jacobs charges on council tax at the old address... help please

[sweetkitten]

i moved address earlier this year, didnt even cross my mind that i would have outstanding council tax charges at the old address, I got a letter from Jacobs Baliffs saying i owed £87.40, I paid 2 payments of 21.85 each ... Leaving the balance at 43.70

 

on the 2nd november i got a letter stating i owed 98.70, I paid this on the 4th november, then i got another phone call saying they had made an error and i owe another 49.50.

 

I am under the impression that i really only needed to pay them the original 87.40 plus 24.50 for the visit. is this correct and if so what should i do now ???

 

I have spoken to them on the phone this morning, they told me i wasnt entitled to a Breakdown of charges until i paid them the 49.50, and i wasnt entitled to talk to them on the phone nomore about the account, that now it was passed back over to the baliff, all phone calls should be made to him and he will be adding further charges on for attandance fees

[ploddertom]

Absolute load of cobblers. How many times have they visited?

 

PT

[sweetkitten]

Just the once

[seanamarts]

All you owe is one visit charge of £24.50 and the outstanding council tax. You are entitled to a break down regardless of how much you have paid or not paid. Sounds to me like you have spoken to a back office monkey. I would get onto the benefits and revenues office and ask to speak with the manager requesting how much you owe on the liability order. Pay it online if you have any outstanding which seems to me that you have paid what you owed. Who did you pay it to by the way and did yo get receipts.

[ploddertom]

In that case what you owed originally + 1st Visit fee presuming he didn't levy or otherwise seize any goods.

Debt = £87-40 - have you confirmed this amount with the Council

1st Visit fee = £24-50

Total = £111-90

 

Don't talk to them on the phone send them this letter by email tonight and backed up in the post tomorrow using Signed For

 

"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"

 

Put in another line referring saying you refuse to pay any more until this is produced. I suspect they have come up with a magical levy possibly on a car outside that does not belong to you.

 

PT

 

Payments

1 x £21-85

1 x £21-85

1 x £98-70

Total = £142-40

 

In my view you should be due a repayment of

£30-50

[sweetkitten]

yes i confirmed it with the council and the 87.40 was correct , i will get the email and letter started on straight away. I checked the online certified baliffs list and i couldnt find the baliff that sent me the letter, i have never seen the man either, he just posted the letter through the door without knocking... only other correspondance i had with him is telephone calls

[ploddertom]

Online register is not 100% accurate, you would have to ring MOJ to confirm. Certainly looks as if they have added unlawful fees/overcharged. Remember that the Council is 100% responsible for the actions of their contractor and if it comes to it at the end and Bailiff refuses to refund, you issue a N1 in the County Court and name both Bailiff & Council as co-defendants.

 

PT

[sweetkitten]

thanks a million for the advice

[ploddertom]

It's also very worthwhile getting your local Councillor involved. They have access to those in the know directly, any reluctance or refusal then get on to the Leader of the Council. Complaints about the actions of the appointed bailiffs should also be made in writing, addressed to the Chief Executive of the Council and marked "Formal Complaint" on both envelope & letter, delivery if possible to be made in person,

 

I have to be honest and say I am totally sick & tired of Bailiffs ripping people off at random and getting away with it. I'm nearly inclined to catch one in the act and have the full pressure of the Law applied, if that upsets Officer Dibble by having to go over his head then so be it. It's about time some of them were brought down to earth with a very large bump - Bailiffs that is.

 

PT