Equita baliff fees & CTAX

[mellymoo74]

http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2011/11/27/birmingham-council-boss-claimed-almost-1-000-for-taxis-66331-29848563/

 

interesting

[outlawla]

http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/midlands-news/2011/11/27/birmingham-council-boss-claimed-almost-1-000-for-taxis-66331-29848563/

 

interesting

 

A CASH-strapped council’s chief executive claimed almost £1,000 in taxi expenses in a year – including nine journeys under one mile.

 

Stephen Hughes is the head of Birmingham City Council, which faced savage cuts after the Government slashed budgets.

 

But as his departments battled to do more for less, the supremo submitted expense claims for nine cab trips across the city of less than one mile.

 

The shortest was for just 0.7 of a mile between the Council House in Victoria Square and Matthew Boulton College....

 

I was going to ask why he didn't use his own car, but the extortion involved with council's parking policies would be far too cost prohibitive. No doubt though, he'll also claim vehicle expenses.

[mellymoo74]

I was going to ask why he didn't use his own car, but the extortion involved with council's parking policies would be far too cost prohibitive. No doubt though, he'll also claim vehicle expenses.

Yep it's a cost cutting exercise for sure

[mellymoo74]

I sent this on the 10/08/2012 to Karen Fowler

Dear Karen, I am emailing you to complain about your companies recent behaviour. I have a council tax debt with them from 2010 & 2011 on a single Liability Order. The Liability Order was for £1389. In the middle of May, using a redundancy payment I paid £1200 and as I had started a new job I stated that if I was paid enough I would try to clear the rest at the end of May unfortunately I was arranging payment of this years Council Tax, Housing Benefit Overpayment, Benefit Overpayment and rent arrears and before I was able to call your company I received a letter stating that you had passed this to your bailiff The idiot this letter did not state an amount on it. This letter was dated the 4/7 and was received on 7/7 when I promptly called your office the idiot is registered as a Bailiff with Worcestershire Court and is not registered as being employed by Equita. The idiot refused to agree to a payment agreement of £35 per month to clear the £225 that is showing as outstanding at Birmingham City Council. You refused to speak to me and wouldn't agree to a payment plan. You also refused this when someone called through to try to get you to agree from the Council Tax office on 10/7. On the 9/7 I had a text conversation with The idiotr, the last message of which I again offered the payment plan of £35 per month and on 10/7 at midday The idiot left a message telling me the debt is infact £416 this is despite the fact there have been no visits (this can be clearly shown as there is a CCTV camera that points at my front door, and what is actually owed under the Liability Order is in fact £189 that he would give me until Friday week to pay £416. I finally got Bailiff action held off on the Thursday of that week. Despite repeated requests I still havent had a full breakdown of the charges along with dates that I was supposedly visited and information regarding what was levied against. Just incase you havent got a copy I am including a copy of the Code of Conduct for Bailiffs, I would like to draw your attention to a couple of points. 1) - a debtor should be contacted before bailiff action in the event of a broken agreement. This did not happen 2) - a payment plan should be agreed, if this will take longer than 3 months the council should be contacted to see if they agree. - This did not happen 3) - Charges that are allowed under law, when did two visits occur if the letter was sent on 4/7?, also how can I be charged an enforcement fee when no bailiff has come to my door at all? 4) - Why suddenly has a payment plan been put in place for £45 I have repeatedly requested £35 payable by myself on 30th of each month? I have also had no communication from Equita regarding this.

 

the response is fun

 

can I scan and attach docs dont fancy typing this out lol

Edited August 18, 2012 by mellymoo74

[outlawla]

You could possibly scan to text, if your printer/scanner can do this then copy and paste to post.

 

Or,

 

Scan letter as image file then upload to photobucket or something like that then link to it.

 

 

Maybe other simpler solutions though..

[mellymoo74]

lets try this

 

RE - Birmingham City Council Tax

 

I am in receipt of your email sent on the 13th August with regard to the above, in response to my letter of the 9th.

 

Your comments have been noted and in response I would like to confirm that once our enforcement team are assigned, it is their instruction, and intention, to bring the case (s) to an immediate close. For this reason, no payment plan would be agreed.

 

In response to the specific points you have raised, please note the following:

 

 

• Once a payment plan has fallen into default there is no requirement for us to confirm our intentions to visit, given that this had already been relayed in prior notices sent.
  
• The payment plan of £45 every month, which was applied on the 16th July, was done so at the request of our client, Birmingham City Council.
  
• The charges applied for the intended removal of goods have been removed. In the regulations these fees are considered 'reasonable'.
  

I trust the above clarifies the matters and look forward to the outstanding balance, which still stands at £222.31 being cleared in line with the terms previously laid out.

