BBC Story on bailiffs

[Paul Moseley]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm a journalist who works for BBC Look East. If you're not familiar with it, it's a regional tv news programme covering Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

 

At the moment I'm doing some research into the bailiff industry and some of the claims made about its behaviour.

 

I'm looking to speaking to people who live in the Eastern region (ie, any of those counties above) who feel they've been seriously mistreated by bailiffs.

 

On a separate note, I'm also looking for anyone who used to work in the industry but has now left.

 

If you would like to talk to me, please call me on 01603 614 346 or e-mail me at [email protected].

 

Obviously, all correspondence will be dealt with confidentially.

 

Thanks

[Bailiffchaser]

heres a link to my story

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/debt-bailiffs-advice/57289-bailiffchaser-jbw-enforcement-ltd.html

[Guest MizzPiggy]

BBC - I really hope people support this thread!

 

The more people that say what it is really happening and the more voices heard, things at last may begin to change.

 

Please support this post!! Tell your story!

Alison:)

[Bailiffchaser]

Here is the promised link to the jbw enforcement judgement i got by default for £4000.00

 

 

CCJEDIT1.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

 

Double click on the photo to enlarge.

[Bailiffchaser]

Also here is a link to the letter i have recieved from jbws legal team.

 

 

bailiffchaser/jbw solicitors - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

[JOSH_IOU]

some really ugly companies who call them selves debt collection agency's are.

 

Moorcroft and Scotcall

[JOSH_IOU]

sorry to hijack your thread Paul.

 

Just had a thought on your travels have you come across the theory that Bank charges could be classed as money laundering?

[Bailiffchaser]

It cold be but then do not forget the massive complex case and so on.

[pugsley]

bailiff's could (if the new law going through the commons is passed)also soon be able to break into our homes and take our pets! Can you imagine anyone letting them, they will also be able to sit on a womans legs etc to stop her defending her animals and goods etc. Surely this could end up being a violent episode with bailiff's and customers possibly being seriously injured in a struggle.

[The Watcher]

bailiff's could (if the new law going through the commons is passed)also soon be able to break into our homes and take our pets! Can you imagine anyone letting them, they will also be able to sit on a womans legs etc to stop her defending her animals and goods etc. Surely this could end up being a violent episode with bailiff's and customers possibly being seriously injured in a struggle.

 

Not only that - but the "distraint" does not necessarily have to be at your house.

 

People out walking their dogs could find themselves accosted by someone trying to "remove" their pet.

 

Not only that - but they will be able to remove cash (exact amount still not specified, those discussing the Bill have agreed that people need to be left with SOME money, but haven't decided yet what the amount should be) - so will we see people being virtually strip-searched in the streets?

 

Of course the bailiff should also be Certificated (but we all know that many won't be) and under the new law he will be able to have other people to "assist him" (and I absolutely guarantee that these "henchmen" will not be Certificated in any way at all )!

[seanamarts]

Not only that - but the "distraint" does not necessarily have to be at your house.

 

People out walking their dogs could find themselves accosted by someone trying to "remove" their pet.

 

Not only that - but they will be able to remove cash (exact amount still not specified, those discussing the Bill have agreed that people need to be left with SOME money, but haven't decided yet what the amount should be) - so will we see people being virtually strip-searched in the streets?

 

Of course the bailiff should also be Certificated (but we all know that many won't be) and under the new law he will be able to have other people to "assist him" (and I absolutely guarantee that these "henchmen" will not be Certificated in any way at all )!

That is such a scary thought, seeing what happened to me this week.

what happens when there has been a mistake, as in my case. in my opinion these thugs will be given licence to bully women, old/frail people including the disabled who dont have a chance to defend themselves and if they try will be arrested for assault, or worse still assaulted them selves the law wont bring back punishments like whipping and the likes for people who deserve to be punished in that way because its an infringement on their human rights, but they will allow these bullies to force there way into your home and accost you in the streets. where is the justice in that?

one mistake can be made and it could makes someones life a living hell.

ive become petrified to even go out my door, ive even taken the batteries out of my doorbell because i dont want it to ring, ive given keys to trusted people who visit my house regularly because im too scared to answer my door, because of what happened to me. The only thing that is keeping me going at the moment is the thought that I may have a chance to sue the company responsible for what happened to me, if this comes into force others may not have that opportunity

[The Watcher]

what happens when there has been a mistake, as in my case. in my opinion these thugs will be given licence to bully women, old/frail people including the disabled who dont have a chance to defend themselves and if they try will be arrested for assault, or worse still assaulted them selves the law wont bring back punishments like whipping and the likes for people who deserve to be punished in that way because its an infringement on their human rights, but they will allow these bullies to force there way into your home and accost you in the streets. where is the justice in that?

one mistake can be made and it could makes someones life a living hell.

ive become petrified to even go out my door, ive even taken the batteries out of my doorbell because i dont want it to ring, ive given keys to trusted people who visit my house regularly because im too scared to answer my door, because of what happened to me. The only thing that is keeping me going at the moment is the thought that I may have a chance to sue the company responsible for what happened to me, if this comes into force others may not have that opportunity

 

Exactly. There are many, many "mistakes" - and all that can be done is to take actions against the bailiffs firm AFTER the damage has been done !

