Ross & Roberts CTAX help needed

[kmalbin]

I have to pay Ross & Roberts £100 per month for my husbands old council tax arrears,

ONTOP of my monthly council tax, and I only earn £400 a month, I can't afford to pay any more money out

[kmalbin]

You wouldnt happen to know anything about our rights with Ross & Roberts?

[kmalbin]

Ok, I'll give it a go, it is so hard to pay, they threatened to take all of my stuff, even though its not my debt, if we are even late on a payment, and they point blank refused to reduce it

 

thank you for your help

[dx100uk]

urm.....

 

on the ctax front

 

was this ctax for the home you shared?

 

if it was you are jointly liable

if i was not, then why are yuo paying it?

 

as for paying the bailiff,

you should ever do that but pay the council direct via your iternet banking site.

 

 

 

dx

[kmalbin]

Hiya,

 

With regards to council tax, it was my husbands debt before I moved in with my daughter, then got married. I furnished the whole place as his ex lodger completely destroyed his stuff when he kicked her out for comitting benefit fraud which we found out when i helped him make a claim for benefits before i moved in.

 

the woman from ross and roberts said as i didnt have receipts to prove the stuff was mine it would be taken as his. i dont have any receipts, alot of the stuff is old, or was given to me, and although not worth much is all we have. she even listed my sofas.

 

unfortunately, we let them in as they got the van parked outside and said if we didnt let them in they would break in and take all our stuff, even my daughters toys!! so stupidly i let them in and she listed all my stuff anyway!

 

she was a complete b**** to me, i was in tears so was my daughter and myself and my husband (bf at the time) nearly broke up over it!

 

ive asked the council to take the debt back at a lower rate, but they just say as the debt is high they wont consider it. its breaking us trying to pay it every month

[sillygirl1]

Have you checked to see if you are entitled to more money as you are on a low income, you might even get council tax benefit and housing benefit, check this site (its anonymous) and if it says you are entitled to money claim it

 

http://www.entitledto.com

 

Freds/Reds and Bryan Carter are well known on here for their dubious activities, Uncle Bryan usually runs off when challenged.

 

As far as Freds stating the debt does not come under the CCA Act, it DOES... it is a form of credit for services.

[sillygirl1]

I would also write strongly to the council about the Ross & Roberts lady, she was clearly wrong in her assumption that she could take kids toys - she can't. As for the receipt statement that is a standard bailiff copout argument and doesn't stand up in court.

 

You can pay the council tax online and not pay any more money to R&R, let them take you to court and the court would be on your side, not theirs, and we have a bailiff expert on this site who can help with them.

[dx100uk]

new thread for ctax issue created for you here

 

dx

[hallowitch]

can you tell exactly what goods they have listed on the notice of seizure

 

how much the liability order was for

[seanamarts]

You can write a state dec and get it sworn at your local court or a solicitors to state that the items in the home are yours, there is a small fee.

 

Are you on any benefits, if so can you let us know, are you classed as vulnerable under the national standards

http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/courts/bailiffs-enforcement-officers/national-standards-enforcement-agents.pdf

have a read of the link.

[kmalbin]

I would also write strongly to the council about the Ross & Roberts lady, she was clearly wrong in her assumption that she could take kids toys - she can't. As for the receipt statement that is a standard bailiff copout argument and doesn't stand up in court.

 

You can pay the council tax online and not pay any more money to R&R, let them take you to court and the court would be on your side, not theirs, and we have a bailiff expert on this site who can help with them.

 

I would do this, but, when they left, they said now that they have been in our house, if we dont make a payment even if its only a day late, they have the right to break into our house and take the stuff they've listed

[kmalbin]

can you tell exactly what goods they have listed on the notice of seizure

 

how much the liability order was for

 

They have listed all my living room items, sofas, tv, wii, dvd player, stereo etc etc, so my living room would be emptied if they came and took the stuff. the order was for £3000, we have paid £100 since jan 2011

[kmalbin]

Have you checked to see if you are entitled to more money as you are on a low income, you might even get council tax benefit and housing benefit, check this site (its anonymous) and if it says you are entitled to money claim it

 

http://www.entitledto.com

 

Freds/Reds and Bryan Carter are well known on here for their dubious activities, Uncle Bryan usually runs off when challenged.

 

As far as Freds stating the debt does not come under the CCA Act, it DOES... it is a form of credit for services.

 

I have just checked this site, apparently im entitled to a lot more than they are giving me!! but can i use this as a cross reference to show they are not paying me enough?

[seanamarts]

They have listed all my living room items, sofas, tv, wii, dvd player, stereo etc etc, so my living room would be emptied if they came and took the stuff. the order was for £3000, we have paid £100 since jan 2011

 

can we have the full list please, as some are not allowed to be listed, for example sofa.

[sillygirl1]

Yes, get in contact with the benefits people in your area on Monday and they should get the ball rolling, ask for a backdated claim due to the council tax levy and the fact that you are not getting the right benefits, then also get the printout from entitledto.com to the local council and inform them you have been wrongly assessed, are clearly vulnerable and they must call their dogs (Ross & Roberts) off.

 

If you can get a CAB appointment try them as well but don't hold your breath.

 

Just cos R&R say they 'can break in' doesn't mean they 'will', if there are illegal items on the levy, the whole levy is invalid and they have no right to collect anything further.

