Jacobs Letter in 2nd class post...HELP

[redangel2010]

Hi, I have recieved a letter from Jacobs (sent 2nd class) re outstanding council tax arrears, I got in a mess and now the council have requested that this company collect £801.49, and on this letter it tells me I have 7 days to pay from the date on the letter which infact was 4 days ago...so really I have 3 days left!

 

Anyway I don't have the full amount, but I am willing to pay by installments...so I've called Jacobs offices and they have told me I have to speak directly to the bailiff on his mobile, which I have been trying but I can never get hold of him....what do I do now?

 

They have my mobile number for him to call me but he isn't doing so and it's not that I'm unwilling to pay I just don't know how much to pay on their automated line or anything.

 

Please can someone give me some advice as I don't want them turning up on my door saying I wouldn't pay....should I try the council?

 

Thank you!

[wonkeydonkey]

Hi and welcome to cag.

 

Whoaaaa, slow down unless you want to pay more than you need to.

You will get sound, tried and tested advice on this site so stay calm go and have a cuppa and while enjoying it have a browse through some of the postings, many are exactly the same as that you posted.

 

Remember no contact with the bailiff yet, if contacted by them hang up (unless you can record the conversation)

Do not allow them entry and the best way to achieve this is simply do not answer the door to them.

Make sure all doors and windows are secure when you go out (they cannot break in to your home)

Just for now until caggers get the bigger picture, adopt a seige like mentality, say nothing and sign nothing.

 

WD

[fork-it]

I will echo WD's advise.

 

try the council and make a reasonable offer of payment, but if you are passed off with contact the bailiff, then ask the council to contact you again when the bailiff passed the account back to them unpaid.

 

If you havnt got tyhe money, there is not alot a bailiff can do about it.

[redangel2010]

Thank you! Armed with cuppa and browsing now through all the info...sounds like these Jacobs crowd have a right name for themselves.

 

I will give the council another try in the morning as there is nobody avaliable to help at the moment.

 

All doors and windows locked, it might be hard keeping them out as I now live in a shared house but I have asked my housemates not to let anyone in, and they are all really sympathetic as I had to leave my last home due to problems with an ex who was taking money from me but thats a different story.

 

Hopefully the council will understand when I talk to them that I do want to pay, but I don't have the full amount today or tomorrow or the next day and installments are all I can manage until I get everything straight. I've managed to run up quite a few debts in the last 2 years but so far I have managed to make payment plans with everyone else so hopefully this will get sorted too....I guess I'm just scared of the whole bailiff idea.

[hallowitch]

please keep the envelope council tax bailiffs can only charge for visits made not letters sent

 

when you speak to the council ask them for the amount of the liability order and the date it was passed to (my Friends ) Jacobs

 

ask for the period the liability order relates when you move out of a property in the middle of a tax year and the council tax are not informed the liability order is granted for the remainder of the tax year

[redangel2010]

Thanks for all your advice, I've spoken to the council and they won't do anything until the recieve it back from the bailiffs.

 

I've made a point of writing and emailing the council telling them that I would like to deal with them directly on this matter and that I am willing to set up a payment plan and that it is not that I am willfully refusing to pay. Not sure if this will make any difference but it made me feel a little better.

 

I haven't had the knock at the door yet or any of these letters with red pen on them which I see so many people talking about on here.....guess it's just a case of waiting for those to arrive now!

[fork-it]

Pay it online and print the receipt. Just show it to a bailiff through a window if one turns up on your doorstep.

[redangel2010]

I can't pay the whole amount thought thats the problem, and who do I pay it to Jacobs on their website or the council??? Sorry if I'm sounding stupid now!

[wonkeydonkey]

Have you asked the council the date of the liabilty order and when they passed this to Jacobs

Exactly how much is owed in CT, for what period it is owed and what fees have been added by Jacobs.

 

Get that info and I will draft a letter for you, meanwhile you do not have to pay the bailiff or make agreement with to do so him or let him in.

 

WD

[hallowitch]

did the letter you received from Jacobs have a council tax reference number on it

 

if it did use this to pay the council on-line just pay what you can afford

[fork-it]

I can't pay the whole amount thought thats the problem, and who do I pay it to Jacobs on their website or the council??? Sorry if I'm sounding stupid now!

