Equita Bailiffs - Coouncil Tax Debt

[brassnecked]

No I can't get them to add up according to the fees scale either.

[outlawla]

Debt : £350.37

Statutory Visit Fees : £42.50 15.09.09 & 22.09.09

Visit/levy Fee : £35.00

 

Total ; £427.87 -:- Total Received : Nil -:- Balance £427.87

 

Liability order Date 08/07/2009

 

Debt : £866.87

Statutory Visit Fees : £42.50 31.05.12 & 15.06.12

Visit Levy Fee : £44.00

Card Fee : £1.00

 

Total £954.37 -:- Total Received : £561.08 -:- Balance £373.29

 

 

Are dates mixed up in the above post?

 

I ask because of Equita's reply in post #48

 

Bailiff Ref :-

1st Statutory Visit Fee: £24.50

2nd Statutory Visit fee: £18.00

Levy Fees £35.00

 

The Statutory visit fees were incurred in May and June of this year respectively. Following to respond, action did escalate and our enforcement officer Mr ***** visited in September with the intention of seizing goods. Whilst this course of action was not carried through, goods were identified and levy fees, as detailed above were incurred. The outstanding balance is £427.87

 

 

 

 

 

EDIT:

 

Hi all

 

Right been onto the council today, found out i had three liability orders, one has been settled.

 

£376.29 - 2009

£137.71 - 2010 Settled

£350.37 - 2011

 

There is NO liability order for £866.87, however the three figures add up to £864.37 ????????

Edited October 28, 2012 by outlawla

[cooper28.cliff]

I think the dates are mixed up, they were taken word for word off the letter received on the 27th.

Ive also requested another breakdown of fees, fourth attempt, wondering if i'll get the info required this time.

 

Also the account will be taken off hold today, and the bailiffs will probably knocking on my door at some point soon,

Is it best to just ignore them when they turn up, or ask them to leave?

[cooper28.cliff]

Forgot to mention, ive started paying the money back direct to BCC through there online payments site. I was wondering, if it would be an idea to set up a standing order with the reference, and year the debt is from?

[outlawla]

Forgot to mention, ive started paying the money back direct to BCC through there online payments site. I was wondering, if it would be an idea to set up a standing order with the reference, and year the debt is from?

 

However you choose to pay, I'd say the most important thing is to make sure payments are allocated to the correct account(s). Your Council's payment system may follow automated allocation rules, i.e., it may allocate to an account, depending on the exact payment.

 

Just looked at BCC's online payment:

 

The information that you provide will enable us to allocate your payment to the correct Council Tax account.

 

You will be transferred to the secure WorldPay site for you to enter your debit or credit card details.

 

Your payment should show on your account within one working day. If you use this service on a weekend or a bank holiday then your payment will not be processed until the next available working day.

 

 

Obviously I cant see what details it requests after this point. Does it ask for specific details about your account/year when submitting payment?

Edited October 31, 2012 by outlawla

[cooper28.cliff]

Obviously I cant see what details it requests after this point. Does it ask for specific details about your account/year when submitting payment?

 

It asks for account number, address etc, doesn't ask for the specific year though,

[outlawla]

It asks for account number, address etc, doesn't ask for the specific year though,

 

Perhaps a good idea to contact BCC and state to them which account(s) you want payments making to.

[ploddertom]

Have a look at your Council Tax bills for the previous years, my Council + quite a few others do it as:

Account No: never changes

Property Ref: never changes

Ref No: changes on a yearly basis so you can distinguish which year the payment is due for

[cooper28.cliff]

Have a look at your Council Tax bills for the previous years, my Council + quite a few others do it as:

Account No: never changes

Property Ref: never changes

Ref No: changes on a yearly basis so you can distinguish which year the payment is due for

 

I thought mine might have been the same, but looking at the references for the last 5 years, there all the same. Might have to phone them an query it.

[cooper28.cliff]

Ok received another letter today,

Date 5th November

 

Ive received a list of bailiff I'd s for the bailiffs that have visited,

 

The dates are a little confused i think for 1 set of visits

 

letter dated 05th November

 

1st Visit - 15-09-09

2nd Visit - 22-09-09

Levy Visit - 06-12-11

 

Letter dated 09th October

 

1st Visit - 25-11-09

2nd Visit - 26-11-09

 

Also I've still not received the information regarding the reasons for Levy etc, or the breakdown of the levy fee's.

 

I'm looking at speaking to my MP and making a complaint to the OFT,

[ploddertom]

 

There is NO liability order for £866.87, however the three figures add up to £864.37 ????????

 

I suspect the £866-87 is a Liability Order for 2012/2013.

[cooper28.cliff]

i think it is, problem is all my payments for this year are upto date?

Been onto the council and they said theres nothing they can do

[ploddertom]

i think it is, problem is all my payments for this year are upto date?

Been onto the council and they said theres nothing they can do

 

They can but are refusing to do so. Who have you spoken to? Have you tried asking your local Councillor(s) to intervene?

