JACOBS and CTAX debt

[Bananasplit44]

I have an agreement with Jacobs to pay 2016-17 council tax, well I did have until they have demanded the balance with in 7 days.

 

My agreement was for £20 per week, in May 17 I asked to reduce this to £60 and pay monthly.

They agreed and confirmed by mail for three months then I would have to pay £80 per month starting in August 17.

 

I have paid may, June, July as agreed but because the July payment was paid in three weekly amounts but the full 60.00 was with them by the agreed date 16th and one extra week towards Augusts payment (my mum actually gave me the money to pay July and the extra 20.00)

 

 

they sent me letter saying I have broken my weekly arrangement therefore full balance due.

I sent three emails which reminded them of the new monthly agreement and payment was not due until 16th August 17,

I finally got a response today,

 

 

which I find quite rude, it states::

 

""You did not pay your account as we agreed and you have been making your payments sporadically which we do not allow as we are not able to monitor your case.

 

You have not maintained your original arrangement, nor have you maintained the weekly arrangement which we set to cater for your incoming payments.

 

You are not able to decide when you are paying parts of your arrangement nor are you able to pay £20.00 and then reduce your payment for that month without having this confirmed by a member of our team.

 

If you are having issues you are advised to contact our office before your arrangement defaults and we will look into your account and endeavour to assist you in the best way we can.""

 

IT THEN IGNORES WHAT IS STATED ABOVE AND THE FINAL PARAGRAPH SAYS::

 

"All of the above is stated in the arrangement terms and conditions which we have provided to you upon setting your arrangement.

Unfortunately as your arrangement has defaulted for a third time we have no other option but to insist that your remaining balance of £433.00 is paid in full within the next 7 days, We have attached a list of all of our payment methods for your perusal.

 

I have paid on time I have proof.

 

I have not made the payments as they state apart from the July one which wad sent over in weekly amounts but on time.

 

This agreement has not defaulted previously, I had a previous one that did but that's all paid up.

 

The reply email does not make sense,

 

 

Can they demand the full balance like this when I have paid what was due.

 

if I wanted to pay an extra amount to reduce the balance,

I would have to ask permission first as they state I can't decide when to pay them.

surely paying them is the main priority.

 

Please advise me what if any can I do to stop them adding fees and sending their enforcement officer to take goods.

[renegadeimp]

State that you do not have any savings and cannot borrow £400+ so a visit will achieve nothing, other than to increase a debt that you are already struggling to pay off. Furthermore, there appears no justification in cancelling an agreement that you have adhered to, other than a way for Jacobs to manufacture a reason to add £235 to the debt.

 

They will still likely want to visit to confirm the circumstances.

[Bailiff Advice]

 

Please advise me what if any can I do to stop them adding fees and sending their enforcement officer to take goods.

 

In the first instance, you need to be aware that a payment arrangement is not a legal right but a concession. If a payment arrangement is agreed and then defaults, then the account can indeed progress to the enforcement stage (where a visit of £235 may be applied. Because you had not paid in accordance with the agreement, your account would have been flagged by Jacob's computer system as having defaulted. However, the position appears to be that the amount that was agreed to be paid by a certain date has been adhered to.

 

You say that you disagree that you had not defaulted on three occasions as suggested by Jacobs. Are these payments for the month of July (when your payments seemed to change) or earlier?

 

Given the amount of the debt, I am assuming that your payment arrangement had been set up on receipt of the Notice of Enforcement. Is this correct?

 

PS: Until this matter is resolved, you need to be aware that any vehicle that you have outside of your home is at risk of being seized.

[Peterbard]

Of course they will - The point is that they are trying to manufacture a reason for visiting. The OP has not defaulted so there is no excuse to visit.

 

From what I read the OP has indeed "defaulted". in that he has failed to adhere to the stated payment arrangement. The word default does not only refer to the money, but also the method of payment, but f course you know this.

 

There is no question of anyone "manufacturing" anything, Their systems will be set to watch for your payments as you agreed to make them, and will register a default if they do not arrive on time.

I think it should be noted that this is a debt you are required to pay, and not some shopping account with Littlewoods.

 

I should contact the bailiff, apologize humbly and ask for the account to be set back to that agreed previously, Guarantee that this was an error, yes point out that the sum was in fact paid although admittedly not at the right time, and ensure them it will not happen again.

 

As for making a complaint, forget it no one has done anything wrong, except you.