HELP PLEASE Distraint notice

[emilou123]

Hi,

I am new to this forum and hoping someone can help me. I have been struggling to pay my tax bill and have been paying the last bill in installments regularly. When the latest bill came through in March i phoned them up and asked if I could pay in installments they said someone would get back to me. No one phoned and I had no further letters so I continued to repay 1000 per month. On Wednesday someone knocked on my door from the tax office and I thought they were coming to discuss my case so let them in.(big mistake) He issued me with a Distraint order to take my car, computer and tv. The car is essential to my work as I am freelance and need to carry my tools to do my job. The computer is also essential to my work.

Reading online I was meant to have had a warning letter that this would happen to give me chance to sort things out- I didnt get one. I phoned the tax office to try and come to an arrrangement but they said I have only 5 days to pay in full or my goods will be seized, I also asked for the date of the last letter sent to me and they confimed it was March 2012.

Sorry for waffling my questions are:

Can they do this without warning?

Can they seize goods that are essential to my job?

Is there anything I can do to put a hold on the distraint order while this is sorted out?

Thanks

Edited June 15, 2012 by emilou123
spelling mistake

[wonkeydonkey]

Are you talking tax owed to HMRC or Council Tax? Who are the bailiffs? sorry not to be more helpful at the moment but you will need to clarify who you are dealing with before anyone can advise further.

 

WD

[emilou123]

Hi,

Tax is owed to the HRMC. The Distraint notice was issued & delivered by a HRMC officer.

 

Thanks for your time in replying.

[wonkeydonkey]

Once again it is a case of fighting them on the beaches....can I ask how much is still outstanding from previous bills or just tell me when you expect to make the final payment to the outstanding amount? you have the right to appeal to enter into repayment for the March bill but what I am trying to establish is when you could expect to make the first payment if they agreed, they are a nightmare to deal with but not impossible.

 

WD

[tomtubby]

With HMRC debts many items are "exempt". The following link could assist you:

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/dmbmanual/dmbm655140.htm

[greyone]

just wondering what has happened with you distraint case,as ive recvd one for my car and they also took down details of my exs car,im so worried and stressed and do not know what to do i owe them for tax credits and they keep saying an auctioneer will ring me once they have reviewed my case to take possession of my car which i need to do school runs and work,they are also trying to get my ex car which is his on the logbook and he has all his reciepts but the insurance was in my name as at the time i took out the policy and he was a named driver on policy,someone pls help i jsu do not know what to do,iv now got in contact with a soloiceter as i cannot cope with the stress anymore!!!