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Ok. I'll keep this shortish. In 2014 I had a CCJ against me for £1320 including court fees this ended up with a bailiff visiting and making an enforcement of goods order. I made a payment plan and have been paying £100 a month ever since for a debt totalling £1660. I paid £400 in June 2015 for a missed payment and to stop them threatening me.

 

Missed payment due to changing bank account. They have charged me another £495 pounds saying that the enforcement went to stage 2 even though no one visited the house. I received no notice of this upgraded enforcement. Also I have discovered they have charged £90 fee initial fee when challenging them today they have added 20% VAT to all fees is this allowed?

 

As far as I'm aware I have paid this debt in full plus some. The Bailiff has been very aggressive and threatening on the phone. I am going to stop them taking anymore money from my card as I believe they are now taking money they shouldn't have . Help please anyone!!

Edited by citizenB
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Hi, someone will be with you soon with some advice.

 

Meanwhile I have had to amend your thread title and remove the name of the bailiff from your post.

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For what reason was a CCJ awarded against you ? Was it a consumer debt ?

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Uploading documents to CAG ** Instructions **

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Dealing with Customer Service Departments? - read the CAG Guide first

1: Making a PPI claim ? - Q & A's and spreadsheets for single premium policy - HERE

2: Take back control of your finances - Debt Diaries

3: Feel Bullied by Creditors or Debt Collectors? Read Here

4: Staying Calm About Debt  Read Here

5: Forum rules - These have been updated - Please Read

BCOBS

1: How can BCOBS protect you from your Banks unfair treatment

2: Does your Bank play fair - You can force your Bank to play Fair with you

3: Banking Conduct of Business Regulations - The Hidden Rules

4: BCOBS and Unfair Treatment - Common Examples of Banks Behaving Badly

5: Fair Treatment for Credit Card Holders and Borrowers - COBS

Advice & opinions given by citizenb are personal, are not endorsed by Consumer Action Group or Bank Action Group, and are offered informally, without prejudice & without liability. Your decisions and actions are your own, and should you be in any doubt, you are advised to seek the opinion of a qualified professional.

PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME TO GIVE ADVICE BY PM - IF YOU PROVIDE A LINK TO YOUR THREAD THEN I WILL BE HAPPY TO OFFER ADVICE THERE:D

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We will need a bit more detail

 

By the looks of things as you missed payment they went to enforcement stage

Hopefully Bailiff advice will be along shortly

 

No BA is on a course for the next 2 days, so might not get a chance until later in the week.

We could do with some help from you.

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No BA is on a course for the next 2 days, so might not get a chance until later in the week.

 

The £495 + vat 2nd stage fee appears to relate to High Court enforcement and is a set fee when the controlled goods agreement is breached and tbey could walk in to take goods to cover the debt remaining.

 

It appears they have to actually attend your house to charge this fee. They may have added it in anticipation, but did not need to come out.

 

You need to enter into a complaint asking for a full breakdown of everything.

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As UB has mentioned I am not available much until tomorrow.

The position is as UB has advised in that if there is a default in the arrangement then a visit can be made and with it the charge of £495. . Would you mind mentioning which company this is?

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According to thread title. It is Marston

We could do with some help from you.

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Also the application of VAT to fees is allowed in HCEO enforcement.

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES TO COLD CALLERS PROMISING TO WRITE OFF YOUR DEBTS

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As UB has mentioned I am not available much until tomorrow.

The position is as UB has advised in that if there is a default in the arrangement then a visit can be made and with it the charge of £495. . Would you mind mentioning which company this is?

 

Thank you. I have asked twice for a breakdown of all their charges. I have also said to them that they have to actually visit to apply the enforcement stage two but they say they don't need to visit they added it automatically when I missed a payment. Never visited. The man on the phone said they are allowed to add it they don't have to visit to apply it. But If they do have to visit then I only owe them about another £50. Who do I make a complaint to? If it's Marstons then I hold out no hope of them resolving it very nasty on the phone. And surely adding a charge for something they haven't actually done is fraud.

 

Yes it is Marstons

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When i have read this before, it mentions an HCEO visiting to obtain payment before the £495 + VAT can be charged. This makes sense to me as the fees relate to work they are having to do.