[cooper28.cliff]

I haven't, im trying to find out who's in it is,

This things just one big pain, feel like im getting know where, Although ive been paying the council direct, which i suppose counts for something.

[ploddertom]

I haven't, im trying to find out who's in it is,

This things just one big pain, feel like im getting know where, Although ive been paying the council direct, which i suppose counts for something.

 

As has been mentioned previously BCC outsource to Capita. Unless asking for someone in particular - Head of Revenues as an example - then the person answering the phone will be a Capita employee. They are not noted for being helpful and as they own Equita it is in their interests to direct you to the Bailiff.

[cooper28.cliff]

Some good news, The council have taken back this years ct

 

Council Tax

 

I refer to your e-mail dated 27 October 2012 and note the comments made.

 

As the payments were not made according to the payment plan, your payments were

allocated to the arrears for the incorrect financial year.

 

I have now re-allocated the following payments:

 

Based on this i have re-called the Liability Order Number back from Equita Ltd.

 

Balance now outstanding for 2012/13 is £19.81. Documents will be sent to you to make an immediate payment.

 

I trust this clarifies your query.

 

I've noticed that Equita are what seems to be refusing to send me the details, of levies that are on the accounts. Am i going to have to pay the £10 fee's to get a complete breakdown?

[outlawla]

...I've noticed that Equita are what seems to be refusing to send me the details, of levies that are on the accounts. Am i going to have to pay the £10 fee's to get a complete breakdown?

 

No! They should have left you with all fees and charges when they were incurred.

 

I'll post back ¡¡HERE!! when I find the relevant information.

 

OK, got it.

 

Page 7 of this.....

 

National Standards for Enforcement Agents

 

Enforcement agents will on each and every occasion when a visit is made to a debtor's property which incurs a fee for the debtor, leave a notice detailing the fees charged to date, including the one for that visit, and the fees which will be incurred if further action becomes necessary. If a written request is made an itemised account of fees will be provided.

Edited November 8, 2012 by outlawla

[cooper28.cliff]

Thank you for that info, that will come in useful, i'll make a final request including this info, see if that makes them pull there finger out,

[cooper28.cliff]

Hi all

 

Ive received another letter off Equita today, unfortunately not providing any of the requested information, but letting me know "Our Bailiff's will be calling within the next few Days"

 

At the moment I'm sending Stephen Hughes an email requesting the Complaint to be Escalated.

Is there anything I should be putting in the email that will help?

[cooper28.cliff]

Hopefully i worded it well

 

Dear Mr Hughes,

 

Despite numerous requests from Equita for the below requested information. Only partial information has not been provided, Equita seem to be deliberately ignoring my requests, and as such I would like to escalate the complaint further,

 

The information that has still not been provided

 

a - the time & date of any Bailiff action that incurred a Fee.

b - the reason for the fee.

 

 

A fee of £227.50 has been added to the account

I understand that the Bailiff can add £24.50 & £18.00 for a second visit.

A levy fee has been added £35.00 and a card fee added £1.00, Although i have never paid any money to equita using a card.,

The £149 has never been explained, i believe that the bailiff is just adding fee's to increase my debt,

 

Also I have not been given the reason for the Levy attached to ref , for £44.00.

 

Under the National Standards for enforcement acts Detailed by the Ministry Of Justice

 

Enforcement agents will on each and every occasion when a visit is made to a debtor's property which incurs a fee for the debtor, leave a notice detailing the fees charged to date, including the one for that visit, and the fees which will be incurred if further action becomes necessary. If a written request is made an itemised account of fees will be provided.

This has not been complied with.

 

 

I would also like to advise you that all my offers to repay the outstanding balances have been refused, therefore the only option left to me is to pay the balances direct to Birmingham City Council.

 

Thank You for your time

[ploddertom]

You should head the letter & envelope Formal Complaint.

[cooper28.cliff]

The response from Stephen Hughes

 

Thank you for your email of 12 November.

 

I believe Equita have now responded to you directly. I am in receipt of a copy of that response and attach it for ease of reference.

 

I trust this addresses your concerns. However, should you need further clarification, I suggest you contact Karen Fowler direct.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Stephen Hughes

Chief Executive

In other words, Like i give a ****

 

My reply

Thank you for the reply,

 

But i think were missing the point here,

Please check the attached document and explain to me where the

*a - the time & date of any Bailiff action that incurred a Fee.

b - the reason for the fee.*

These are the details being requested and not provided

 

Equita have not given me true details of fees incurred, I will forward my complaint to the Office of fair trading, and include the email chains to show how little help has been provided in this complaint request.

 

I trust this addresses your concerns. However, should you need further clarification, I suggest you contact Karen Fowler direct.

This has been done on 4 occasions and neither time have i been provided with the correct information requested. Each time i have been provided with different amounts, different reasons for the fees, different attendance dates.

If i wanted to be fobbed off and ignored i would have gone direct to the bailiff.

Edited November 14, 2012 by cooper28.cliff