Equita Baliff Bexley

[max_ine]

Hi I'm a landlord with single tenant in a property.

 

Just received first letter of collection from Equita Baliff even though I have told council I'm not liable, tenant is.

 

As usual the incompetent council is making this mess.

 

What are my rights if the Baliff turns up.

 

I have till date not had any other notices or evn final demands for payment.

 

Debt is for this tax year as well.

 

Can someone suggest how I can stop this bloddy mess since they are driving me insane and I would not know what to do if collectors turned up, even though I'm 100% not liable.

 

Many thanks for any advise.

[i hate bailiffs]

Firstly i would put it in writing a complaint to the council if you phone them they will say it is in the hands of the bailiffs and you have to deal with them.

 

The council are responsible for bailiff action and should put a stop to it.

 

If bailiffs attends your property keep all doors and windows secure and move any vehicle off the drive so they are unable to levy on it

 

They have no powers of entry for council tax if need be ignore the door they will move on.

 

Bailiff action is the first approach for council to get money and if they are unable to do so it will be handed back to council for further action

 

complain to council and local government ombudsmen

[max_ine]

Thanks for this. As far as cars are concerned, is it only those that ''belong to me'' and are they entitled to take them away? I assume that they can turn up anytime since I recieved the letter 4 days ago? I will be more than happy to go to court but it has all been bypassed and I don't even knowhow this can happen. At least I can show the daftness of the council. Or are these letters at this stage to frighten me to just cough up regardless.

[Conniff]

Is the tenant being liable for the Council Tax specified on the tenancy contract ??

[max_ine]

Is the tenant being liable for the Council Tax specified on the tenancy contract ??

 

I believe so but will check again . Good point though.I believe that since its single tenancy I am not liable though unless it is a different cattegory tenant. I think I can talk to the council even though it is hard work...however bailiffs I would have no clue.

[Conniff]

Landlords are liable for council tax if:

• they live in the property with the tenants
  
• the property is regarded as a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO)
  (This means if the residents pay their rent to the landlord separately for their own room or part of the property and they share communal areas like the kitchen and bathroom. The tenants will usually have individual tenancy agreements.)
  
• the property is unoccupied or empty because it is nobody's main home.
  

In these cases where you are liable to pay, you are not entitled to receive council tax benefit in respect of any residents on a low income. This does not affect any entitlement to housing benefit

[max_ine]

landlords are liable for council tax if:

• they live in the property with the tenants
  
• the property is regarded as a house of multiple occupation (hmo)
  (this means if the residents pay their rent to the landlord separately for their own room or part of the property and they share communal areas like the kitchen and bathroom. The tenants will usually have individual tenancy agreements.)
  
• the property is unoccupied or empty because it is nobody's main home.
  

in these cases where you are liable to pay, you are not entitled to receive council tax benefit in respect of any residents on a low income. This does not affect any entitlement to housing benefit

thanks. Tenancy agreement makes clear who is liable and its not me.

[ploddertom]

What a surprise Capita are in charge. If you don't know then most Councils have employed contractors to do their back office functions including Council Tax. Bexley is one such Council so when you ring you are probably not speaking to the Council but to the employee of Capita. Just to complete this is that Capita own 2 Bailiff firms on of which just happens to be Equita. They will not be helpful as that goes against their working practices.

 

PT

[max_ine]

OK many thanks I didn't fully appreciate the connection but it doesn't surprise me the least. The telephone answerers are totally incompetent and I guess for the collectors they employ gorillas. Nice for them, bad for the payers.

[i hate bailiffs]

Thanks for this. As far as cars are concerned, is it only those that ''belong to me'' and are they entitled to take them away? I assume that they can turn up anytime since I recieved the letter 4 days ago? I will be more than happy to go to court but it has all been bypassed and I don't even knowhow this can happen. At least I can show the daftness of the council. Or are these letters at this stage to frighten me to just cough up regardless.

 

They cannot levy on goods not owned by you but some will try just to bump fees up

 

The council have a LO against you rather than tenant just shows how there rubber stamping exercise works all done in court-NOT

[brassnecked]

They cannot levy on goods not owned by you but some will try just to bump fees up

 

The council have a LO against you rather than tenant just shows how there rubber stamping exercise works all done in court-NOT

 

OP beware also as they have the LO, only they can apply for it to be quoshed, and even though you are NOT LIABLE for the council tax, they will pursue you for the charge they apply for the obtaining of the LO, even when they admit you aren't liable.anything from £40 upwards for something that costs them less than a fiver.