 

The COUNCILs website. Never log onto a bailiff website, they will capture your IP address and infer that as asknowledgement of the debt.

 

Just pay what yuo can afford. You just need to show willingness to pay. If you pay a bailiff, then you attract a whole raft of fees that are added on top which only makes your problem a whole lot worse.

 

If a bailiff turns up, then make sure you keep your door locked shut, even if that means speaking through the letterbox.

[redangel2010]

Wonkeydonkey - I have just called the council again but get stuck in their recorded message system and can't speak to a human, but I'll keep trying. I've also sent them an email to ask for the information.

 

Hallowitch - It has a "ClientRef" which is in the same format as the council tax refs...so that might well be the same thing.

[hallowitch]

Hallowitch - It has a "ClientRef" which is in the same format as the council tax refs...so that might well be the same thing.

 

 

could be give me 10 min i will go look through daughters paperwork and see if her council tax ref number is the same as Jacobs client ref

[redangel2010]

Thank you!

[hallowitch]

on hers the Jacobs authority ref number is the same as her council tax bill ref number

[redangel2010]

Ok I will try logging onto the Council website with the Client Ref I have and see if it works. Thank you again.

[redangel2010]

It worked! So I have paid what I can afford at the moment and printed off the screen shot and email confirmation of payment that they have sent me.

 

Now atleast it actually feels like I am taking control back a little.

 

Thank you all!

[wonkeydonkey]

wd thats great now get that info and we can work out what jacobs are charging for that one letter.

:wink:

 

wd

[redangel2010]

I will do....I'm keeping trying the council so I'll let you know when I get some answers!

[hallowitch]

and don't forget to remain vigilant even though you are paying the council direct Jacobs will still be pursuing this debt until the council request they return it or Jacobs send it back

[fork-it]

wd thats great now get that info and we can work out what jacobs are charging for that one letter.

:wink

 

I dont think the council tax regulations enable bailiffs to charge a fee for sending a letter.

[redangel2010]

Right i've spoken to the council and this is getting more complex!

The liability order was issued on 17th July 2010 and relates to the council tax year 2010/2011, not for previous arrears from 2009, which I thought this all related too.

 

Anyway I moved out of the property concerned in Jan 2010 so am I right in saying this Liability order shouldn't have been sent to me?

 

The property was rented but I have proof of my notice of moving out from my landlord etc, and I'm sure they will confirm when I moved out etc.

 

Where do I go from here???

[fork-it]

If you did not live at the address giving rise to the liability then you dont owe anything at all. Your proof of moving will suffice.

 

The law says the council must send you a "final notice" by post to your current before making an application to a magistrate for a Liability order against you. As there is compelling evidence the council failed to do this, you can ask the council to roll the case back to pre-liability order stage and cease enforcement action immediately.

 

The law is Section 33(3) and 34(1) of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992, http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/613/regulation/33/made

 

Contact the council and ask them to comply with Regulation 33(3) and 34(1), but if they are unwillijng to do so, then you have a right to ask the Local Government Ombudsman to intervene. You can even ask for compensation, the award of this type of non-compliance by a council is typically about £100 per instance. Awards can be more if you have already received a bailiff or paid a sum of money to one.

[hallowitch]

Right i've spoken to the council and this is getting more complex!

The liability order was issued on 17th July 2010 and relates to the council tax year 2010/2011, not for previous arrears from 2009, which I thought this all related too.

 

Anyway I moved out of the property concerned in Jan 2010 so am I right in saying this Liability order shouldn't have been sent to me?

 

The property was rented but I have proof of my notice of moving out from my landlord etc, and I'm sure they will confirm when I moved out etc.

 

Where do I go from here???

 

 

get a letter sent off recorded delivery and by e-mail to the revenues department

Inform them of the date when you moved out ask them to put Jacobs on hold until the situation is resolved if you moved into a property and were paying council tax for it give them the address and ask them to check there records give them the name and address of your x landlord who can also confirm your moving date

 

Tell them that you expect the situation to be resolved quickly due to the fact that bailiffs are involved

tell them you have made of payment of xxx on-line and you will be expecting the return of payment when enquires have established that you are not the debtor

[redangel2010]

thanks for that info.

 

Please can someone help me compose a letter to the council about the fact that they are trying to chase me for a bill that isn't mine as I had already moved out?

 

Thank you!