 

Points that haven't been answered are - how can a bailiff have visited and yet I was able to make a payment a day later? Where is the cc charge allowed under law?If I have been levied where is my paperwork and why wont they give me the reg?

Edited August 18, 2012 by mellymoo74

[brassnecked]

it might be better if you rename the bailiff in the post to something like x or munter as we shouldn't name them on open forum

[mellymoo74]

Renamed

[mellymoo74]

I think my next stage is to reply to Equita, the CEO my local mp and the oft pointing out the inconsistencies and advising them that I have a foi act request in and the request for all my info from the council what do you think?

[mellymoo74]

Right have used the link on another thread and sent a link to this thread to Jack Dromey.

[mellymoo74]

Below is the response from the Minister for Justice anyone want to help draft a reply?

 

 

Unfortunately we are unable to open the attachment on our IT system. However, from what you have said below it seems that your main complaint is about the actions of Birmingham City Council and bailiffs employed by them. This is not a matter that anyone in the Ministry of Justice would be able to comment on. You may wish to contact the Department for Communities and Local Government instead.

[email protected]

 

Tel - 0303 444 0000

Department for Communities and Local Government

Eland House

Bressenden Place

London

SW1E 5DU

[mellymoo74]

What else can I do, or should I wait till I get the full breakdown from BCC and then start again?has anyone contacted the press as I think it might be worth getting some stories together and drafting something to send to one of the campaigning papers

[hallowitch]

as the council to supply the screenshot of your account to include the bailiffs digital pen data and tracker data that confirms the bailiff was within 10 meters of your property or to remove all fees

[mellymoo74]

as the council to supply the screenshot of your account to include the bailiffs digital pen data and tracker data that confirms the bailiff was within 10 meters of your property or to remove all fees

 

Great thanks Hallowitch will get that sent over this evening

 

Done, lets see what happens now....

Edited August 23, 2012 by mellymoo74

[hallowitch]

well if you read the Bailiff report -Birmingham City Council summary report for scrutiny committee’s consideration

on page 4 it tells you they use digital pen data and tracker

 

I cant copy and paste the part because it wont let me

[outlawla]

Is this the page?

 

Page 4 of Bailiff Report to Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

Birmingham City Council

 

Edited August 23, 2012 by outlawla

[hallowitch]

aye thats the one it makes you wonder why they cant tell what time the bailiff attended your property if everything is time and date stamped

automatically delivers location, details accurcy of 10 meters, can tell if he is walking or sitting in his car the list goes on if they cant the dates/times right then there is somthing wrong

 

thaks outlawa i tried to post that all day done my head in

[mellymoo74]

it does indeed especially as Karen has told me that info isnt available!

[outlawla]

aye thats the one it makes you wonder why they cant tell what time the bailiff attended your property if everything is time and date stamped

automatically delivers location, details accurcy of 10 meters, can tell if he is walking or sitting in his car the list goes on if they cant the dates/times right then there is somthing wrong...

 

The fact these bailiffs are considered by local authorities to need "Electronic Tagging" tells a story in itself.

 

They obviously know they can't be trusted.

[mellymoo74]

what amazes me is the fact, I have repeatedly told the council I can PROVE they havent attended, they should have an electric tag showing that they havent attended and the council still think I should deal with the lying ****

[mellymoo74]

sent this to the Guardian

 

Dear Sirs,

 

Please find attached the link to a forum that is full of bailiff horror stories from bailiffs assaulting members of public to front loading of fees on the working poor.

 

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

 

I am currently dealing with Equita and Birmingham City Council, Birmingham City Councils back office is outsourced to a company called Capita. Capita have two bailiff agencies one of which is Equita.

 

It is obviously not in Capita's interest to resolve outstanding council tax in the manner that they should under law, it is in their interest to 'front load fees' and then try to intimidate people into paying the whole lot including illegal fees the council because of their close relationship do not properly investigate any complaints and pass you back to the bailiffs.

 

I think this is something that in the present climate it may be worth looking at.

[outlawla]

Did a bit of research on bailiff stories in the nationals some time ago and found this in the Guardian.

 

Bailiffs to increase debtors' fees as councils seek cut of profit

 

[email protected]

 

 

OR

 

Bailiff regulations 'could cost debtors more'

 

[email protected]

Edited August 23, 2012 by outlawla

[mellymoo74]

I chose the Guardian because they are campaigny can anyone think of any others worth sending it to?

[ploddertom]

Of course if Equita are being reluctant to give the information may be a request to Paul Pindar, CEO of Capita might produce results

[email protected]

[brassnecked]

Could try the Daily Heil, (Mail) and the Wapping Liar (Sun) or the Express. The Mirror as it is left wing may also be worth a punt amongst the tabloids. It depends whether they have a lack of stories about celebs and twitter trolls before they may bother