Rossendales Bailiff - a positive experience (!)

[Foresthills69]

hiya!

 

I popped on here after trying to get some info on rent deposit/property maintenance etc and noticed a few threads in this section on rossendales bailiffs.. thought I'd chime in with a positive (!!!) experience I had with them

 

well, maybe not positive (at the end of the day I still had to pay up), but nothing like the stories some people have told

 

I'd never dealt with bailiffs before, so I had no idea what to expect... (I always had a mental picture of big scary guys who come round and try to leave with your telly)

 

long story short, I owed a fair bit of council tax... ignord it and hoped it'd all go away (it didn't). I got a letter through from rossendales bailiffs, giving me all the legal info, stating my rights etc

 

I gave them a call and made arrangements to pay it in installments... they were really friendly, and didn't try to pressure me to pay more than I could afford

 

am not trying to paint them 'whiter than white' but you've got to tell it like it is... I don't expect to be treated like a criminal for owing a few hundred quid council tax, and fair play rossendales, they didnt

 

so that's my painless rossendales experience - not very exciting eh? anyone else had any dealings with them?

[impecunious]

Rossies and "positive experience" - oxymoron!

 

But I'm glad you had a positive experience - you may just very well be in the minority!

 

Impecunious!

[ploddertom]

Would be interested to find out what charges you paid them?

 

PT

[BarnoldswkBob]

I guess if you owe the money then Rossendales bailiffs are entitled to pursue you. People who don't pay council tax cost everyone (who do pay it) more, so I can understand why councils make an effort to pursue those who evade their responsibilities as otherwise they would not be able to provide services to those who really need them.

 

Pay your council tax on time like everyone else and these companies wont bother you, its really easy.

 

[Thegreenpimpernel]

BB

 

That's a bit naive frankly. Some people, believe it or not, experience temporary financial hardship beyond their control. Like for example, when your boss robs the company's assets and you turn up to locked gates instead of a job. Some people, believe it or not, get ill.

 

In all these cases, your caring sharing local authority will demand THE FULL YEARS CT in advance if you missed say the second and third payment.

 

EDIT - On the other hand, I should add that i sometimes find "oops! i forgot to pay four years Council Tax" a little beyond belief!!

Edited May 11, 2010 by Thegreenpimpernel

[BarnoldswkBob]

You can ALWAYS talk to the people you owe money to, local council included.

 

If you get into difficulties for what ever reason there is always someone to speak to. They will work hard to help (they want the money even if its late) way before it ever gets anywhere near bringing in the baliffs. What they don't do is allow you to ignore repeated letters, phone calls etc.

 

Baliffs are a last resort for people who just don't want to pay their way. You have to take a stand at some point otherwise nobody would pay.

[Thegreenpimpernel]

I think depends on the 'luck of the draw' of who you are dealing with. My experiences vary from good (as you describe) and somewhat less good, like "i don't give a **** i want my ****ing money or i'll *****ing bankrupt you"

 

The public / banking sector equivalent is to reply:

 

"the money IS due"

 

to everything you say, even when you inform them the debtor is undergoing chemo!!

 

Not everyone is as understanding as you seem to be.

[kash007]

It is important to note the distinction between DCA’s (debt collection agencies) and bailiffs. It is also important to note the differences that apply between certain fines even though they collectively come under the umbrella of Magistrate Court fines.

Each bailiff must be certificated in order to collect rent arrears, council tax arrears and certain other debts for example parking fines and speeding fines. The certificate is issued by a County Court Judge and is usually renewed every 2 years. In order to obtain a certificate, the bailiff must lodge with the court a bond or other security to the value of £10,000.

To check to see if a bailiff is certificated simply telephone the Ministry of Justice on 020 3334 3555 and give them the name of the bailiff and the company he is working for, or check online here Certificated Bailiff. They will be able to tell you which court issued the original certificate and you can then call that court and check the details further. However, please note that there may be administrative delays and if a search reveals that a bailiff is not listed as certificated then you should inform the bailiff that a search of the HMCS on-line Certificated Bailiff's Register does not include him. You should then request a copy of his certificate, or have him confirm which Court granted his certificate and when.

A company trading in debt recovery must have had at the time of collection a Category E Consumer Credit Licence pursuant to Section 21(1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Since July 2008 this has changed to Category F.

Bailiffs do not have the power to arrest anyone, only the police have that power.

