Scott & Co

[lucysmummyx]

Hi there

 

Looking for some advice..

 

.I received several letters from Scott & Co, ref council tax (I live in Edinburgh).

 

I'm a single mum and only went back to work in May 2013 (I do temp work through agencies mainly so was on income support prior to going back to work),

 

one of the apparent debts owed is for period 2012/13,

in which I wasnt employed and was receiving housing and council tax benefit,

 

the other is a charge of £700 or thereabouts for this present year,

which I am not in dispute that I owe,

but the debt built up due to an outstanding housing benefit/council tax reduction claim.

 

When I received a letter advising I had 7 days to act

I sent the councils council tax dept an email saying I'd like to set up a DD for my CT for this year

and an arrangement to repay the arrears at a reasonable amount

(the only phone I have at the moment is at my desk in work

so understandably not the best place to make a call)

 

to which I received an automated reply that they would respond to my email within 3 weeks,

but they were working to reduce that time - so fine.

 

Then (completely as a coincedence) on last Friday evening there was a loud bang on my door circa 7pm

- I wasnt expecting anyone (I live on my own with my 2 year old) so did not answer the door,

the bang went again, this time it woke my two year old, so

 

I went into her room to settle her,

then proceeded to look out the window and see a rather intimidating looking man walking to his car

- he seen me at the window and shouted

YOU - COME TO THE DOOR, and reapproached my door -

I didnt open it and told him this and he said its fine I'll speak to you through the door,

 

he said he was there to speak about my council tax.

I advised him I would speak to the council and not him,

he then laughed and said well the council have passed it to us now!

 

I said I wasn't particularly interested and could he please go away from my door

as I would not be intimidated into anything on my doorstep.

(My 2 year old was up after his banging on the door and was rather distressed)

 

He said he wanted a payment,

to which I said I couldn't give him,

and could he please get away from my door?

 

He said no,

said I was going to call the police if he was refusing to leave, he still wouldnt budge.

Eventually (by this time I was quite annoyed)

I said listen, you can hear that your frightening my child,

now go away from my door, and he then left.

 

Is he perfectly within his rights to appear at my door at night time a

nd wake my daughter from her bed,

then refuse to leave the door?

 

I didn't get notification someone would be calling at my property

- I think as woman living alone with a child it was highly inappropriate,

I do not want to deal with a company such as this,

I will pay what I owe to the council - is this ok? A

 

nd does anyone have a template for a letter I can send them?

 

I dont want to email or call them as I dont want them to find out any of my personal details

to help them try arrest my wages but if within my rights

I would like to complain about this mans conduct.

 

Any advice on my next steps would be appreciated!

 

anks,

 

Ashley

[maroondevo52]

Hello and Welcome,

 

Sorry to hear about your 'dealing's' with Scott & Co.

 

Have you had any letters from them to say they are acting on a court order or the likes.

 

Regarding your complaint, you should write first to Scott & Co and explain that the sheriff officer has behaved in an unreasonable or disreputable way whilst carrying out their duties and ask for an explanation.

 

If you are not happy with the reply from the Scott & Co or don’t want to complain to them, you can make a written complaint to the Sheriff Principal who can arrange for an investigation to be carried out. The Sheriff Principal can be contacted through the sheriff clerk at the local sheriff court.

 

You can also complain to the Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers. It provides a service for the whole of Scotland. It has its own disciplinary procedures but often handles complaints from the Sheriff Principal's office.

 

There's a link here to their site..............

 

http://www.smaso.org/

 

Society of Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers

8-12 Torphichen Street

Edinburgh

EH3 8JQ

Tel: 0131 228 2866

[lucysmummyx]

Thanks so much thats a great help I will do so

 

- to be honest I don't really feel like communicating with Scott & Co whatsoever,

 

I'm pretty sure they must get these kind of complaints often enough

(or maybe it was just me!!) and don't do much, I have submitted a complaint to the council already but again

I guess they'll just fob me off, although you never know I might be surprised.

 

.RE the letters I definitely havent had anything saying they were acting on a court order,

but I have never heard of them turning up at someones door before either,

perhaps it has been because they have failed to find out who my employer is to arrest my wages?

 

If he thought he would be able to goad information out of me on my doorstep though he was sadly mistaken

 

!Also - the most part of the debt (200 I dispute I owe and there is another 700)

 

is from THIS years council tax,

how can it have been passed to them before the end of the financial year?!?

 

!It wont let me quote you as I dont have enough posts?

[maroondevo52]

They usually only turn up when they have court documents to deliver but you say you have not received any so I'm not sure where he's coming from regarding the debt being passed to them although they could only be acting as debt collectors rather than Sheriff Officers trying to enforce a court order.

 

Like you say if the don't know where you work they can't arrest your wages

[lucysmummyx]

Thanks so much :)They definitely didnt try to deliver anything to me, he said 'I'm here to speak about your council tax', maybe he expected me to invite him in for a cup of tea I don't know. Will wait to hear back from the council anyway, they have sent me a few letters threatening this that and the next thing but with it only being this years which I am liable for I really dont know where they are coming from...

[maroondevo52]

Hopefully the council will help you and Scott & Co can be taken out of the equation.

[dickturpinn]

In my dealings with Scott & Co about c/tax arrears they were ok as long as you stick to your agreed payment plan However if you missed payment, they will come to your door with court order about arrears and add about £90 for handing over summons Dont get mistaken that these are Debt Collectors,if they are acting as messenger at arms then can force entry and seize goods to the value

When I tryed to deal with Glasgow City Council directly I was informed that my account had been passed on to Scott & Co and had to deal with them

Regarding debts being for this year council tax works on a 2 strike policy :you get 2 letters regarding arrears then the debt is passed to Scott & Co,So in theory if you miss first 2 months then you will be getting chased for debt in 3rd month of the payment schedule

Edited February 16, 2014 by dickturpinn