Rossendales CTAX debt Help

[HouseofBerries]

Please could someone help, no judgement if it's okay, I'm having an awful anxiety attack and really don't know what to do! 

 

I've been pretty much on my back, long term ill with Fibromyalgia, my husband has been working back to back for the last 40 odd days much of it away.

Thursday I started to feel a bit better and opened the post.

 

I realised this had all got pretty serious and Rossendales wanted to arrange a payment for Council Tax debt.

I emailed them on Thursday with a repayment arrangement but they never replied, apparently it was too late and "outside of compliance".

 

Balieff came today

- I recorded the conversation, he was intimidating foul and nasty.

He would not comply with a payment arrangement at all, wouldn't even take part of the money, wanted all of it £1,099 which I can't afford.

I really want to pay back and sort it.

This includes his fees.

 

He said he would clamp my car

- I have seven medical appointments and also use it for study and have a Blue Badge.

He said none of this was a reason for not clamping/taking the car. It is worth below £1350.00

 

I told him I could not afford this amount, explained the disabilities, he didn't care.

I spoke to Rossendales direct, even Head of Customer care, in the end they just said it was down to the balaiff.

Apparently they have a policy of not making payment arrangements. 

 

Please help,

sorry if this isn't very articulate, I normally am, anxiety at play.

 

He has given a Final notice of intention to remove goods with my car on it and said if it isn't paid by 12:00 tomorrow he will clamp or take the car I'm not sure which.

Either way he said he's heading back to Manchester for a few weeks so he wouldn't be able to take it off before then (we're in Sussex).

 

Thank you for reading. 

[Bailiff Advice]

Can I firstly point out that Rossendales do NOT have a policy of not making payment arrangements. In fact, they are one of the better companies for accepting payment arrangements that are made during the 'compliance period'. This is the period of time between receipt of the Notice of Enforcement and the 'cut off' time for making payment in order to avoid a bailiff visit (and the debt increasing by £235). 

 

It is also during the 'compliance period' that any 'vulnerability' should be bought to the enforcement companies attention. If the company accept that you have a 'vulnerability', your account would have most likely been referred to Rossendale's Welfare Department. 

 

So what has gone wrong? Unfortunately, because of your ill health ( Fibromyalgia), you only got around to opening post AFTER the Compliance period had ended.

 

Once the debt has been passed to an individual bailiff, the position changes considerably in that the PURPOSE of the visit is NOT to enter into a payment arrangement and instead, it is for the enforcement agent to TAKE CONTROL OF GOODS to settle the debt. In this respect, I would suspect (and I may be wrong), that at the time of the visit, your car was not DISPLAYING a valid Blue Badge. If it had of been displaying a Blue Badge, the bailiff would not be permitted to take control of it?

 

You mention that you also use the car for 'study'. Can you elaborate a little?

 

PS: Can you also respond regarding the Blue Badge?

[HouseofBerries]

Thank you so much for replying. Yes sadly, I was laid up, even picking up my phone was a problem. When I emailed them on Thursday I was just outside the compliance period sadly. Getting to the toilet was an intrepid adventure!! Post hadn't been opened. 

 

The guy today accepted my vulnerability but my husband was there too. It sounds like we just have to find a way to pay it sadly. 

 

The blue badge wasn't on display, I carry it with me, paranoid someone might try and break in!  I have sent a picture over to him but he says it isn't eligible anyway despite it being on the CAB website. I might be missing something, my brain isn't quite doing what it should with the anxiety of it all!

 

I am a postgraduate student and need to get out to certain things, I volunteer at a forest school placement when well enough, observe really to produce the paper I'm working on. (Autism and Forest School provisions). Although haven't been for a little time with recent events, but was planning to go this week. It perhaps doesn't make a difference to the case either way. 

 

Thank you for clarity and thoughts, I'm really grateful. I think the only way is a horrible doorstep loan company  it's my own doing.  I should have tried to find the energy to open the post. 

 

 

 

[Bailiff Advice]

I would suggest that you send a clearer picture of the Blue Badge to the bailiff.  Did you show the bailiff a copy of your DLA award letter as evidence of Disability Living Allowance?

 

What payment proposal did you offer the bailiff at the time of his attendance?

[HouseofBerries]

He had a nice clear photo of the badge. We've taken a horrible loan with a horrible lender. Someone I'd never usually touch. Will just have to try and work socks off to pay it quickly disability permitting! At least they are off our back for now. I really never want to experience that again. Thank you for your help, I am grateful.

 

I'm considering complaining to the lender about the conduct, maybe. I'll see when I come down from the ceiling. I've definitely dealt with nicer people in finance that's for sure. I don't expect anything out of that, just that they might be more considerate of others in the same position in the future. One of the advisers even said that debt charities had told them they should be offering repayment schemes at that stage but it was company policy not to. 

 

I guess we are lucky to find a way out, some people might not have had that option. 

 

So grateful for your time and reply, thank you. 

 

EDIT - sorry just to say Rossendales and the Agent both stated the Blue Badge wasn't a reason that they couldn't take or clamp the car. 

 

Edited July 8, 2019 by HouseofBerries

[dx100uk]

who's this loan with?

was your credit file shot when it was given to you?

dx

[London1971]

Is this a CTAX debt ?

 

If it is don't bother talking to the bailiffs, might as well read Shakespear to my dog.

 

Email to your local councillor, won't hurt to call also, details should be on Google.

 

Explain you are long term sick, and that your husband is working away and you are being bullied by bailiffs to pay, and that you appreciate the importance of paying Ctax, so would like to come to an affordable arrangement of X amount per month (say 30 pounds).

 

That's the way to get this sorted and the bailiffs of your back by lunchtime

[Peterbard]

9 hours ago, HouseofBerries said:

He had a nice clear photo of the badge. We've taken a horrible loan with a horrible lender. Someone I'd never usually touch. Will just have to try and work socks off to pay it quickly disability permitting! At least they are off our back for now. I really never want to experience that again. Thank you for your help, I am grateful.

 

I'm considering complaining to the lender about the conduct, maybe. I'll see when I come down from the ceiling. I've definitely dealt with nicer people in finance that's for sure. I don't expect anything out of that, just that they might be more considerate of others in the same position in the future. One of the advisers even said that debt charities had told them they should be offering repayment schemes at that stage but it was company policy not to. 

 

I guess we are lucky to find a way out, some people might not have had that option. 

 

So grateful for your time and reply, thank you. 

 

EDIT - sorry just to say Rossendales and the Agent both stated the Blue Badge wasn't a reason that they couldn't take or clamp the car. 

 

BA was saying that the Blue Badge must be on display on the vehicle, they cannot take that vehicle then.

 

Hi London. Have to say I dont agree, in my experience, all you get if you do not reply to the bailiff is another bill for £235.

If you have something relevant to the enforcement, you should at least inform the  "that you are consulting with the creditor. Anyway my dog likes a bit of the Bard, specially, "A tail of two cities". Woof.

Edited July 9, 2019 by Dodgeball

[London1971]

Not sure if it's even a CTAX debt,  on any other debt I would agree with you.  However, in terms of Council Tax,  the local Councillor or the Head Of Council often has immediate discretion to cancel everything, inc fees. immediately

 

Especially when a condition like Fibromyalgia is put into the equation, the OP shouldn't be averse to sending doctors/ consultants, notes outlining her treatment, symptoms etc. Some council's will immediately call it off based on that.

 

And it''s one of those things that even if it doesn't work, nobody's any worse off than they were before.

 

 

[Peterbard]

Council Tax, post 1.