The behaviour expected from a bailiff when carrying out his duty is very carefully laid out in the “National Standard for Enforcement Agents” which, among other things states that:-

- “Enforcement agents should always produce relevant identification on request, such as a badge or ID card, together with a written authorisation to act on behalf of the creditor”

- “Enforcement agents must carry out their duties in a professional, calm and dignified manner. They must dress appropriately and act with discretion and fairness”

- “Enforcement agents will on each occasion when a visit is made to a debtor’s property which incurs a fee for the debtor, leave a notice detailing the fees charged to date, including the one for that visit, and the fees which will be incurred if further action becomes necessary. If a written request is made an itemised account of fees will be provided”

[spottedp]

I'm with BarnoldswkBob -

 

Everyone has to pay council tax and those who don't are not contributing to society.

 

From what I hear Rossendales are actually one of the better companies - they give you notice on what you owe and if you call them they will tell you the law and what your options are.

 

That said obviously having to deal with any bailiffs is not going to be a pleasant experience due to the nature of the business.

 

End of the day everyone thinks that they are an exception or that their circumstances are different, but when it comes down to it you owe what you owe and if you are ill and your doctor can provide evidence of this you can get time off work, benefits, etc!

[Thegreenpimpernel]

There's a big difference between 'don't' pay and temporarily 'can't' pay.

 

You'll find that those who "don't contribute to society" don't have to pay it in the first place.

 

I don't see how adding extra cost (which does NOT go to the council), harassing and removing peoples means to get to work, helps any one (including wider society).

[seanamarts]

Some people in here make it sound oh so easy:rolleyes:

Councils cock up, Fact!! Then take their time to get it sorted, by then its often far too late.

Councils are far to eager to get the bailiffs involved because its easier for them to pass the buck.

Councils dont give people enough time to sort their financial difficulties out and get liability orders out within two months for non payers and then its for a full years worth of CT not just for the amount that is owed.

Its the councils who waste the money in the first place on frivolous things and poor investments, where the CT payers foot the bill for.

If the councils paid more attention in their budgeting and their own financial debt the CT payers would be paying less CT at an affordable rate instead of what we are paying now.

Try putting yourself in the shoes of the poverty stricken who are not entitled to benefits because they earn a penny over the required amount to qualify. what would you choose? feed your kids or pay the CT, I know which one I would choose.

[2ltr16valve]

Dont feed the trolls, they are getting fat

[seanamarts]

Dont feed the trolls, they are getting fat

awww and I wanted to play;)

I have come to this conclusion that bailiffs are scavengers and parasites, feeding off the poorest of the poor and will take what they can just to get what they can at any cost, and its what they want to do. How sad their lives must be.

[F_DCAs]

Rossendales must be getting desperate - good! I notice they seem to be leaving the odd comment on the whocallsme boards as well.

 

"Everyone has to pay council tax and those who don't are not contributing to society." - What exactly is this supposed to mean? Not everyone does have to pay council tax, but everyone (through VAT) does contribute to society. You'll have to come up with a better statement than that.

[seanamarts]

Everyone has to pay council tax and those who don't are not contributing to society

I missed that!! And I find offense to that statement spottedp. I do more than my fair share to society. What a lot of verbal diarrhea you spout.

[F_DCAs]

Strange that we have at least three people on this thread who have only just joined CAG who are siding with Rossendales. That's a bit of a coincidence...

[Thegreenpimpernel]

They could have bothered to turn up with a valid argument.

[SURFBOY]

"Everyone has to pay council tax and those who don't are not contributing to society."

I dont pay council tax but i contribute to this society!!!

So much so that i even put my life on the line for this society, same as many of my comrades.

[RaeUK]

Dont feed the trolls, they are getting fat

 

We seem to be getting a few lately, do you think they come out and play more in the spring?

 

Oh dear, bailiffs have never been that bright...

 

Best wishes

Rae

[caledfwlch]

I smell troll flesh.

 

Especially given the amount of posts of some posters.....

[popperdom]

I too have had very possitive experiences with Rossendales(Proud to be Professional) and rightly so. By their choosing to make all visits and hand deliver all paperwork intended for me to addresses other than mine they have protected me from the headache of opening my door at 07.15 to a bailiff and a van. I have also saved the expence of taking out a front page spread in my local newspaper, informing my fellow residents of my financial status as their bailiffs ensured that my sensitive personal date was presented in concise terms without the need for respecting the Data Protection Act. I say we need more of these civic minded people. The down side is Rossendales(Proud to be Professionals) Expect me to pay for this service, but it's a small price considering the peace of mind it brings.