Help with Rossendales please

[Tinnud]

Hi all.

 

It's been a while since I last posted and I'm in need of some help with outstanding council tax.

 

Long story short, I moved from one council area to another in November 2007 and spent most of 2008 at Great Ormond Street Hospital with my baby daughter who had major heart surgery. Due to this I wasn't working and racked up arrears with my new council as well as my old council who awarded me housing benefit then 4 months later informed me they'd made an error and wanted it all back.

 

The situation now is I have 8 liability orders split equally between both councils. I'm self employed now and in receipt of housing benefit and working tax credits and money (as always) is tight.

 

Rossendales have attended 5 times and issued me with a notice of distress for my car which I need to take my daughter to hospital for regular heart scans etc.

 

I've tried offering £25 a week to Rossendales as the council's won't take back the debts but Rossendales are adamant that I pay circa £300 a month which I can't afford.

 

I've sent them an IE form which I filled in incorrectly as I was severley stressed when I completed it and they've said I can send a new one and they'll look at it again.

 

My question is, if I pay the council's directly what can Rossendales do to me? I paid one council £50 via my online bank but they still won't take the debt back so have I lost that £50?

 

I really hate DCA's and don'#t wish to deal with them. What are my options?

[seanamarts]

8 Liability orders for only a period of 3/4 years, that dosnt seem right for a start.

How did they come up with 8?

First off are you a single parent?

were you at any point on any benefits apart from WTC.

How much in total to both councils do you owe?

How much are the charges/fees in total?

Dont what ever you do let these cretins in.

Hide your car.

If however they have been in what have they levied?

This will do for starters..

once we have some more info we will be able to advise further and possibly get this back into the hands of the council..

If you are a single parent with a child who is sick or seriously ill then you may be potentially vulnerable under the national standards of enforcement agents.

[Tinnud]

Thanks for the swift reply

 

I've just finished speaking with my current LA and they've accepted the fact that we're in receipt of full housing benefit and have told me they are going to instruct Rossendale's to accept a minimum payment of £3.30 per week so that's now resolved. Well, kind of. Rossendales slapped 2 levy fees on our car of £29 and £53 in Jan 2010 and Feb 2010 respectively along with 2 lots of First visit fees of £24.50. Can they do this? The car was parked on our driveway.

 

The second LA has given me a breakdown as follows:

 

Liability 2004/2005 - £515.18

Liability 2005/2006 - £563.67

Liability 2006 - £302.78

Liability 2007 - £759.41

 

I made a payment of £50 direct to them in June 2010 but Rossendale's have added their costs as follows:

 

First Visit Fee: £24.50 17/06/2010 + £44 Levy fee on my car

First Visit Fee: £24.50 17/06/2010 + £48 Levy fee on my car

First Visit Fee: £24.50 17/06/2010 + £44 Levy fee on my car

First Visit Fee: £24.50 17/06/2010 + £34 Levy fee on my car

 

This despite me telling the bailiff about the fact my daughter requires frequent visits to our local hospital (over half an hours drive away) and we depend on the car for this. Plus, if she shows signs of heart failure in the future we need the car to get her to the doctors/hospital ASAP.

 

I've not let them in and told them I won't let them in (he wasn't too impressed when I told him that!) so nothing else has been levied.

 

I'm not a single parent but we are in receipt of full housing and council tax benefit.

 

Upon speaking to my old LA they said there was nothing they could do although they did have to accept any payments I made to them.

 

My question then is if I carry on making a weekly payment of £3.30 to BOTH LA's can Rossendale's do anything?

[hallowitch]

goods can only be levied once

 

 

1st visit fees and levy fees cant be charged on the same day

when a bailiff is collecting more than 1 liability order he can only charge

 

either 1 visit fee or 1 levy fee they cant charge multiple fees

[Tinnud]

So he's added fee's illegally then?

 

How do I get these removed?

 

Where do I go to report him?

 

Grrr! I'm so flippin' angry!

[hallowitch]

Rossendales slapped 2 levy fees on our car of £29 and £53 in Jan 2010 and Feb 2010 respectively along with 2 lots of First visit fees of £24.50. Can they do this?

 

Jan 2010 is the only valid levy they have IF the car is not subject to finance or is a mobility car

 

you will have to start writing letters

 

first letter is to rossendales for a breakdown of charges this give you the info in writing to challenge there fees put all account numbers and send recorded delivery

 

 

"From:

My Name

My Address

 

To:

Acme bailiff Co

Bailiff House

 

Ref: Account No: 123456

 

Dear Sir

 

With reference to the above account. Can you please provide me with a breakdown of the charges including Computer Screenshot.