[brassnecked]

As Ross 'n Robbers are the appointed bailiffs, does the council outsource their backoffice functions to Capita. This would explain the council's apparent lack of will to tackle this, you may be talking to Capita rather than the council, so it may be soon the time to send out Formal Complaints, to CEO, Council leader councillor amd MP, that the council are avoiding the issue of your vulnerability and enforcing against the National Guidelines.

[kmalbin]

can we have the full list please, as some are not allowed to be listed, for example sofa.

 

Tv

Tv stand

Woo exercise board

Stereo

Speakers

DVD player

Surround sound

Wii nunchucks

Wii

Storage uprights + glass

3 seated sofa

2 sestet sofa

 

This is doubled on 2 pieces of paper, apparently there is 2 claims. Ones is for 1352 plus bailiff fees 140 and the other is 604 plus bailiff fees 141 we had to pay 250 there and then so they wouldn't take the stuff

[seanamarts]

1st off, they cannot use the same items on different levies, 2nd those items dont look as if they would cover the fee's and costs. Apart from the sofa's have you any other seating in the living room.

 

 

How much in monetary terms would you value those items.

[brassnecked]

Tv little value unless top of the range 3d flatscreen did they list the remote also?

Tv stand as above no value

Woo exercise board

Stereo unless top of range or high cost separates little value

Speakers as above

DVD player DVD players can be bought for £20 new,as above

Surround sound as above

Wii nunchucks

Wii if childs exempt

Storage uprights + glass

3 seated sofa Do these have fire labels on?

2 sestet sofa as 3 seater

 

This is doubled on 2 pieces of paper, apparently there is 2 claims. Ones is for 1352 plus bailiff fees 140 and the other is 604 plus bailiff fees 141 we had to pay 250 there and then so they wouldn't take the stuff

I would say that the levy is invalid, insofar as for a LOs totalling of £2,000 or so they would need to seize £20,000 worth of goods, due to bailiff auction stuff usually fetching 10% of value at auction, If they were to take the sofas, would there be sufficient seating dor the whole family? Also if there are no fire retardant label tags attached they cannot legally sell them at auction.

 

i would say that the levy is invalid insofar as there are insufficient goods on it to cover all fees, including auction, and a remainder to pay a portion of the debt. It may be that they levied only for the purpose of garnering fees imho. Others will know more.

[kmalbin]

1st off, they cannot use the same items on different levies, 2nd those items dont look as if they would cover the fee's and costs. Apart from the sofa's have you any other seating in the living room.

 

 

How much in monetary terms would you value those items.

 

probably £500 max, i bought the sofas second hand for £70 quid and its the only seating we have, we have a 3 year old and the telly pretty much belongs to her, we dont get a look in lol!

 

all the stuff listed, i havent bought new, its been second hand or given to me, the only luxury we have is the wii and that was also 2nd hand.

 

so, what do you think is the best course of action? i know we have to pay the debt, but £100 quid a month is ridiculous, is there any template letters i can send to the council, and will it actually get to a member of the council or these capita ppl?

 

do i need to write to R&R saying im not paying them anymore, i really dont want them to take the little things we do have if i do stop paying them

[kmalbin]

I would say that the levy is invalid, insofar as for a LOs totalling of £2,000 or so they would need to seize £20,000 worth of goods, due to bailiff auction stuff usually fetching 10% of value at auction, If they were to take the sofas, would there be sufficient seating dor the whole family? Also if there are no fire retardant label tags attached they cannot legally sell them at auction.

 

i would say that the levy is invalid insofar as there are insufficient goods on it to cover all fees, including auction, and a remainder to pay a portion of the debt. It may be that they levied only for the purpose of garnering fees imho. Others will know more.

 

So do you think they'd bother, I worry, as I'm am one of these unlucky people and they would turn up and take my stuff when i wasnt here just out of spite!i suppose they could take the 2 seater, there are 3 of us here, so deffinately couldnt take the 3 seater, am i right? there defiantely isnt any fire retardant labels!

 

it may sound sad and pathetic, but im so scared of them, there was 2 huge blokes with the van and this horrible woman and i dont wanna go through the stress of it again, im already on anti depressents coz of this

[sillygirl1]

If there are no fire retardent labels on the sofas then an auction house would not take them, the bailiffs need to have a complaint lodged and you now need to get onto the council tomorrow armed with the info from entitedto.com and get them to backdate the claims and call off their hounds (as previously stated).

 

You are clearly vulnerable with a young child under 10 in the house and the bailiffs acted outside their remit.

[seanamarts]

You are clearly vulnerable with a young child under 10 in the house and the bailiffs acted outside their remit.

 

I wish that was the case SG, but it does not matter if there is a child under 10, that does not make this a vulnerable situation, what does make this a vulnerable situation os the fact that you are on benefits.

 

Plus the fact that the items do not belong to your partner, they cannot take anything. See your council and speak with the head of revenues and benefits.

[kmalbin]

I wish that was the case SG, but it does not matter if there is a child under 10, that does not make this a vulnerable situation, what does make this a vulnerable situation os the fact that you are on benefits.

 

Plus the fact that the items do not belong to your partner, they cannot take anything. See your council and speak with the head of revenues and benefits.

 

I tried making an appt with the council this morning who advised I need to make a complaint in writing then IF they think there is a cause for a meeting they will arrange it.

 

They also advised I need to make a complaint to R&R, I dont know what to say or write without getting more crap from them

[seanamarts]

You need to write a Formal complaint, to the CEO of the council out lining what you have stated on here.

 

As for R&R send them a copy out lining the fact the items are your's and there is nothing in the household belonging to your partner, enclose a copy of the statutory declaration signed and sworn by a solicitor or county court.