Bailiffs and the Next Action

[inneed2011]

Sent a letter to the bailliffs the debt is 5k offered to pay 223 over 24 months the bailliff has refused it. Used the forum template please advise on next steps.

 

Their explanation is as follows:

We have received all the Liability orders from Royal Borough of Greenwich for UstayLondon.

 

Due to the balance outstanding we are not able to enter into arrangement of 222.00 per month arrangement.We are not

refusing any payments that you wish to make,but we have guidelines for what arrangement we can offer.

 

If one of our bailiffs have to call round,then they would be required to levy goods to secure the debt for Greenwich Council

and then it would be down to the Enforcement bailiff to enter into arrangement with you to clear the balance.

 

All cases are on hold for 7 days to allow you time to get back to us.

[wonkeydonkey]

Hard to advise when you do not say what the debt is for..can you expand on your post please ???

 

WD

[inneed2011]

Council tax

[wonkeydonkey]

...I asked if you could expand your post ..ie: give a history to the case..take a look at your reply and tell me please if you consider that to allow further assistance?

 

WD

[brassnecked]

Details would be good, advice is best given with full facts available

[inneed2011]

I rent several properties as a corporate let, and unfortunately I have failed to keep up payments with the council tax.

The arrears are from 2011 to 2013. They have all been passed to the bailiffs due to non payment.

I sent the following letter to the bailiffs and Greenwich council:

I understand Greenwich council has appointed you to recover my council tax liability arrears of 2011/12 of 5,328.44.

Firstly I would like to make you aware..............Due to my circumstances, I am unable to pay this in one payment. I advocate a payment schedule of 24 months of equal payments of £222. With 23 payments of ..................................It should be noted that I am not refusing to pay this debt but only asking for a fair payment period................Please also send an itemised statement of account..........

Greenwich council have not replied, but the bailiff has replied with the following statement:

We have received all the Liability orders from Royal Borough of Greenwich for UstayLondon.

 

Due to the balance outstanding we are not able to enter into arrangement of 222.00 per month arrangement.We are not

refusing any payments that you wish to make,but we have guidelines for what arrangement we can offer.

 

If one of our bailiffs have to call round,then they would be required to levy goods to secure the debt for Greenwich Council

and then it would be down to the Enforcement bailiff to enter into arrangement with you to clear the balance.

 

All cases are on hold for 7 days to allow you time to get back to us.

 

 

Please advise on next steps due to the fact that I can not afford to pay in one go.

[ploddertom]

It sounds to me as if you have more than 1 Liability Order. 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

[tomtubby]

Always remember that there is NO LEGAL REQUIRMENT that a bailiff has to levy upon goods in order to accept a payment arrangment.

 

If you do not allow the bailiff into your property and you do not have a car etc that he can levy upon then he would be more willing to accept a payment arrangement.

 

You need to FIRSTLY establish the precise amount of each Liability Order and ask the bailiff company whether any fees have been applied to any of the accounts. Remember......if a visit has not been made, then NO fees can be provided. Also, UNLESS a levy has been made upon goods, the fees that can legally be charged are limited to £24.50 for "attending to levy"(where no levy was made). A further 2nd visit fee of £18.00 can be applied but UNLESS a levy has been made, the fees are limited to £42.50.

 

Sorry forgot to mention......the bailiff CANNOT charge multiple fees for enforcing more than one Liability Order. The LGO has recently made this clear in a highly critical public report against Blaby District Council. The bailiff provider in this case was Rossendales Ltd