Confero collections

[persha50]

Hi - need some of your valued advice again.

 

Liability order was taken out for non-payment of council tax for 2005 and 2007

(long story and very very bad time in my life),

council sent it to Confero for collection.

 

Received a letter in Feb 2015 advising they would be collecting, which I presume had the breakdown of what was owed.

 

 

Contacted them to say I was negotiating with council and they emailed back to say account was on hold.

 

Confero bailiff turned up on 26/05/15 but I was still in contact with the council at that time showed them email where I was still in contact with council

they emailed me back to apologise and to say my case was still on hold and that their fees would be withdrawn.

 

On 12/08/15 was contacted by Confero via email to say that council had said they should go ahead and collect, but did not give an amount.

 

 

I sent several emails asking what was still owed but did not receive a figure.

Agreed an arrangement of £100/month starting from 20/08/15.

I had originally asked to pay £30/month as that was all I could afford but they refused.

 

I made a couple of payments of £100 then my husband got made redundant so we lost a lot of income,

advised Confero but they would not reduce or put on hold the payment plan.

 

 

Sent them a copy of my hubby's redudancy letter

(company went into administration so were not able to give employees any redundancy packages).

 

I then made a couple more payments but only £50 as again that was all I could afford.

In January 2016 we hit a brick wall regarding our finances

and contacted Step Change who are in the process of sorting everything out for us,

my husband is getting a DRO and I am doing token payments.

 

Contacted Confero advising them of our situation and our severe financial situation which is due to no fault of our own but due to loss of one income.

Told them about Step Change taking us on and then on 09/03/16 got a hand delivered removal notice (copy attached).

 

I was not at home so was just put through the letter box as was looking after my father who had terminal cancer and who also died on the evening of 09/03/16.

 

 

I also advised Confero of me having to look after him as it was he wanted to die at home (before 9th) and then after 9th March to let them know he had died.

 

I look on the bailiff register and could not find a XXXX registered but had a look today and see there is one there but working for a company called Swift Credit Services

but nothing under Confero.

 

 

As there was nothing registered prior today I contacted Confero via email to get her details as did not want to deal with her despite her name being on the letter as she was not registered but they just kept telling me to contact her.

 

my query is if they originally came in Feb 2015 they would've charged a fee then,

I have repeated asked for amount owed and have never been given a figure.

 

 

can they charge me for the visit on 09/03/16 and also would any of my circumstances be regarded as vulnerable as its too early after my father passing away to be dealing with enforcement officers.

 

Finally what paperwork should they have given me regarding the above as all of it seems to have been done via email.

 

Sorry forgot to say the amount outstanding of is made up of £243.78 debt and £235.00 enforcement fee.

1 remove.pdf

[Bailiff Advice]

 

Contacted Confero advising them of our situation and our severe financial situation which is due to no fault of our own but due to loss of one income. Told them about Step Change taking us on and then on 09/03/16 got a hand delivered removal notice (copy attached).

 

I was not at home so was just put through the letter box as was looking after my father who had terminal cancer and who also died on the evening of 09/03/16. I also advised Confero of me having to look after him as it was he wanted to die at home (before 9th) and then after 9th March to let them know he had died.

 

I am so sorry to hear that your father has passed away. You do not need a bailiff problem at this time and almost certainly, you are regarded as 'vulnerable'.

 

I note that you have said that you contacted Confero after your father died. What was their response?

 

I am sure that Stepchange have informed you that council tax arrears can be included in your Debt Relief Order.

[persha50]

Hi -

they told me contact the enforcement agent as a matter of urgency!

They have included in the DRO but just worried as liability order was done a while ago.

 

 

I have included the £235 charge in the DRO, but not sure if they can charge me again?

 

 

Should we pay it or just the arrears.

 

 

Exact words after hearing my father had passed away are:

 

 

I am sorry to hear about your loss and offer our condolence to you and your family.

However I would urge you to contact Miss McNally as a matter of urgency.

[Bailiff Advice]

Exact words after hearing my father had passed away are: I am sorry to hear about your loss and offer our condolence to you and your family. However I would urge you to contact Miss McNally as a matter of urgency.

 

Can you just clarify...that it was last week that your father passed away?

[AndyOrch]

My sincere condolences Sharon...I was aware from your previous threads that you were caring for him......very sad.

 

Kind Regards

 

Andy

[persha50]

Yes he passed away on 9th March in the evening, received the letter in the afternoon before he died,

advised Confero when I got back and saw the letter that we were caring for him and he had terminal cancer, he then passed away 10.40 that evening,

 

 

I advised Confero the next day that he had passed away.

They still told me to contact Ms McNally as a matter or urgency.

 

Andy - thanks for your kind words - has been a struggle but it was horrible towards the end and just grateful that he is at peace now.

 

Just out of courisity is there a regulation/guidance for when creditors can contact you under such circumstances.

 

 

Just digressing a little bit I was contacted by Funding Corporation whilst he was in hospital,

told them I was at hospital with my father who had terminal cancer and was also told I need to contact them and not ignore the issue despite me asking them to write to me.

 

 

The reason is they allowed me to pay two payments at £80 less than my usual some months ago and then put my payment of october at the end of my agreement

but are now contacting me saying the 2 x £80 are now arrears and need to be sorted despite them being fully aware that I could not pay due to financial problems.

 

 

Just got a message today to phone them which will probably be for the same thing

and I do not want to deal with their arrogance so soon after my dad passing away.

 

 

just wanted to know if I could tell them to back off,

I was going to apply for a time order to have my payments reduced but with all the stuff I had to deal with re my dad did not have the time.

 

Sharon

[Bailiff Advice]

Sharon, thank you for clarifying the position. Because your father sadly passed away just one week ago, there can be no doubt at all that you must be considered 'vulnerable' in relation to bailiff enforcement. In this respect, see item 77 of the National Standards for Enforcement Agents 2014 (link below). Accordingly, Confero should immediately withdraw your account from their individual enforcement agent.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/353396/taking-control-of-goods-national-standards.pdf

 

I would suggest that you do not speak with the enforcement agent and instead, send her a text message. If you wish, I can PM some suitable wording for you. Please let me know.

 

The Funding Corporation (and any other debt collection company) would need to abide by the Debt Collection Guidance issued by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and this would consider that you are 'vulnerable'.

[persha50]

Hi - thank you so much for advice. Its a big relief that I don't have to be dealing with everyone at the moment. Yes please for wording as my brain is not working well at the moment.

[persha50]

Sorry told you my brain was not working. Regarding her being on the register but working for another company does that make any difference regarding me having to deal with her.

[persha50]

Sorry AGAIN - what about the fees and the paperwork, where they correct just putting the notice which I attached above through the door or should there be more.

[Bailiff Advice]

Hi - thank you so much for advice. Its a big relief that I don't have to be dealing with everyone at the moment. Yes please for wording as my brain is not working well at the moment.

 

I have sent you a PM.

 

On the subject of certification and the fees and letters etc, whilst these points are important they are nonetheless not important at this present time.

[persha50]

Thank you again - can breath a sign of relief and not have to worry everytime the doorbell goes or post arrives.