 

This includes:

a - the time & date of any Bailiff action that incurred a Fee.

b - the reason for the fee.

c - the name(s) of the Bailiff(s) that attended on each occasion a Fee was charged.

d - the name(s) of the Court(s) the Bailiff(s) was/were Certificated at.

e - the date of the Certification.

 

This is not a Subject access request under the Data Protection Act S7 1998 so does not incur a fee of £10. You are obliged to provide this information.

 

I require this information within 14 days.

 

Yours faithfully

 

Ripped off customer"

[Tinnud]

Ok thanks. I'll do that now and see what happens.

[seanamarts]

Oh naughty naughty bailiffs.

They have done a levy 4 times on the same car and then charged incorrectly. tut tut!

I would write to both councils out lining this and the fact that it is vital that you need your car for emergency purposes. Can you get a letter from either your hospital that is dealing with your daughter or your gp to back this up for you. I would start paying the councils asap and let them know that you will only deal with them in future. Every time you make a payment send them an email or letter. Always best to do this online at their website as you have clear proof that you have paid it.

[Tinnud]

I've just got off the phone to the bailiff that placed the levies on my car after ringing him earlier for his licence number. He says he doesn't have one but has a certificate issued at Burnley County court on 23/04 that expires on 13/07/2011.

 

When I queried his levy fees he said "I'm very sorry if I made a mistake..."

 

I didn't accept his apology and said that the BBC were very interested in my story due to my daughters illness and the fact that he took no notice of me when I told him I needed my car to take her to hospital, not to mention the illegal fees he's added. I told him Rossendales were being looked at closely by Watchdog for their underhand tactics and, as long as he hasn't issued illegal fees to other victims, I'm sure he'll be ok. If he has though he may find himself on TV. He went very quiet lol.

 

I'm still awaiting a call from the CTR manager from my previous LA. HE was too busy to speak earlier this afternoon and said he'd call me this evening. Again, I've explained to them about the fees and the fact my car was levied 4 times on the same day with 3 different amounts and I've refused to deal with such an unprofessional company that seeks to cause distress and alarm to people.

 

Will update you when I hear from the LA...

[hallowitch]

I've just got off the phone to the bailiff that placed the levies on my car after ringing him earlier for his licence number. He says he doesn't have one but has a certificate issued at Burnley County court on 23/04 that expires on 13/07/2011.

 

When I queried his levy fees he said "I'm very sorry if I made a mistake..."

 

I didn't accept his apology and said that the BBC were very interested in my story due to my daughters illness and the fact that he took no notice of me when I told him I needed my car to take her to hospital, not to mention the illegal fees he's added. I told him Rossendales were being looked at closely by Watchdog for their underhand tactics and, as long as he hasn't issued illegal fees to other victims, I'm sure he'll be ok. If he has though he may find himself on TV. He went very quiet lol.

 

I'm still awaiting a call from the CTR manager from my previous LA. HE was too busy to speak earlier this afternoon and said he'd call me this evening. Again, I've explained to them about the fees and the fact my car was levied 4 times on the same day with 3 different amounts and I've refused to deal with such an unprofessional company that seeks to cause distress and alarm to people.

 

Will update you when I hear from the LA...

 

 

:lol: well done you your bailiff and rossendales are fully that goods can only be levied once (read the walking possession agreement)

 

check here to see if he is certificated a bailiffs certificate only lasts 2 years

 

 

Certificated Bailiff

[seanamarts]

Well done this is good news

[Tinnud]

Still waiting to hear from my old LA recovery manager. Seems he's too busy to speak to me...

 

My current council contacted me again today to confirm my debt had been recalled from Rossendales and I can now pay them the minimum £3.30 per week (much more realistic than Rossendales £300 a month demands!) and that they have removed the fees applied by Rossendales.

 

I'll update once I've spoken to my old LA. I'm going to give him a major earache when he finally contacts me as he's taking the p**s a bit now!

 

Once again, thanks to those that have helped. I wouldn't have been able to sort this without you

[Tinnud]

Ok. Just heard from my ex LA and they've agreed to recall the debt from Rossendale's due to the bailiff's illegal fees and have accepted a £5 a week payment to be reviewed in 3 months!

 

I feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted - Thanks everyone

[seanamarts]

This is excellent news well done