belief that their policy is designed only to make money for their own organisation in that they can immediately make a charge for a bailiff visit and on-going charges for walking possession. I take the view that this should not be necessary if they are able to obtain a payment plan which I then stick to.

 

I therefore request that the council notes my repayment plan below.

 

I further wish you to note that I am not refusing to pay the Council Tax.

 

I request that you either recover the account back from BAILIFF NAME and directly receive the payments yourselves, or that you instruct your bailiffs to accept my plan without further hardship to me.

 

Not withstanding my current delinquency I have been paying council tax on the same property for Approximately NO years. In the last NO years I have experienced financial difficulties as a result of EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR YOUR DELINQUENCY However, over this period I have, with difficulty paid my council taxes and my current offer will clear the arrears alongside current payment.

 

In the circumstances I believe my request is not unreasonable and ask for your assistance in this matter.

 

 

Yours Faithfully

 

 

Add a sheet with your repayment plan, amount and dates.

 

I cannot guarantee a positive outcome but what happened with me was that the case was passed up the chain a bit and I then got a letter to say they were recovering the account.

 

You would strengthen your case by making a payment direct to the council and stating you have made your first payment on the plan already.

 

Good luck

 

PS it is only money. The important thing is that you are back with your mission control which is great!

[tomtubby]

hi, a couple of years ago my wife and i split. we got back together after a few months. however while we were split she ended up owing the council tax of £138.14. this has gone to bailiffs.

i tried ringing bailiffs to make an offer of £5 for the first 2 months (due to the fact i am paying my council tax off) and then £25 a month until its paid off. the bailiffs tell me this is not enough (even though i told them i cant afford any more) and it had to be paid back in 12 weeks max and if i needed longer its up to the council.

i phoned the council and they said its in the bailiffs hands and its up to them what they do.

the bailiffs have said they will send a bailiff out to levy goods and charge me for the privalage.

i know we owe the money and i want to pay it.

is there anything i can do to stop the bailiffs coming round and pay the amount i can afford.

.

.

I posted the following advice on another thread this morning:

 

Originally Posted by webster2610

Hi Guys i returned home from work today to find a letter hand posted by Bristow and Sutor regarding my last years council tax.

I admit i owe the council the money which is £1181.67 including a visit cost of £24.50 per liability order.

 

Their letter states i owe this money and to pay in full or pay first payment of £111.67 then 10 weekly payments of £107 to clear the debt. Why do they give so little time to pay is this normal??I clearly cannot afford this much. I am self employed with wife and 2 kids things are tight at the moment.

Any Ideas Guys Please help!!

Kind regards Webster

 

Our business deals only in bailiff enquiries and this question is one that we hear about all of the time and the reason for this is as follows:

 

Most bailiff contracts are for 2 years and some ( rare ones) for 3 years. Bailiffs companies are constantly on the look out for new contracts and the criteria that the council will be looking for is the percentage of debts that are paid and the SPEED in which they are paid.

 

MOST liability orders are issued in around August/Sept with the next busy period being after XMAS but in ALL cases that I know of.....the local authority will be INSISTING to their bailiff company that they will allow repayment of the debt ONLY on the basis that the debt is paid BEFORE the start of the new council tax year.

 

This is PRECISELY what has happened in your case.

 

Many councils invested their money in Icelandic bank accounts and IF this is to be repaid... (there is currently a fight going on surrounding this issue) it will NOT be for a couple of years. Central government...(who are also skint)...will NOT be bailing out these councils. Therefore, we cannot expect any leeway from the COUNCILS on their instance to have the debt paid before the new council tax year.

[seanamarts]

sorry if I sound pedantic here TT, but its most councils fault why they are short of funds in the first place, maybe if 'they' invested 'their' money wisely in british banks then they wouldnt be short of their funds, I personally feel, and I could be wrong, that the public are paying for their mistakes. Not saying here that people should hold off in paying what they owe but the councils could be a little bit more helpful in helping the people who are struggling.. This is just my opinion

[tomtubby]

sorry if I sound pedantic here TT, but its most councils fault why they are short of funds in the first place, maybe if 'they' invested 'their' money wisely in british banks then they wouldnt be short of their funds, I personally feel, and I could be wrong, that the public are paying for their mistakes. Not saying here that people should hold off in paying what they owe but the councils could be a little bit more helpful in helping the people who are struggling.. This is just my opinion

 

You are absolutely right !!!