Equita baliff fees & CTAX

[mellymoo74]

oh and I wanted to thank Hallowitch for all her help initially and for pointing me in this direction!

[brassnecked]

Got this to send in response to the Ministry of Justices nowt to do with us guvner email what do you think?

 

The reason for contacting yourselves is that the relationship between BCC, Capita and their bailiff companies results in a clear conflict of interest.

There are many individuals who have been subject to illegal workings by the bailiff company (front loading of fees, harassment of vulnerable individuals etc) this is then not robustly investigated by the council concerned as it is not in their interest to do so.

 

You could add that they are acting unlawfully in much of their enforcement activities, regarding fees, phantom visits, multiple charging on visits and that the Capita/Equita/Ross & Roberts tie up in many councils is detrimental to the public interest, and procedural fairness in enforcement, as Capita have a reason not to deal with debtors according to the regulations, but as the appointed bailiffs are part of their group of companies, they are more inclined to use legal enforcement as a first rather than last resort to aid the profitability of their bailiff arms.

[mellymoo74]

The reason for contacting yourselves is that the relationship between councils/Capita/Equita and Ross & Robers results in a clear conflict of interest and is detrimental to the public interest and procedural fairness in enforcement. Capita have a reason not to deal with debtors according to the regulations, but as the appointed bailiffs are part of their group of companies, they are more inclined to use legal enforcement as a first rather than last resort to aid the profitability of their bailiff arms.

There are many individuals who have been subject to illegal workings by the bailiff company (front loading of fees, harassment of vulnerable individuals etc) this is then not robustly investigated by the council concerned as it is not in their interest to do so.

I suggest looking at the following website to get an indication of the depth of the problem.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?168-Bailiffs-and-High-Court-Enforcement-Officers

 

sent

[hallowitch]

oh and I wanted to thank Hallowitch for all her help initially and for pointing me in this direction!

 

your very welcome

 

love your letter but it just goes to show you the lengths they will go to before they admit defeat and remove the charges its a complete and utter joke

 

 

just to add according to the Equita website they enforce for 211 local authority's

 

according to the ministry of justice certificated bailiffs register they only have 103 bailiffs

Edited August 27, 2012 by hallowitch

[mellymoo74]

your very welcome

 

love your letter but it just goes to show you the lengths they will go to before they admit defeat and remove the charges its a complete and utter joke

 

 

just to add according to the Equita website they enforce for 211 local authority's

 

according to the ministry of justice certificated bailiffs register they only have 103 bailiffs

 

They are verrrry busy bailiffs attending all those properties in the 211 different areas seriously they must think we are daft

[outlawla]

...just to add according to the Equita website they enforce for 211 local authority's

 

according to the ministry of justice certificated bailiffs register they only have 103 bailiffs

 

At that rate then, there must be hell of a lot of ghost bailiffs in operation.

[1Loretta]

doing phantom visits!

[mellymoo74]

At that rate then, there must be hell of a lot of ghost bailiffs in operation.

They're sitting at home on google earth I will continue to push but I'd urge other people to follow my lead we need to get multiple complaints in

[outlawla]

doing phantom visits!

 

 

The council just overloaded us with work, honestly your honour....

[mellymoo74]

and the silence is deafening

[mellymoo74]

Those of you following this may recall at the end of July I requested all info held on me by BCC today I received a letter asking for telephone nos cos they can't trace any calls oh how I laughed they have called me on both of the numbers I have used...

Edited August 31, 2012 by mellymoo74

[mellymoo74]

So I am going to email suggesting that they check for calls made at the same time as the notes on my account and to remind them that the info needs to be with me this week do I need to do anything else?

[hallowitch]

So I am going to email suggesting that they check for calls made at the same time as the notes on my account and to remind them that the info needs to be with me this week do I need to do anything else?

 

tell them you want the screenshot of your account as its a complete history of your debt with Equita and you see no reason why they cant give it to you its not personal information its Equita and the bailiffs information of your account

information he inputs at the time he attended your property after all its this information he would be relying on to claim the fee and to defend himself in a form 4 complaint

[brassnecked]

Those of you following this may recall at the end of July I requested all info held on me by BCC today I received a letter asking for telephone nos cos they can't trace any calls oh how I laughed they have called me on both of the numbers I have used...

 

If they phoned a mobile you will have the date and time of the call in your call log on the phone, so that would be proof of call, were the calls recorded?

