Stanford & Green RE; Old council tax

[Selkent1]

Good morning all,

 

I have recently had an arrangement with stanford & green relating to some overdue council tax for the previous financial year owed to Dartford Borough Council.

 

I was paying them 50 pounds per month, however i missed my last months payment and just thought i would pay this week and didn't think any more about it.

 

I was going out two days ago when someone was about to knock on my door. It was a so called collection officer from Stanford and Green.

 

He explained that i had broken an agreement with them and they would be attending Friday to remove goods to the value of the total outstanding amount, approx 600 pounds.

 

I was rushing so i said i would call him later.

I called him and i explained the situation as to the missed monthly installment,

he wouldn't hear any of it.

I even offered to try and settle the outstanding amount sooner,

and again he was having none of it.

 

He said they would attend my property,

whether i am there or not,

gain entry and remove goods.

 

 

I said i thought this was unfair,

and what would happen if i fail to allow them entry.

 

 

They said i could not stop them from coming in and if necessary they would use contractors and locksmiths to gain entry and would bill me for those as well, and if i was going to be a problem they would seize my vehicle.

 

 

I have since been in touch with a debt management company who where extremely helpful, and they said under no circumstances can they force entry or seize my vehicle.

 

 

I have never allowed them into my property and have never signed anything,

and so on the basis of that,

is it right that they can do nothing except leave me a letter and go!!

 

 

This is extremely worrying,

that companies such as this are allowed to put stuff like this in their literature.

 

Is there any way people can make official complaints regarding this kind of behavior!

 

Regards

Phil

Kent

 

Further to that,

 

I called the office of Stanford and Green and initially spoke to someone, a young lady who could not have been more dismissive if she tried,

 

 

again, didn't want to hear any of it

said that i would now have to deal with the officer in question, [edit].

I then called him again and he wasn't budging and

i just spent the 20 mins or so on the phone to him going round in circles.

 

 

I was by now furious,

and called the office again,

this time managing to speak to [edit].

 

 

I did expect some kind of explanation from him,

i also explained to him that Stanford and Green have all my contact details and i asked why they simply hadn't contacted me to chase the outstanding payment.

 

 

No answer was given apart from [edit] saying to me that they do not have to make arrangements and they only do that out of courtesy and again, deal only with the officer.

 

I called the officer back.

No answer.

5 missed calls,

one voice mail and a txt and nothing.

 

 

So there doesn't appear so be any professional courtesy at all,

among any member of staff.

 

Regards

Phil

[GaryHatesPaypal]

Whilst I can't help your situation, I would like to know the laws surrounding Bailiffs and car seizures. Anyone?

[tomtubby]

It is so worrying that there is so much wrong information being given out by companies. That is one reason why everyone should amke sure that they come to THIS FORUM.

 

Yes, a bailiff can seize your car. This is most common item to be seized. However, if the vehicle is subject to finance etc or is worth very little, this would be a different matter all together. Maybe your car is worth £10k. We do not know.

 

The reason why the bailif has come to the house is firstly becuase you had failed to keep to a payment arrangment and secondly, UNLESS he visits, he cannot make any money from this account. By failing to make payment you have made it very easy for him.

 

The threat of locksmith is serious as it is WRONG as a bailiff may ONLY force entry if there had been a PRIOR VALID LEVY made on goods and you had failed to adhere to the payment arrangement. Even then, he still cannot simply force entry.

 

Also, it never ceasing to amaze me that people keep relying upon calling bailiffs on a mobile or by phone. WRITE TO THEM "" All bailiff comapnies have email access.

 

If you do not have a car that a bailiff can levy upon and you REFUSE to allow the bailiff to come into your home, then the fees that he can charge are LIMITED to a maximum of £42.50 for "attending to levy" (where no levy was made).

[Selkent1]

Hallo mate, thanks for the info.

 

I have emailed them in the past if i was going to be a day late or so with a payment, and indeed that was one of my arguments to mr stanford when i called him. I asked why didnt they simply get in touch with me the way i had been in touch with them in the past. I got no answer.

 

I also asked regarding fees. And it was explained to me that if the bailif does not get entry (which they wont), then there fees are between 145.00 and 190.00. So would you say im being slightly overcharged?

 

Phil

[wonkeydonkey]

If they want to take the 'send in the Neaderthal' approach then fight back and start paying the Council direct on line. This is now classed as a non priority debt and you do not have to enter into excessive repayment plans with the bailff.