 

But the Statutory Instrument passed by government just says you only have to breach a controlled goods agreement for stage one and stage two fees to be charged. Read the explanatory notes on page 9 of the attachment.

 

http://www.hceoa.org.uk/images/stories/forms/The_Taking_Control_of_Goods_Fees_Regulations_2014_-_Laid.pdf

 

You are entitled to a full breakdown of your dealings with Marstons and should make an official complaint that they have not provided clear information.

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UB is correct the regulation is here

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1/regulation/6/made

 

©the second enforcement stage, which comprises—

(i)where the enforcement agent and the debtor do not enter into a controlled goods agreement, all activities relating to enforcement from the first attendance at the premises in relation to the instructions up to but not including the commencement of the sale or disposal stage;

(ii)where the enforcement agent and the debtor enter into a controlled goods agreement but the debtor breaches that agreement, all activities relating to enforcement from the time at which the debtor breaches the agreement up to but not including the commencement of the sale or disposal stage;

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES TO COLD CALLERS PROMISING TO WRITE OFF YOUR DEBTS

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES FOR COSTLY TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS WITH SO CALLED "EXPERTS" THEY INVARIABLY ARE NOTHING OF THE SORT

BEWARE OF QUICK FIX DEBT SOLUTIONS, IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT INVARIABLY IS

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UB is correct the regulation is here

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1/regulation/6/made

 

©the second enforcement stage, which comprises—

(i)where the enforcement agent and the debtor do not enter into a controlled goods agreement, all activities relating to enforcement from the first attendance at the premises in relation to the instructions up to but not including the commencement of the sale or disposal stage;

(ii)where the enforcement agent and the debtor enter into a controlled goods agreement but the debtor breaches that agreement, all activities relating to enforcement from the time at which the debtor breaches the agreement up to but not including the commencement of the sale or disposal stage;

 

There does seem to be some confusion with this, although the SI is clear.

 

Most.sites including CAB ( and BA) appear to believe that an HCEO has to visit to look to take goods, before they can charge this. I wonder whether there is other legislation that still clarifies what stage 2 actually involved.

We could do with some help from you.

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It depends on what they take it away for.

 

If itis taken for storage the only fee payable is the second stage fee, if it taken for sale and the accompanying information sent to the debtor then it merits the sale fee in addition. The second stage fee is always payable in either case.

 

I think the issue is the sale fee, rather than the second stage fee.

 

I dont think BA and I disagree on this, it is certainly the opinion of J Kruse, who has written several pieces in his various bulletins and briefing notes about the subject.

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES TO COLD CALLERS PROMISING TO WRITE OFF YOUR DEBTS

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES FOR COSTLY TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS WITH SO CALLED "EXPERTS" THEY INVARIABLY ARE NOTHING OF THE SORT

BEWARE OF QUICK FIX DEBT SOLUTIONS, IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT INVARIABLY IS

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Incidentally VAT is chargeable because the HCEO is a trader and thus liable for VAT. The fee is due to HMRC as output tax. This is irrecoverable under the normal procedures and is therefor payable b y the debtor.

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES TO COLD CALLERS PROMISING TO WRITE OFF YOUR DEBTS

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES FOR COSTLY TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS WITH SO CALLED "EXPERTS" THEY INVARIABLY ARE NOTHING OF THE SORT

BEWARE OF QUICK FIX DEBT SOLUTIONS, IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT INVARIABLY IS

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The OP is not concerned with the sale fee, however there is a thread here which discussed it in detail.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?453200-Removal-for-sale-fee-when-can-it-be-charged&p=4809573&viewfull=1#post4809573

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES TO COLD CALLERS PROMISING TO WRITE OFF YOUR DEBTS

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES FOR COSTLY TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS WITH SO CALLED "EXPERTS" THEY INVARIABLY ARE NOTHING OF THE SORT

BEWARE OF QUICK FIX DEBT SOLUTIONS, IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT INVARIABLY IS

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Ok. I'll keep this shortish. In 2014 I had a CCJ against me for £1320 including court fees this ended up with a bailiff visiting and making an enforcement of goods order. I made a payment plan and have been paying £100 a month ever since for a debt totalling £1660. I paid £400 in June 2015 for a missed payment and to stop them threatening me.

