Equita Bailiffs

[annod]

Hi guys

 

i am looking for a little advice, for the past 10mths i have been disputing with working tax credit , rent officers/benefit and council tax.

2 out the 3 have been more or less sorted.

However council tax still remains a problem.

2 weeks ago i received 2 letters for 2 seperate accounts one i was totally unaware of. the bailiff dealing with the cases was helpful ( at the time) we paid the one debt of £374 off in little over a week (totally skinting us out) my husband made arrangements for the second account to be dealt with over a payment plan in which the bailiff agreed and payment books were supposed to be sent out in the post . ( our first mistake was this being a verbal confirmation not writing) the following week i received a visit from a bailiff officer from equita stating he was removing goods from my property for refusal to pay, in my shock i informed him his information was incorrect that a payment plan had been accepted and books were sent out i gave him the bailiffs name i dealt with and he replied " as far as we are concerned you have ignored all efforts in reason to resolve this debt" when i said i had proof he said he would return. later that day i recieved a bill off BCC for council tax , the amount had decreased because finally i was awarded council tax benefit , when i phoned the bailiff back to tell him the figures he had and figures on the bill didn't match he said he would give it till this morning (Tuesday) if he hadn't heard off them he would contact them himself and i should call back.

 

So with council tax benefit in place and my income finally has it should be i made a payment to council tax via online banking ( as I do for my rent ). then i phoned the bailiff .

 

he then told me that the £787 outstanding for council tax was correct , but he wanted £1014 within 28days . i explained there was no way i could raise that amount of cash and i was willing to pay in instalments. he told me to contact the BCC council tax dept, for over an hour i was on the phone with BCC over my account , they regrettably will not recall it from the bailiff and informed me that i would have to pay equita now , refusing payment from myself ( even though they accepted housing benefit payment and my initial payments online also they have also agreed to back date my claim for a further 26 weeks so my bill will go down once more) . so again i called the bailiff back explained what they had told me , how the bill will change, offered him a payment today in which he laughed and said "no chance " that amount is a joke to how much outstanding , call me back Friday and we will talk.

 

because of his attitude and blatant refusal to receive my payment today i have phoned searched everywhere for his certificate etc.. the links you guys posted he is not under, i phoned Birmingham county courts and they have no knowledge of him and the number you guys posted for the search on bailiffs said his licence expired in dec 11, and was up for renewal and as of yet (and waitng for call back to verify for sure) he has no licence on the system.

 

I am no refusing to pay i want this debt rid of, but can he add charges like that and refuse payment and payment plan ? i just dont know what to do , council tax refusing payment so is the bailiff now what ?

[padja]

pay the council direct via online system, Equita are bailiffs for Capita,and Capita run Birmingham City Council, Council tax dept.....notice a link there how it cant be a conflict of interest I never know, hence the reluctance to take it back no fees in it for them. I would pay it via online system but I would get in touch with your councillor and complain about it. Others will be able to advise about what to do about bailiff and having an expired licence (is it not just demanding money with menaces if he isnt legal allowed to collect?) And from now on STAY OFF THE PHONE TO BAILIFF everything in writing and dont fall for anymore lies by Equita

[annod]

Thanks found some interesting templates to use to write to them which i plan on doing tonight and sending recorded delivery tomorrow 1st thing. i had a call bk from the courts tribunal the bailiff did renew his licence on the 3rd of jan this year their systems still need updating . I'm just so worried i cant stop crying and bloody stressing

[ploddertom]

You will no doubt get the run around by the Council/Capita. As has been said Capita do all of the Councils back office work so when you ring you are not speaking to a Council employee and it is not in Capita's interest to be helpful. However you do nee the answers to some questions:

1 - how many Liability Orders they have against you

2 - the dates they were obtained

3 - the addresses they were for

4 - the period of time each covers

5 - how much each one was for

6 - how much is still outstanding

7 - the dates they were passed on for enforcement

 

The Bailiff can obviously see his fees going down with the info you have given him about your Benefit claims. You should write to the Bailiffs and ask for a breakdown of the charges not just on this account but also on the one you have finished paying. Here's an example of what to send, use and adpt as you see fit and send initially by email followed with 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"