 

TT has given the best advice ever..... refuse them entry to your home, do not let them find anything they can levy on outside and the Maximum they can add is £42.50.

 

Your car if not on finance it is a target but, if they have not yet levied upon it you have the right to 'sell' it to a friend or relative. Once the V5 has been sent to the DVLA then the car is no longer yours for them to levy upon.

 

WD

[Selkent1]

Hi all, hope all are well. Just thought id update as to whats happened and happening with regard to my council tax probs. After the problems i was having i eventually wrote to Dartford Borough Council and explained the problems i had been having and explained what Stanford & Green were up to, and the council wrote back informing me that they were prepared to take the debt back from them, however, i wish i had not bothered.

 

After explaining to me that Dartford Council were taking the debt back, they then informed me they were putting not one but two attachment of earnings in place. After waiting to see how much i would loose, they were proposing taking over £500 per month off of me! I contacted them straight away and said there was no way i could afford this, they then said they would send me a means and expenditure form and that i was to complete it and enclose bank statements and payslips along with an accompanying letter. This i did and waited. In the accompanying letter i explained that i was unable to afford even one deduction as even with one deduction in place me and my partner have -£30.00 per week left to live one. I also explained that my partner is unable to work because of health, but we are unable to get benefits because i apparently earn too much.

 

I offered to pay the council £50.00 per month. I explained that paying this amount would enable me to stay on top of current expenses, and that includes council tax for the current financial year. The council refused to take 50 pounds per month from me saying that it would take too long for the debt to clear. I asked them to explain why it is acceptable for the council to take 50 pounds per month from their appointed bailiff on my behalf but not from me directly. They said something regarding service level agreements, but nothing that made any sense. They then wrote to me saying that they would only put one order through, taking approx 250 pounds per month from my wages. I explained again to the council that i was unable to afford this and if this deduction goes ahead u would not be able to pay the council tax for the current financial year! I have heard nothing from them since.

 

I have received no analysis or judgement on my means and expenditure form, i have explained that collecting the debt in this was amounts to enforced bankruptcy. I have also been sending all documentation to my local mp who has also been querying this with Dartford Coucil, but like myself, that have not received a response from them. I Wrote to them over two weeks ago asking them for an explanation as to how they analysis the means form, i also asked that the last order be stopped. I also explained that i have just had to default on the council tax for the current year, and reiterated that this would happen as a result of the deductions.

 

Neither myself or the caseworker for the local MP have received a response from the council in over 2 weeks. I think they are ignoring my communications. I was going to email and write to them again, but where can i go from here!

 

I cant afford a solicitor myself and if these deductions don't stop im going to start having problems with my rent.

 

Any help would be appreciated peeps.

 

Hope all are well.

Kind regards

Phil

[ploddertom]

Do you know how much you owe as confirmed by the Council? How many Liability Orders are there? You need to speak to someone at the Council and ask the following 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

8 - the dates & amounts of any payments

 

Have you made any payments since posting on here? If the Council decide to go ahead with AoE then there is little you can do to stop them. They do have other alternatives all of which you do not want - Charging Order, if you own your home & yes they will go for an Order for Sale, Bankruptcy or even Committal to Prison, all of which they will charge the costs of doing.

[tomtubby]

In your initial post you appear to indicate that the debt outstanding to the council is £600. Can you confirm the correct position and could you also find out what fees have been added to your account by the bailiff company.

[Selkent1]

Hi all, and thanks for your replies.

 

I am no longer dealing with the bailiff, and as for the council, they have already out the attachment of earnings in place. Initially they put in place two orders, and were taking over £140 pounds per week from me! Upon returning the means form to them they reduced it to just one order of approx £78 pounds, however thats still over £200 pounds per month i cannot afford!

 

The property i live in is a council property, and so they cannot secure the debt on that. My wage isnt bad if it was part of a joint income but its not. My wife has been under the mental health act for years, and cannot work as a result, however we gave up trying to claim benefits years ago as they said i apparently earn too much.

 

I have even been writing to the local MP who has also been communicating with Dartford Council regarding this and he has had no reply from them either.

 

Anyone got any ideas as to what i can do from here?

 

Regards

Phil

[Selkent1]

Just thought id bump this one to see if anyone has any ideas. I was thinking about ringin the council as my letters and emails seem to be getting ignored, and i know that they record all conversations, but didnt know if that was wise or not!.

 

Phil