Rossendales AGAIN BUT THEY ARE BREAKING THE LAW (and so is the Council)

[jimbo45]

Hi all

Got an email from a colleague who checks my place every so often for mail etc while I am away working abroad.

 

There was a note from Rossendales demanding around 600 GBP for Unpaid Council Tax -- No Invoice or breakdown just a badly computer generated form with an amount to pay.

 

Now I've already TOLD the council I will NEVER EVER deal with these CHEATS, LIARS and EXTORTIONERS again ( I've had problems with this lot in the past with Unallowed Fees added to bills) so they have it on record that

 

1) I am away,

 

2) I will NEVER EVER pay ROSSENDALES a single cent and 3) the law explicitly states WHAT CHARGES BAILIFF's can add for council tax -- they've added nearly 100 GBP to the outstanding bill.

 

The law also says I don't have to deal with Bailiff's AT ALL if they can't get in to the property legally.

 

So can I tell the Council that I'm not even going to pay the 1st and 2nd visit charges as they KNOW there is nobody at home so a Bailiff visit is in any case a waste of time.

 

The video recorder at my place didn't record ANY bailiff visiting -- the mail apparently arrived by "Standard Royal Mail" so what "Charges" are ROSSENDALES looking at.

 

I'm also going to see if I can get SOMEONE prosecuted here -- the person who authorized Rossendales in the first place is a good start and perhaps the bailiff himself for a) not providing a proper invoice and b) for attempting to collect unauthorized charges.

 

I'm not trying to get out ofd paying Council Tax but I REFUSE TO PAY ROSSENDALES ANYTHING in any shape or form even the "two visits" when the Council KNOW there is nodody at home currently.

 

I'll even go to court on this one --it's about time ROSSENDALES was stopped in its tracks AND the council officials who authorize the use of this firm were also brought to book.

 

Cheers

jimbo

[outlawla]

jimbo45,

 

Have you got your MP involved?

 

Might be worth sending an adapted version of this to:

 

eric.pickles@communities.gsi.gov.uk

 

Dear Mr Pickles

 

I wish to raise some serious concerns about my Local Authority, '[YOUR COUNCIL]’. Though my complaint is directed against this council I realise that all Local Authorities have the same policies regarding Council Tax enforcement and their bailiffs.

 

The mafia style operation – which Council's, LGO, Magistrate's courts, Police and private bailiff firms are all a party to – leave those affected by the council's systematic fraud with no means of redress.

 

In my [sTATE NUMBER OF WEEKS, MONTHS OR YEARS] battling for justice regarding a number of [ATTEMPTS or ACTS] of fraud by my council and their bailiffs 'Rossendales', I would now like to hear what the Government's thoughts are on this.

 

My main grievance is of course how this mafia style operation has been allowed to continue all this time. Secondly, the Police instinctively turn a blind eye to accusations of fraud, frequently dismissing them "as civil matters". This view however, is contrary to the Fraud Act 2006 and Baroness Scotland of Asthal in the House of Lords on the 20th April 2007.

 

The obstruction you're met with when approaching the council on these issues makes you seriously wonder who is paying who's wages. There is completely no accountability and this is clearly demonstrated in the way the council deal with resident’s grievances through the formal complaints procedure.

 

It seems there’s no specific training given to investigating officers who deal with the complaints. Judging from the replies it seems as though there’s no supervision ensuring these complaints are taken seriously, which leads you to believe that having to deal with them is merely an inconvenience to be got out of the way as quickly as possible. There’s also a sense of arrogance and an inflexibility surrounding investigation findings; and of course, the council investigation itself obviously raises suspicions as to whether the process is really independent and transparent.

 

It seems only the council benefit from the procedure with complaints highlighting where possible future improvements could be made. The complainant sees no benefit from the process whatsoever and is effectively providing a service free of charge to the council.

 

Watchdog organisations such as the LGO and IPCC are part of a back covering operation put in place at massive cost to the tax payer and set up to convince the public that there is accountability when in fact they are a sham.

 

The automated complaints process with these organisations allow grievances to be dismissed if they don’t meet the rigid criteria to investigate, making the whole process inflexible and voiding thousands of legitimate concerns to the frustration of the complainants.

 

This is just a general outline of the issues that need addressing. I would appreciate a response advising how these issues can be progressed together with details of a postal address so future correspondence can be sent.

 

Yours sincerely

 

[YOUR NAME]

 

Edited March 15, 2011 by outlawla
kant cpel

[hallowitch]

The video recorder at my place didn't record ANY bailiff visiting -- the mail apparently arrived by "Standard Royal Mail" so what "Charges" are ROSSENDALES looking at.

 

No charges bailiffs collecting council tax cant charge for letters sent by royal mail

 

they can only charge a visit fee if they attended your property

[ploddertom]

I'm not pretending to protect them but isn't part of this your own doing. Regardless of excuse you will be taken to Court for non-payment of CT - after all liability comes down to just a yes or no answer. Surely you should have put in place a mechanism to make payment in your absence.

 

Of course this does not excuse the Bailffs behaviour and it does appear you have them bang to rights.

 

PT

[jimbo45]

I'm not pretending to protect them but isn't part of this your own doing. Regardless of excuse you will be taken to Court for non-payment of CT - after all liability comes down to just a yes or no answer. Surely you should have put in place a mechanism to make payment in your absence.

 

Of course this does not excuse the Bailffs behaviour and it does appear you have them bang to rights.

 

PT

 

Hi there

I think you've missed the point here

 

I'm quite happy to explain to ANY COURT that I'M not trying to AVOID paying Council tax but about the ILLEGAL MEANS and ILLEGAL CHARGES that are being applied to the collection activity.

 

Of course the council has the obligation to use whatever means it feels fit to pursue collection BUT THESE MUST BE WITHIN THE LAW and by employing a Firm that is well known over the entire country for BOUNDLESS times of applying illegal charges the council itself is breaking the law.

 

It's not always possible to pay when you are working overseas and rarely have people visiting your property--- a load of "Outsourced" council dept use these wretched 0845 numbers --totally USELESS from outside the UK, won't deal with email and sometimes even the online payment service won't accept overseas payments.

 

I have NO FEAR whatsoever in explaining this to a COURT. As I said I'm not trying to AVOID paying the tax but REFUSE to be stung with ILLEGAL CHARGES especially by ROSSENDALES who are well known on this Forum as being basically just bullies liars and cheats.

 

Cheers

jimbo