PLEASE HELP received threatening letter from EQUITA - tax credit 'debt'

[trish48]

I have received a letter today from a company called Equita

- My Husband has also received the same letter addressed to him as well.

 

It says its regarding HM Revenue & Customs - Unpaid Tax Credits.....

 

... I have not received tax credits for well over a year now.

 

I did speak to someone and explained that I have always given them updated information as soon as I knew it

and in fact a couple of times they have told me to ring back because I have been telling them about something

that would be happening within the next few weeks...

 

EQUITA are saying that HM have passed my debt to them with instructions to recovering the outstanding debt of £1,097.81 in full.

 

They say if I do not take action to resolve this immediately they may recommend to HM to commence enforcement action against us.

 

taking control of our goods

 

legal action through Courts with any judgement entered against my record.

 

What do you suggest please I am really worried someone is going to turn up at the door and take all my belongings...

[dx100uk]

I would suggest this is equita in their DCA role

not as BAILIFFS.

 

if you owe HMRC then contact them directly.

 

whatever you do

NEVER pay a DCA on a gov't debt.

 

dx

[goodatresearch]

The problem is that HMRC won't be interested. I rang them on behalf of a relative and they wouldnt discuss the overpayment and just said talk to the DCA

[trish48]

I have just checked and this is EQUITA dca acting on behalf of HMRC.

 

What should I do - my first instinct is to ignore as its a DCA and I dont like acknowledging these people.

[trish48]

Hi Everyone.

 

I have received a letter today from Equita - I had never heard of them before today. They have sent the same letter also addressed to my Husband.

 

It says its regarding Unpaid Tax Credits and that if we do not take action to resolve this matter immediately they may recommed to HMRC that they commence enforcement action against us. This could involve:

 

An Officer taking control of our goods and selling them to discharge the debt.

Legal action through the Magistrates Court with any judgement being recorded against us.

 

It says to ring them now. Also to ring them to arrange how to repay this to them.

 

Does this sound like they are a DCA or Bailiffs???

 

As far as I was aware we do not owe the HMRC anything, when we were claiming credits I always informed them of our circumstances and even was laughed at by their call centre staff sometimes for ringing up "too early" to inform them of the change of circumstances as I was really on the ball letting them know everytime anything changed no matter who small the change...

 

I am of the mind that if this is a DCA to just ignore them. But I am worried so what do you suggest I do?

 

Please please people advise me what you think is best course of action as I am on long term sick from work at the moment and only have limited income.

 

My husband works full time and is on national wage.

 

I am on half pay - which is £733 per month till November 2014 when I drop down to NO pay, I also currently received £72 per week from DWP for SSP think its called ESA.

[trish48]

please could someone offer some advice im really worried

 

thanks

[dx100uk]

please keep to one thread

 

dx

[dx100uk]

scan up the letter

 

if its the bailiff wing

 

it will say that on the company letterhead/banner.

 

**you can post up images/letters by this method immediately..you don't need 10 posts**

.

set your default scan page size to A4 less than 300DPI [150 will do]

scan the required letters/agreements/sheets - as a picture[jpg] file

don't forget you can use a mobile phone or a digital camera too!!

'

BUT......

ENSURE: remove all pers info inc. barcodes etc

but leave all monetary figures and dates.

.

************************* ************************* *******

{DO NOT USE A BIRO OR PEN OR USE SEE THRU TAPE OR LABELS]

************************* ************************* ***********

IPHONE only, take a pic and convert to pdf via an APP

.

DO IT IN MSPAINT.EXE or any photo editing program

goto one of the many free online pdf converter websites ...

http://freejpgtopdf.com/

http://www.convert-jpg-to-pdf.net/

..

if you have multiple scans/pics

put them in a word doc FIRST and convert that to PDF

or http://www.freepdfconvert.com/

or

use www.pdfmerge.com

 

convert existing PC files to PDF [office has an installable print to PDF option]

..

it would be better to upload a multipage pdf if

you have many images too rather than many single pdfs

.

or if you have PDF as an installed printer drive use that

or use word and save as pdf

or use Primo PDF.

.

try and logically name your file so people know what it is.

though DONT USE BANK NAMES or CAG in the title

i'e Default notice DD-mm-yyyy

.

open a new msg box here

hit go advanced below the msg box

hit manage attachments below that box

hit the add files button on the top right

hit select files, navigate to your file on your pc

hit upload files

...

YOU DONT have to put a link to the attachment in the msg box..just upload it ..job done

you can click on your links to check them too!

.

dx

[dx100uk]

you talk to HMRC directly

 

never ever respond or pay a DCA on a Gov't debt!!

 

they have NO POWERS WHATSOEVER in this role for HMRC

[trish48]

apologies for doing too many threads. Im really worried.

 

I am going to take a pic of the letter and try to upload - although not the best tech person in the world. It just says Equita at top left and then the address in the righthand side of the letter nothing about a bailiff or dca mentioned anywhere.

 

Thanks

[trish48]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]52445[/ATTACH]

 

I hope I have done this correctly - Should be my letter from EQUITA that hs been edited so non of my personal details contained in it.

 

Please advise.

 

Thanks

[dx100uk]

pdf please

 

dx

[dx100uk]

The problem is that HMRC won't be interested. I rang them on behalf of a relative and they wouldnt discuss the overpayment and just said talk to the DCA

 

then you write to HMRC.

 

lots of threads already here on how people have dealt with HMRC 'debts'

[citizenB]

Can you please convert your image to pdf format. dx100uk explains how to do this in post # 8

[trish48]

im trying to convert but i cant do it. would a png document be ok

[trish48]

hope this is a pdf file

[dx100uk]

def debt collector

 

says so in the link

 

deal with hmrc only.

 

dx

[tomtubby]

Trish,

 

Well done for posting a pdf copy (even as a long time poster on here I still struggle with uploading documents).

 

i see lot of these letters and the advice that I will give to you is the same advice that is provided at the agency

and this is to make sure that you WRITE to Equita to outline your personal circumstances

and to outline an AFFORDABLE payment proposal.

You should include a simple Income & Expenditure.

 

I have seen many such cases where HMRC accept payments of around £20 to £30 per month on debts of around £1,000.

 

The following is not intended to worry you but to outline the steps that CAN be taken if you fail to engage with the debt collecting agency:

 

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/payinghmrc/problems/dontpay/debts.htm#2

 

DX.. I think you will find that once the debt has been passed to one of the selected debt collection agencies HMRC will refer any enquiries back to the DCA.

[dx100uk]

so you are advocating not paying the dca too?

 

and write to hmrc?

 

dx