Council Tax arrears - Bristow & Sutor

[Smiths]

Just like to say your not alone in having problems.

 

I got a letter today demanding full payment of £200 in 5 working days (2 of which are left), or they would come round and demand a further £235 in fees for an old council tax debt which I having paying off each month.

 

The pretext for this action seems to be that have visited before and to them that is a good enough reason for them to bully me with this threat of further action and fees.

 

Who ever came up with this new law thinking it would help us people struggling to pay back what we owe needs their heads examining to see if they have any brains.

 

It seems it has given the people at Bristow Sutor more power to bully and cause more stress to hard hit families trying survive.

Additional Information.

 

The letter I received was dated the 7th April 2014 and stated I have five days to pay from that date. It wasn't sent until the 8th April 2014 and then it was sent by SECOND CLASS post and arrived on the 10th April 2014. They really are trying hard to get that extra £235 out of me.

 

Bristow Sutor are such lovely people and the Government should be so proud of their work and their business methods. Thank you Mr Cameron and your pet monkey Clegg for making my life hell.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Smiths

[renegadeimp]

AFAIK they cant charge those new fee's for old arrears that are already being dealt with. Bristow and Sutor are sure living up to their names, even if im wrong. That being B and S

[brassnecked]

There is a double whammy in there in that if they have a levy, old system applies even if a breach, if no levy the visit fees become the Compliance Stage, and they will visit and charge the £235, and Take Control of goods. I think that is assuming they get in or lTake Control a car belonging to the debtor. Busted & Stupor are equally likely to Take Control of a third party car and push for interrpleader, or tell the debtor they are liable to the rteal owner if they sell it.

 

Reason I assume that is B & S were one of the most duplicitous and awkward to deal with under the old system, and I have no doubt they will be equally obnoxious under the new one

[Clunks]

AFAIK they cant charge those new fee's for old arrears that are already being dealt with. Bristow and Sutor are sure living up to their names, even if im wrong. That being B and S

 

Wrong! If there is no Levy in place then they certainly can charge the new Enforcement Fee of £235.

 

Only cases where there is already a Levy in place prior to 06th April, will they continue under old regulations.

[renegadeimp]

I was partly wrong. The fact is we dont know if a levy had taken place.

[Clunks]

It would be very silly of an Enforcement Agency to send out this letter on a case where there is already a Levy in place.

 

They would basically be delaying the charging of the Attending To Remove Fee and other fees that they charge under Schedule 5.

 

Wouldn't be to their benefit anyway.

[brassnecked]

It would be very silly of an Enforcement Agency to send out this letter on a case where there is already a Levy in place.

 

They would basically be delaying the charging of the Attending To Remove Fee and other fees that they charge under Schedule 5.

 

Wouldn't be to their benefit anyway.

Have to agree, they have no levy and can continue under new rules, so Enforcement Fee of £235 indeed applies

[Smiths]

Have to agree, they have no levy and can continue under new rules, so Enforcement Fee of £235 indeed applies

 

You are correct in saying that they have no levy, well as far as I am aware.

 

It basically says if I don't pay a Enforcement Agent will be instructed to visit my address to take control of goods and that the minimum cost will be £235. If goods are removed then additional costs will be due payable and then goes on to list the following fees:

 

Compliance Stage £75 (not applicable here)

Enforcement Stage £235 (plus 7.5% recovered exceeding £1500)

Sale or disposal stage £110 (plus 7.5% recovered exceeding £1500)

 

Additional costs include: storing goods, locksmiths, court fees, costs of removals by specialist contractors, cost of selling goods.

 

What the poor person debt gets in terms of rights not be bullied at certain times of the day is not worth the additional expense of new fee structure. All that was need is regulation and realistic fixed fees.

 

All I can see the new law doing is that a bailiff will turn up once and charge the £235 and the next time you see them it will be a fee of £110 and all the additional costs. If anything this new law plays right into the hands of the bailiffs and makes them more powerful as demonstrated by the letter I got this morning.

