Help - Issues with Jacobs bailiffs

[squidward]

Hi All

 

I hope you can help me

 

A couple of years ago I ran into debt problems with City of York Ctax all was

paid up to date 2009.

 

2010 paid the fist couple of payments and then due to income issues couldn't make payment and the account went into arrears. On the 6th June the Jacobs bailiff visited my home (first visit) to collect 663.33 + 50.00 costs and I let the chap in and made agreement to pay by installments lump sum of 338.00 paid and 65.00 till paid, no paperwork was left by the Bailiff so I was unsure which date this had to be paid by. I received a letter dated 19th to notify me I had not kept to my arrangement I made a phone call and paid 130.00 July and August payment, I knew I had to make a payment in Sept which I did on the 21st September on-line on the Jacobs site. I received a letter dated 19th Sept notification my arrangement had been canceled I thought nothing of it as September payment had been paid. At this point my balance was 218.83. On the 4th October I had a letter of removal of goods 24 hours through the door with a new balance of 328.83 + removal costs. I have paid this two days ago!

 

I am in a IVA so all these payments have to come from our living expenses budget Food etc. etc and cannot really afford this.

 

Anyway today Knock at the door and a new Jacobs bailiff collecting this years council tax. I let her in and she asked for payment if full which I said no chance as they had just cleared us out financially but made a small token payment. I had to make a new arrangement for 254.00 per month to clear the debt. She filled in the Arrangement form and Notice of seizure of goods and Inventory. I checked her name on the Certified bailiffs register and she is not listed in name or under Jacobs. Can she or Jacobs carryout there threats !??

 

My questions are :-

 

Can the claim of these charges in such a close period IE one set of bailiffs costs of 110.00 on Tuesday and another 65.00 + 12.00 + 24.50 on Friday ??

 

How can the Bailiff enter a house hold when the are not certified??

 

Can you reclaim costs ?

 

Sorry if this is long winded!

 

Any help and advice will be gratefully received

 

Squidward

Edited October 7, 2011 by squidward

[tomtubby]

I am sorry to be critical but your problems have arisen a you had (rather foolishly ) let a bailiff into your home...not ONCE but TWICE!!!!

 

I am astonished to hear this.

 

It would SEEM that this bailiff has "levied" upon your household items whilst in your home. If so, did you sign a Walking Possession"?

 

What paperwork was left and if any, did the form state the fees charged and details of monthly payments?

 

From what you have so far written, it is looking as if this question should take the form of a FORMAL COMPLAINT to the local authority.

 

Please contact the bailiff company asap (or better still, the council) to demand the charges made and details of what was levied upon.

[ploddertom]

In addition to what TT has said above you need a breakdown of the fees charged for both accounts. Here is a letter that may help - use and addapt where necessary and send initially by email followed by a copy in the post:

 

"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"

 

As for the Notice of Seizure can you list exactly the goods they claim to have levied on.

 

On Monday morning you should also ring the Council and ask them for the details of both accounts - how much they were for, how much outstanding and most importantly the dates they were given to the Bailiff.

 

PT

[squidward]

It would SEEM that this bailiff has "levied" upon your household items whilst in your home. If so, did you sign a Walking Possession"?

 

What paperwork was left and if any, did the form state the fees charged and details of monthly payments?

 

From what you have so far written, it is looking as if this question should take the form of a FORMAL COMPLAINT to the local authority.

 

Please contact the bailiff company asap (or better still, the council) to demand the charges made and details of what was levied upon.

 

I dont' dispute I owe the Ctax, but object to the extortionate charges.

 

On both occasions I signed a Walking Possession, the first account no paper work was left or sent by post.

 

The second account Paper work was left with me with the charges hand written on the Paper work.

 

Squidward

[squidward]

Thanks

 

Will call the baliffs and make a written formal complaint to the council on Monday!

 

The second Bailiff I unfortunately let in isn't on the Register of Bailiffs so does this mean she was working out of the scope of her abilities / job role ?

 

Cheers

 

Squidward

[ploddertom]

The Register isn't always 100% correct, to check you would need to ring the MOJ. Make sure you do send off for the breakdown of charges as in 95% of cases you will have been substantially overcharged.

 

PT

[tomtubby]

Having read you post again I have noticed that you are in an IVA. Did you include council tax as one of your creditors?

[squidward]

Hi

 

When we entered into the IVA last November practitioner advised against including it in the IVA as the arrears amounted to about one payment.

 

It was only when our car needed two new tires and a wheel bearing replaced to get it through the MOT, I canceled the DD so I could keep the car on the road for work.

 

Not the best plan I know but when you're faced with a bill for 475.00 you have to pay immediately the money has to come from somewhere!

 

Thanks

 

Squidward

Edited October 9, 2011 by squidward