Rossendales - car seizure?

[Norfolkboy]

I'm having an onbgoing battle with Rossendales over an old Council Tax bill. I've followed lots of advice from this forum and incredibly helpful it's been (always is!). I have had some advice from the CAB as well, and interestingly they say that in their experience it's very rare for bailiffs in a Council Tax scenario to touch cars. Not sure I quite buy that, as one visit from Rossers saw the Bailiff bloke looking to seize, impound, whatever the term is, 2 cars on my driveway. Fortunately, neither car was registered to me and he had to back down.

 

My question really is whether anyone out there who has banged heads with Rossendales has had them take their car? I think I have everything else sorted (and indeed have persuaded the district council to take payments from me, with Rossers were most unhappy about), but am concerned that I need to keep the car. I know I can park it elsewhere and walk home, not a problem - but just trying to gauge the likelihood of the man trying to take the car.

 

Grateful for any thoughts. Cheers!

[citizenB]

If the account is now back with the Council - why would Rossendales be looking to sieze your vehicle ?

 

If you need it for work or are disabled or need to transport someone who is disabled, I dont think they are permitted to take your car.. however, I am sure someone with more knowledge will be along to advise.

[outlawla]

Personally I wouldn't think the bailiff firm would want to take goods to enforce council tax, or perhaps more accurately the local authority wouldn't want them to.

 

That is just my opinion so if they do tow you car off I hope you won't blame me.

[seanamarts]

Has the liability order been taken back from Rossendales?

If the council are excepting payments from you and they have accepted the debt back, then, Rossendales cannot act further on this matter and your car is safe. However if you fail to make a payment they will endeavour to involve them again and will often not inform you they have.

 

It is very rare that cars are impounded for council tax matters but it has been known to happen. However they can and will place a levy on it.

[tomtubby]

Norfolk Boy.

 

Sorry to bring you bad news but cars are taken by bailiffs all day every day for unpaid council tax !!

 

What does interest me is that reference that you have made to the point that Rossendale levied upon two cars on the driveway and that they "backed down". Can you confirm though that ALL FEES ASSOCIATED with this levy visit were also REMOVED !!!

 

So many people make the mistake of not checking whether the fees have been removed.

[Norfolkboy]

Apologies - I didn't make myself fully clear. I persuaded the district council to take a payment off me over the phone - effectively I bullied them in to it. The debt still lies with Rossendales, although as I say they were most aggrieved that the council had accepted a payment. What I'd like to do is keep making payments to the council through their website but this won't show as coming off the old debt, it will show as coming off the current year and as I have a payment plan in place for that I don't want to disrupt it. The council have said they won't accept any more payments over the phone and I need to pay Rossendales - but if I pester the council, presumably they aren't going to refuse a payment??!!

 

Please could someone explain the levy situation? Hoew does that work and what does it mean?

 

Thanks for all your help as ever.

 

Norfolkboy.

[tomtubby]

Now I am confused.....As I mentioned above, have you received confirmation that ALL FEES associated with the levy on the 2 cars has been REMOVED. You have said that neither car belongs to you and therefore the fees should be removed and you personally should have little to worry about.

 

The bailiff will be seeking to "levy" upon goods to secure the debt. In simple terms, if you cannot pay, the bailiff co may accept a payment arrangement but would LIKE to have some sort of "security" from the debtor in the way of goods ( preferably a car) that he can take in the event that you default.

 

It is for this precise reason that if a payment arrangement is made and you default BY JUST ONE DAY...the bailiff company will be trying to charge a substantial fee on the pretext of "attending to remove". That is why ( if a levy has bee made on goods) that it is vital that the agreed monthly payment reaches the bailiff company AT LEAST 4 days before it is due.

[Norfolkboy]

Tomtubby, thanks for your reply. I've writtren formally to Rossendales to get a break-down of all charges applied to the account and am still waiting for this, so at the moment I'm not sure about the fees for the levy that never happened. As far as the bailiff himself is concerned, he wants payment in full (funny old thing) and has not been amenable to any sort of payment offer so far. All he has stated is that he is getting hassle from his head office (not true - I checked) and hassle from the district council (not true - I checked) to get the debt cleared off. Although neither of the cars I mentioned above are registered to me, I do have a car of my own. I seperated from my wife recently and given that she is disabled I persuaded Rossendales head office to use my new (rented flat) address as the 'enforcement' address. My car is at the new address - but although my wife and I have parted, there will still be legitimate times when I need it to transport her; so for example, next week I have to get her to a hospital appointment where for treatment reasons she won't be able to drive herself. I have nothing of any value in terms of possessions, but the car is a bit important and in my view about the only avenue the Bailiff could go down to get any sort of lump sum recompense from me..... I feel compeletely stumped with all of this!!!