[mellymoo74]

Thanks both, will put that in the email. I called from work and home unfortunately, the mobile was used for the text convo with the bailiff. BCC states that all calls are recorded so they should have copies I'm less interested in those though because I make notes it's the info they hold on my account written by them and Equita I want.

Edited September 3, 2012 by mellymoo74

[outlawla]

Thanks both, will put that in the email. I called from work and home unfortunately, the mobile was used for the text convo with the bailiff. BCC states that all calls are recorded so they should have copies I'm less interested in those though because I make notes it's the info they hold on my account written by them and Equita I want.

 

 

If they continue stating they can't locate or retrieve the recordings, this must go in your favour at least a small amount.

 

It would be interesting to see if they can retrieve recordings which they would have no objection to releasing. If so, that would prove they have selective powers with regards what material they can find.

[brassnecked]

Thanks both, will put that in the email. I called from work and home unfortunately, the mobile was used for the text convo with the bailiff. BCC states that all calls are recorded so they should have copies I'm less interested in those though because I make notes it's the info they hold on my account written by them and Equita I want.

 

Keep and archive the texts you had from the bailiff

[mellymoo74]

Oh I have done Brassnecked, its why in all the correspondence where I have mentioned them to the council/equita/moj/lgo/oft I have stated date and TIME they were sent as well.All I wanted originally was for it to be taken back by BCC, now I want to ensure they dont do this to more vulnerable people than myself. If they can argue the toss as much as they have with me when all the way through I have shown I can PROVE they werent at my house what are they doing to other people?It makes me very very angry

[mellymoo74]

Oh I have done Brassnecked, its why in all the correspondence where I have mentioned them to the council/equita/moj/lgo/oft I have stated date and TIME they were sent as well.All I wanted originally was for it to be taken back by BCC, now I want to ensure they dont do this to more vulnerable people than myself. If they can argue the toss as much as they have with me when all the way through I have shown I can PROVE they werent at my house what are they doing to other people?It makes me very very angry

 

Had a response from the LG and council as the Mj passed my claim into them will post it shortly as its interesting

[hallowitch]

1. On the 11th July I requested a full Breakdown of the fees including dates and times that the alleged visits occurred this was due to the fact that I have received no paperwork, nobody has knocked on my door and due to the cctv camera mentioned on the following dates 10th July, 26th July and 1st August I can show no-one has attended my property. To date this has still not been received.
   
2. 16 May - Longitude 1.540285 Latitude - 52.480579 9th July - Longitude 1.540285 Latitude - 52.480579 there are the coordinates for your office as you can see it is a simple matter to find this information out online this is why I have asked for screenshots taken from the digital pen that all certified bailiffs within Birmingham are supposed to use as per your report to the Overview Scrutiny Committee
   

Ive been thinking about this perhaps the coordinates are correct because a bailiff or a member the office staff is using a digital pen logging visit fees on several accounts while they sit at there desk

[mellymoo74]

Hi Hallowitch the pen is basically a gps so would log the coords from where it is used, google maps shows coords so if they are not using it they can make it up from home. The pen also logs the time which as you know is 'unavailable' in my case so they've clearly cobbled it together later or as where I live is confusing have been to another property altogether

Edited September 3, 2012 by mellymoo74

[mellymoo74]

Got em on the front loading! £26 was taken off that first payment yet they claim they had made 1 visit which would be £18.50 hah

[hallowitch]

Got em on the front loading! £26 was taken off that first payment yet they claim they had made 1 visit which would be £18.50 hah

 

I hope the council are going to check all this bailiffs accounts and issue a form 5 to his court of certification

[ploddertom]

I hope the council are going to check all this bailiffs accounts and issue a form 5 to his court of certification

 

I'll second that and believe it should be expanded to give Equita a final warning over the actions & charges of their Bailiffs.

[caledfwlch]

Hi Hallowitch the pen is basically a gps so would log the coords from where it is used, google maps shows coords so if they are not using it they can make it up from home. The pen also logs the time which as you know is 'unavailable' in my case so they've clearly cobbled it together later or as where I live is confusing have been to another property altogether

 

I would suggest that if the Logging software allows members of staff to alter the coordinates in the log, then the system is clearly not up to spec, and is challengable, as it cannot be proof of anything, if so easily changeable!