 

Missed payment due to changing bank account. They have charged me another £495 pounds saying that the enforcement went to stage 2 even though no one visited the house. I received no notice of this upgraded enforcement. Also I have discovered they have charged £90 fee initial fee when challenging them today they have added 20% VAT to all fees is this allowed?

 

Before the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014 came into effect in April 2014 the position with High Court bailiff fees was an absolute mess and fees of £5,000 on debts of £10k were sadly commonplace. The new fees regs have made the position far better but it is the case that there is significant confusion as to when the Stage One and Stage Two fees can be added.

 

When a Notice of Enforcement is sent, it will advise that a payment proposal can be set up. A compliance fee of £90 (£75 plus vat) is charged.

 

If payment is made in full of the amount stated on the Notice of Enforcement before the Compliance stage ends, then no other fees are due.

 

If however payment is not made OR the individual wishes to set up a payment arrangement, then in every case the enforcement agent is under an obligation to visit the debtors premises for the purpose of 'taking control of goods'. This visit is the Stage One visit and is charged at £235 (£190 plus vat).

 

The following is where it gets confusing:

 

If the enforcement agent is unable to enter into a controlled goods agreement or a debtor defaults on a controlled goods agreement, the Stage Two fee of £495 will apply.

 

The above is outlined in a bit more detail under item 7.3 of the following Explanatory Memorandum supporting the Taking Control of Goods (Fees) Regulations 2014

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1/pdfs/uksiem_20140001_en.pdf

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I have researched online a bit about 2nd stage enforcement, when control agreement breached and it would seem most HCEO companies would not charge this, if they did not have to visit. Most of what i have read online, makes it clear that 2nd stage enforcement fees are related to a second visit to take goods if payment is not made. The fee was set at £495+ VAT presumably to cover the cost of having to make a journey to a debtors residence.

 

But it is a bit of a grey area and how they interpret the SI. One of the Solicitors on the Shoosmiths site commenting on enforcement fees seems to believe the fee relates to a second visit. CAB believe this. Sherriffs Office HCEO seem to believe this.

We could do with some help from you.

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But it is a bit of a grey area and how they interpret the SI. One of the Solicitors on the Shoosmiths site commenting on enforcement fees seems to believe the fee relates to a second visit. CAB believe this. Sherriffs Office HCEO seem to believe this.

 

And the 'grey area' isn't helped by the wording in the statutory regulations which state this:

 

6 © (ii)

Where the enforcement agent and the debtor enter into a controlled goods agreement but the debtor breaches that agreement, all activities relating to enforcement from the time at which the debtor breaches the agreement
up to but not including
.......the commencement of the sale or disposal stage;

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/en/uksi/2014/1/regulation/6/made?view=plain

 

Question is.....what is meant by 'all activities relating to enforcement' and equally important, how is this interpreted?

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Logically if you break a controlled goods agreement, it tells you the next steps. The 2nd stage is to attend the property to seek to remove goods unless full payment of the remaining debt and fees are paid. If Marstons are willing to sort out payment without a visit, they are not entering into 2nd stage of enforcement. Therefore they can't charge the £495+ VAT, as that relates to a visit to remove goods or gain full payment.

 

The SI is a bad way to legislate, as it a short piece of legislation that is often not debated and just noded through both houses of parliament. Marstons are interpreting the SI literally, without thinking what the fee is for and knowing most will not go to court to challenge.

We could do with some help from you.

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Actually the regulations were the result of a public consultation.

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES TO COLD CALLERS PROMISING TO WRITE OFF YOUR DEBTS

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES FOR COSTLY TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS WITH SO CALLED "EXPERTS" THEY INVARIABLY ARE NOTHING OF THE SORT

BEWARE OF QUICK FIX DEBT SOLUTIONS, IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT INVARIABLY IS

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Actually the regulations were the result of a public consultation.

 

The public did not draft the regulations, as if they did they might have been drafted better. :-)

We could do with some help from you.

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