[renegadeimp]

Wonder if they've deliberately delayed the levy so they can charge it?

[Smiths]

Wonder if they've deliberately delayed the levy so they can charge it?

 

Don't know.... the letter says that from the 6th April 2014 that they will acting as Enforcement agents with a view to taking control of my goods in accordance with schedule 12 of the tribunals courts and enforcement act 2007.

 

Funny thing is I have just one payment to make of around £200 at the end of April. They really picked their moment mind, me and the kids will be eating value beans on toast for the rest of the month.

[renegadeimp]

Well, if theyve been in contact with you before this, then its very likely they have left it this late, so they can add on those charges.

[ploddertom]

 

Funny thing is I have just one payment to make of around £200 at the end of April. They really picked their moment mind, me and the kids will be eating value beans on toast for the rest of the month.

 

Is this an arranged payment with anyone?

[brassnecked]

If t5here is an arrangement in place, and no default are B & S entitled to call and add more fees?

[Smiths]

Is this an arranged payment with anyone?

 

I have been paying Bristow & Sutor for the last five months, following an arrangement I made with them by phone after they left me a letter through the door one day. Just one final payment left at the end of this month.

 

There is nothing about default in the letter.

[renegadeimp]

Like i said. We now know exactly what they are up to. Wonder how many others they are doing this little trick to.

[ploddertom]

I have been paying Bristow & Sutor for the last five months, following an arrangement I made with them by phone after they left me a letter through the door one day. Just one final payment left at the end of this month.

 

There is nothing about default in the letter.

 

In that case I would remind them of this. Do you know what charges they have applied prior to April 6th?

[Smiths]

In that case I would remind them of this. Do you know what charges they have applied prior to April 6th?

 

There was a charge for the initial visit if I remember correctly when they delivered the original letter that was add to the amount I owed to the council in council tax when they took me to court because my payments were late two months in a row (i.e at the end of the month rather than the beginning)

[ploddertom]

My view is you have done nothing wrong, you are paying in accordance with the agreement made. B&S are being their general bullying selves. Having said contact them I would be more tempted to go back to the Council first and make a complaint about the letter they have sent. You should maybe suggest that they instruct the Bailiffs to honour the agreement you have, that way you will be free come the end of the month.

[brassnecked]

Looks liuke B & S need a lesson, do as PT suggests Formal Complaint to the council. They just can't resist it can they perhaps they are trying it on as it is an arrangement with no levy to back it up, and are hoping to cash in by trying to bamboozle debtors.

[Smiths]

My view is you have done nothing wrong, you are paying in accordance with the agreement made. B&S are being their general bullying selves. Having said contact them I would be more tempted to go back to the Council first and make a complaint about the letter they have sent. You should maybe suggest that they instruct the Bailiffs to honour the agreement you have, that way you will be free come the end of the month.

 

Probably end up paying, given it is the last payment to get them out of my hair and just eat beans on toast.

 

I know it seems like I'm giving up but I will write to my MP about the new law and the way it is being used and to the council, but in the case of the later, in particular, I not holding out much joy, although the people working their are just honest people the council leadership has a reputation for being bullies themselves.

 

Wanted to say thank you to everyone and I hope this discussion helps others and brings the practices of these legal bullies to light even given the new laws which were hailed as helping the poor people in debt by the current government, which seems so far from what is really happening here.

 

BTW since starting this thread I have been looking around and this isn't an isolated case, Bristow and Sutor have sent the same sort of letters with the same wording to other people who they are collecting money from.

[brassnecked]

If B 7S are trying to cash in on existing agreements they must be interpreting the new resa as a chance to ground more fees. Need Formal Complaints to LA where no default on agreement without a levy.

 

Question will EAs engage after a letter or forge ahead to get Control of Goods to add fees? I think we all know the answer to that. Is there still no law that forces goods to be taken control of for an arrangement?