Unpaid PCN(s) & Visit from Bailiffs Today - Help!!

[peaches83]

If the council feel that you have no intention of paying the fine they can go to Court and request that the bailiff can break into your home. The Courts very rarely agree to this though

it would obviously help to prevent this situation by contacting the Council offering to pay the fine or asking for suggestions on how to get the bailiffs to agree to staggered payments-best to do it in writing

so you have a record.

 

OMG - how and when will this happen?

 

I really wnat to be able to arrange to clear the amount but their charges and fees are way too much I think (from looking at the fees allowable from other threads etc?) The original PCN was lodged at the TEC for £82 and now we're up to £403.84?! Does anybody know how much technically I should be up to at this point? If I can go to them and the council with a break down of their allowed fees (as compared to their vastly inflated ones) and a payment suggestion will this show willing in terms of showing an intention to try and pay?

 

The other thing thats stressing me out is that my son is home from school before i'm home from work, he's really good at locking the door and doesn't answer anyway if anyone knocks but I'm worrying senseless again now. I know its all my own fault but can't sleep or eat and am sat here crying and worrying and I just wnat to have it fixed so I can pay my amounts to whomever and not worry anymore about coming home to men on my doorstep or our stuff gone.

 

P x

[brassnecked]

"If the council feel that you have no intention of paying the fine they can go to Court and request that the bailiff can break into your home. The Courts very rarely agree to this though"

 

Usually this would be a last resort, and they would need a prior levy, as the "fine" is a decriminalised Council ticket, this would be a very last resort for an incorrigible won't pay.

 

How old is your son again?

[tomtubby]

As I said before you need to speak with the council and advise them that you will NOT be able to adhere to the repayment plan agreed between you if the bailiff wants so much money. Make sure that you advise them that the car is only worth scrap value.

[peaches83]

I am going to draft an email to the lady I've dealt with at the council this morning. My son is 10. Can anyone advise of the actual costs I should be being charged on an £82 ticket so I can include this in my email? Should I also copy in Jacobs?Thanks,P x

[lookinforinfo]

Peaches I am so sorry that I frightened you. I should have added as Brassnecked did, that this would be the very last resort. And you would not come into the category of being a "not payer" as

you already have an arrangement with the Council for the other PCNs. Please do not get upset about the situation you are in -many of us have been in a similar situation.

 

There is no way of estimating how much bailiffs fees could be just from the cost of the fine. There are many fees that can be applied but to get to the amount they are asking from you would

generally be because that have managed to levy on something belonging to you-a car for example. I don't think that they have done that in your case and bailiffs are good at overinflating their fees.

 

What you can do is write to the Council asking them to itemise the fees so far incurred by their agents. IE you want a complete breakdown of each charge-the day

it was incurred and the amount that was charged . Ask them to suspend the bailiff action until these fees have been ascertained. Point out that your 10 year old son

would be terrified if bailiffs harassed you but do not tell them that he is sometimes there on his own.

Yes copy in the bailiffs.

Edited June 12, 2013 by lookinforinfo

[peaches83]

I thought perhaps there was a list of charges they can apply for each letter, visit etc to a maximum? If they saw my car on the street the first time they visited but did not clamp it or give me any sort of paperwork does this mean they haven't levied on it? I thought that to levy a vehicle they had to leave paperwork or have I misunderstood?Thanks for the reply... getting more and more upset as time goes along. I'm relieved the others have been put on a payment arrangement so at least I don't have to worry about them. I am drafting an email/letter and will post here when done to see what you clever people think.Thankyou P x

[lookinforinfo]

They are supposed to leave you with details of any levy they have applied. If the fees were not lawfully applied then they find it better

just to bill you without specifying the fees in the hope that you will be too scared to argue and just pay up as many others have done.

[brassnecked]

They are supposed to leave you with details of any levy they have applied. If the fees were not lawfully applied then they find it better

just to bill you without specifying the fees in the hope that you will be too scared to argue and just pay up as many others have done.

 

 

Exactly, they would rather that a debtor doesn't know enough to question their often dodgy fees.

[peaches83]

ok so this is the body of the letter to the council so far - ideas, improvement all VERY welcome!

