Chandlers Bailiffs & CTAX arrears

[aronik]

Good morning!

I need some urgent help re: chandlers bailiffs.

 

I had council tax arrears for 2012/13 for £266.88. Few weeks ago I have received a letter from chandlers telling me that they will be visiting property in order to recover this debt. For that I have been charged £24.

 

I have spoken to them and arrange a visit. After reading your forums, I have sent a text message that they will not be allowed into my property. They turned up anyway, and put a levy on a car that does not belong to us. For that privilege I was charged £33 for levy, £18.50 attendance fee, and £110 van removal fee.

 

I have spoken to local council, but got usual reply, that I need to deal with bailiff. However, I am making weekly payments to council directly and my debt is now just under £200.

 

 

Yesterday, I have received letter saying:

 

Time has expired and your Court Order for Non-Payment of Council Tax has been selected next week for Enforcemenet Action by Removal of Goods as Law Directs.

 

 

The amount outstanding still reflects the illegal levy that was made and van fees, that I was told are not allowed.

I am really worried that they actually will turn up with the vans between hours of 6am - 10pm as stated on their letter and sit outside my house. I have 3 children that I need to get to school every day. I don't want them to experience this.

What is the best action to take, can someone advise please. Are they allowed to send threatening letters like this?

 

How can I get the fees removed? After reading your threads its only £42.50 that they are allowed to charge or am I missing something?

 

I am sorry to ask so many questions at once, but I am really worried right now.

Thank you for all your help.

Edited July 11, 2013 by citizenB
formatting

[citizenB]

Have moved you to the correct forum and I am sure someone will be along to help as soon as they can.

[brassnecked]

Contact the council and remind them that they are 100% liable for their bailiffs actions, and the fees are unlawful, also tell them they will be complicit in the theft of motor vehicle if their bailiff fails to exercise due diligence and checks ownership of the vehicle before he removes it.

 

If they persist in this, send in a Formal Complaint regarding the imposition of unlawful fees, regarding levy on property not owned by the debtor, remind them of the LGO ruling on this in their Blaby Council/Rossendales investigation. send it to Head of Revenues, the council CEO, elected leader, councillor, and your MP, copied to Chandlers. Offer in fact pay the council directly, using the online system an amount you can afford regularly. Other Caggers will no doubt be along with further more helpful advice soon.

[ploddertom]

I assume they left a Notice of seizure for the car. Have you challenged them over this? Remind them & the Council of some recent LGO Reports about this - there was a Focus Report last Novemebr & also one involving Blaby Council prior to that.

[seanamarts]

They can only charge for the two visits that they have made. £24.00 for the 1st visit and £18.50 for the 2nd.

 

They have also made a mistake with regards to charging for a levy and an attendance fee, which they cannot do this, it is one or the other, but as they have levied on a vehicle that dosnt belong to you they cannot charge it anyway.

 

Send a complaint to the CEO of the council who are dealing with the debt and copy it to Chandlers. If you have been paying the council and they have accepted your payments then their is no reason why the bailiffs should be coming to your property. Was a payment plan set up with the council?

[tomtubby]

Good advice given above and it it vital that you contact the council by phone in the morning to advise them that you will be making a Formal Complaint on the basis that their agent has levied upon a car that is not yours and charged fee of xxxxx. Remind the council that they are wholly responsible for the levy and fees charged by Chandlers.

 

It is vital that you make it clear in writing that you will not allow a bailiff into your home and that the vehicle is not yours and that you require all few associated with this levy to be removed immediately.

[aronik]

Good advice given above and it it vital that you contact the council by phone in the morning to advise them that you will be making a Formal Complaint on the basis that their agent has levied upon a car that is not yours and charged fee of xxxxx. Remind the council that they are wholly responsible for the levy and fees charged by Chandlers.

 

It is vital that you make it clear in writing that you will not allow a bailiff into your home and that the vehicle is not yours and that you require all few associated with this levy to be removed immediately.

 

Good morning!

Thank you all for your help so far.

I will write a letter today and send it special delivery to council.

Shall i send one to chandlers as well?

Thankx

[tomtubby]

Send Chandlers a copy of the letter. You may wish to call them first to advice them that you are writing a Formal Complaint to the council today regarding the manner in which their bailiff has levied upon a car that is not owned by you and that as a courtesy you will be sending them a copy of the letter.

 

If they have prior knowledge that a Formal Complaint is in the pipeline this should stop another visit.