advise needed please regarding equita

[gillybobs]

we have a few outstanding amounts for council tax. We recently wrote to our local council with a financial summary and they have agreed to reduce payments on two accounts thus leaving two accounts with the baliffs one for £45.16 and one for£471.58 which the council they refuse to take back. my problem is we have been trying to reduce our outgoings in order to pay of some of our debts and have a car on hp which we are sending back because we cannot afford payments and day to day running costs of the car,we also have a car which we own outright and is needed to get kids to school etc, we just need advice on what to do to avoid having the car taken away.we would make payments to the council but dont want to pay the balliffs.

[Paine Fury]

Hi GillyBob, I've dealt with Equita myself in the past.

 

Park your car away from your house, out of plain sight, NEVER park it on your driveway or near your property as they will search the area.

 

DO NOT let the bailiffs in ever, no matter what excuse they use. They cannot gain entry to your house unless it is classed as "peaceful" aka invited in. However, if they find an unlocked door or an open window they can gain access then so KEEP ALL WINDOWS SHUT AND ALL DOORS LOCKED.

 

Equita will try and collect on this debt a few times with letters through the door and eventually knocking on your door. When I dealt with Equita I found the bailiffs quite rude and chose to have most direct contact with the Council. Eventually Equita will pass the debt back to the Council again if they cannot collect, but will also try and visit twice (unfortunately I can't remember the costs of the two visits but they can't charge you more than £42.50 in total I think).

 

I managed to make a monthly arrangement with the Council to pay off the oustanding amount, but my account was split in two and part of it was with Equita. If you badger the council enough, the Recovery Department will try and extend the deadline and set up an arrangement for you.

 

But Equita are reluctant to give up a debt, and will let it drag out. I've received over a dozen letters from them and at least 1 visit (possibly more as I was too frightened to stay at my house).

 

I wish you the best of luck.

[Vicki202]

Hi Gilly sorry your dealing with these animals my advice would be the car you own outright put into someone elses name if you can until then keep it out of sight if it is not in your name they can not levy on it try and pay the council direct if you can if you have a account number for each account owed you can pay it online unfortunately they are bullies and will be sly and try anything they can even if it is law breaking do not ever let them in your house even if they say they need toilet or to make emergency phone call as they will be trying it n once you let them in this gives them the right to levy and re-enter at anytime if they can not get in to levy then can not do anything and eventually have to send the debt back to the council

[lizziekwitta]

Hi Gilly, like the others say, keep your car away so it can`t be clamped and don`t let them in or open the door. Would be intersted in what council this is for and what fees the bailiff has added.

[gillybobs]

Hi lizzie, this debt is blackburn council, dont have details to for the fees but the debt that is for £45 has gone up to 274 with the baliff so I am assuming this is all the fees the have added on top. would I be able to pay the £45 direct to the council?

[gillybobs]

I have also being diagnosed with depression so would this class me has being vunerable?

[Vicki202]

yes you can pay it to the council you will need the account number for this debt which will be on any letters from the council regarding this debt or do as i did ring them say your gathering information and ask them for the account number then you can pay it online sounds already as tho there are unlawful fee's on your account

[Vicki202]

it is highly possible since my run in with a bailiff ive been put on medication for depression and panic attacks so i would say you more than likely are

[gillybobs]

hi I have just been in council and paid the £45 off and spoke to a member of staff and they said now the debt is paid I still need to pay the fees to equita can they still chase me for the fees?

[hallowitch]

you will have to pay bailiff fees IF they have been to your home and left hand delivered letters

£24.50 1st visit £18 2nd visit

 

your bailiff is looking for £274 - the £45 you owed the council leaves £229 in fees

by the look of things you have been charge visit fees £42.50 levy fee£24.50 walking possession fee £12 and a van fee £150

 

Has the bailiff levied on goods (possibly a car) have you been left a notice of seizure of goods and inventory listing goods levied

[gillybobs]

no they havent levied anything and they have not been into my house

[ploddertom]

I don't quite understand why the Council have taken some back and not others? How many Liability Orders do you have and do you know how much you owe etc? has the bailiff left a breakdown of his charges for each account with you or what other paperwork has he left?

 

PT

[gillybobs]

I have 4 accounts outstanding for council tax : current address for last year £471,2 accounts for a previous address £45 which is with the baliffs(just paid off) and £848 which is being paid off by payment plan with council and 1 account from 6 years ago which we have paid off and on for £125 which is also being paid off to the council on a payment plan

[ploddertom]

I have 4 accounts outstanding for council tax : current address for last year £471,2 accounts for a previous address £45 which is with the baliffs(just paid off) and £848 which is being paid off by payment plan with council and 1 account from 6 years ago which we have paid off and on for £125 which is also being paid off to the council on a payment plan

 

Think I understand - but really it shouldn't matter how many you have they should all come under 1 roof. If they can take 1 back then they can take them all back.

 

Now onto other matters. Have you as yet had a breakdown of the charges the Bailiff has made. If not send them this by email & hard copy in the post sent by Signed For. There is every chance they have included fees they were not entitled to and these could then go towards lowering the debt(s) you have left. You will need to add each different account number.

 

"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.

 

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"

 

I don't wish to pry but do you receive any Benefits at all?

 

PT

[gillybobs]

no the only thing we have are child/working tax credits and my hubbys wage, at the min I am looking to go back to work and have recently been to jobcentre to put in a claim for jsa and they have refused the claim for benefits because firstly my hubby is working and secondly I havent contributed any ni to get contribution based jsa

[ploddertom]

no the only thing we have are child/working tax credits and my hubbys wage, at the min I am looking to go back to work and have recently been to jobcentre to put in a claim for jsa and they have refused the claim for benefits because firstly my hubby is working and secondly I havent contributed any ni to get contribution based jsa

 

Thanks for that I was just trying to see if there was another angle that could be worked on.

 

PT

[gillybobs]

thank you all for your replies. will take your advise and send off breakdown off fees letter and keep you updated