 

 

With reference to the arrangement I have in place regarding some unpaid PCNs I would firstly like to thank you for your understanding and willingness to arrange a payment schedule so as I can pay these debts. I will make my next payment of £40 on 28th June.

 

 

With regard to the PCN which has progressed further and is currently with Jacobs bailiffs, I have contacted them to try to arrange a payment schedule and also for a breakdown of their fees (see enclosed copy letter). However I am not hopeful they will accept my proposal as they seem to want much larger instalments, which I simply cannot afford. I would very much appreciate your input and assistance with dealing with Jacobs as they are pushing me to pay amounts which will jeopardise my ability to maintain my previously arranged agreement with yourselves.

 

 

I feel that as a single parent on a low income I qualify as a vulnerable party and whilst the situation and harassment I am receiving from Jacobs is upsetting for me, it is absolutely terrifying for my young son. I was hoping that you would be able to encourage them to consider a smaller sum on a monthly basis as yourselves have done or in fact to take the debt back and allow me to settle the amount outstanding directly.

 

 

Though I realise this situation is of my own making and that I have worsened matters by delaying sorting it out until it has reached this extreme stage I DO want to pay. However, the bailiffs company has added over £300 of fees which are making the possibility of resolving this debt seemingly insurmountable.

 

 

Not sure how to end it either?!

 

 

 

Letter going to Jacobs: -

 

 

Dear Sir

 

With reference to the above account, Can you please provide me with a breakdown of the charges.

 

This includes:

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

2. the reason for the fee.

3. the name(s) of the Bailiff(s) that attended on each occasion a Fee was charged.

4. the name(s) of the Court(s) the Bailiff(s) was/were certificated at.

5. the date of the Certification.

 

 

This is not a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act S7 1998 so does not incur a fee of £10. You are obliged to provide this information. I require this information within 14 days.

 

 

Please refrain from sending myself any further correspondence threatening to unlawfully force entry into my home. I am a single mother with a young child and as such I am vulnerable. As a result of my vulnerability I refuse to deal with any bailiffs you may send.I am in correspondence with the council I owe this money to and I have made them fully aware of your threats and of my vulnerabilities.I am more than willing to pay this debt but a suitable method of payment needs to be found and demanding the full amount is both unrealistic and impossible for me to carry out.

 

 

Yours faithfullyPeaches

Edited June 13, 2013 by peaches83

[peaches83]

ooh yay fixed it!

Edited June 13, 2013 by peaches83

[peaches83]

Oh blimey!really hope all that can be sort of understood, it doesn't seem to be showing paragraphs and formatting etc!Px

[honeybee13]

no idea how to fix that post above...

Hello there.

 

Have you tried hitting the Edit Post button and putting in some paragraphs. You could try hitting the Return/Enter key twice. There's something else that works if you type in br, but I can't remember the symbols you need to put before and after it, hopefully someone here does.

 

My best, HB

[lookinforinfo]

Actually Peaches your letter to the Council is very good. You could end up by askiing if they suggest you either contact your local MP and/or the Local Government Ombudsman to resolve the matter.

They would probably prefer that you do neither so may take it back to prevent such an occurrence.

[peaches83]

Actually Peaches your letter to the Council is very good. You could end up by askiing if they suggest you either contact your local MP and/or the Local Government Ombudsman to resolve the matter.

They would probably prefer that you do neither so may take it back to prevent such an occurrence.

 

Do you think asking them that may antagonise them? Or I suppose I could ask if they suggest "I either contact my local MP and/or the Local Government Ombudsman to resolve the matter" with Jacobs who won't liaise a reasonable repayment scheme?Px

[peaches83]

Update of sorts:Sent off my letter aksing for council's assistance with dealing with Jacobs but not heard anything, thought perhaps they might be waiting to see if I make my first proper scheduled payment (paying it on Wednesday though not due til Monday) before responding?Not heard anything at all from jacobs, not sure whether they've called again or not at any point when I've not been in.Next steps?Px

[tomtubby]

I would call the council and ask them whether they received your letter.

[peaches83]

Letter received from Council today:

 

"I ankowledge receipt of your letter regarding the outstanding balance with Jacobs. Unfortunately we are unable to liaise with Jacobs regarding a payment plan and you will need to deal with them direct."

 

Ideas?! (still nothing from Jacobs)