 

This is why we MUST stop this new Bill becoming law.

[seanamarts]

Exactly. There are many, many "mistakes" - and all that can be done is to take actions against the bailiffs firm AFTER the damage has been done !

 

This is why we MUST stop this new Bill becoming law.

this is all new and scary to me, who is trying to bring in this law, and why

[Manpred]

Surely this is a breach of human and civil rights and would legalize certain forms of assault; this would be insane and it's 100% certain extreem violence would ensue.

This would promote and endorse thug mentality.

Another point why is it stating they may sit on a womans legs is that specific or does that apply to male gender also; if not then again is that not just another form of discrimination !.

This law would create some very serious grey area's which would swiftly be exploited.

There are enough thin lines in British law without adding this stupidity to them.

My God! when did the UK become a Miitia ruled by political retards.

 

" An Englishmans home is his castle " what a joke !

[kermit2482]

Without seeming to sound too harsh here i think its about time the bailiffs were given more rights, there are far too many people that WONT pay nowadays, im not critisising the cant pay here please dont get me wrong.

 

Yes indeed there will ALWAYS be those that abuse their powers but realisticly these people are few and far between, unfortunately you never here about the good but you always here the bad, it goes without saying as the good ones dont make good publicity nor good talking points, thats exactly why this reporter wants all the bad ones to come forward, it will as always be very 1 sided.

[seanamarts]

Without seeming to sound too harsh here i think its about time the bailiffs were given more rights, there are far too many people that WONT pay nowadays, im not critisising the cant pay here please dont get me wrong.

 

Yes indeed there will ALWAYS be those that abuse their powers but realisticly these people are few and far between,

 

More rights!!!!?? In what respects, dont you think they have enough already??

 

How can you also say that the ones who abuse their powers are few and far between, have you seen how many threads there are here, have you watched the TV programmes. Not everyone who has had run ins with bailiffs have posted here so you could say there are many more, and Im sure that we are not all taking about the same few rogue baliffs here either.

[kermit2482]

More rights!!!!?? In what respects, dont you think they have enough already??

 

How can you also say that the ones who abuse their powers are few and far between, have you seen how many threads there are here, have you watched the TV programmes. Not everyone who has had run ins with bailiffs have posted here so you could say there are many more, and Im sure that we are not all taking about the same few rogue baliffs here either.

 

To your first question No

 

Your second paragraph proves my point exactly, you only here about the bad ones as the good would not make for good viewing or good talking points, its the same with any authorative body they will almost always receive bad press, sometimes warranted i will grant you that but sometimes not.

[seanamarts]

The rights that bailiffs already have they abuse and its not just a handful either, undercover programmes have proved how these bailiffs are trained, they are taught to lie, threaten and charge over the top. Im not saying that they dont have a job to do but they need to be taught how to do a job properly and to stick to the rules, and be fined and outed when they do something wrong, and in 99% of bailiffs reported in here they have not stuck with the rules that are set out.

May be you need to be on the end of one of these bailiffs threats or in my case assaulted to see what it is to be treated by one of these bullies, and also in my case he stood up in court and told the judge that the methods he used he was taught to use, ie foot in the door.

[JonCris]

Quite right seanamarts More rights indeed & it's only a handful who abuse their position what utter rubbish.

 

I personally have given a talk to bailiffs & when asked what they think is within their powers or what is lawful their answers just beggar belief.

 

On a more positive note members may like to know that today at Hull CC a bailiff has his cert suspended when the judge decided that their conduct may have amounted to fraud & that the complainant should contact the police.

 

It will only be after the police enquiries have been completed & any criminal proceedings considered or taken will the court return to the issue. In the meantime it was made very clear to the bailiff they are not to engage in the collection of debt in anyway

[kermit2482]

To be perfectly honest here YES i agree to a degree it comes down to training, if a bailiff is trained properly then he/she should become a good bailiff, unfortunately not all bailiff companies train in a good manner, however i can honestly say that the company i work for certainly do and believe me when i say if we step out of line we are most definately pulled back in to line, to be fair our company wants to keep its contracts, however it would appear a lot of shall we say up yonder companies clearly dont give a monkeys and here lies part of the problem imho.

[kel123]

It is a pity B&S don't think that way - now I wonder why they lost the Walsall contract, sorry! it was down to someone under bidding?????

[JonCris]

The problem kermit is that your company appears to be in the minority

[seanamarts]

The problem kermit is that your company appears to be in the minority

I for one would be interested in what company Kermit works for.

I could name and shame many bailiffs and bailiff companies that break ever rule in the book, but I would risk being banned,

The bailiffs are not the only ones who do use bully tactics either, the company and their office staff are just as bad, these people dont care whether you are poor, rich, female on her own, pregnant, disabled, old or frail, they treat you with no respect and all will be happy to stick their size 10+ steel toecap boots through your door just to get at mega pickings and for what?? They are not prepared to listen to reason, dont care if there has been a mistake, they lie just to scare you, why? so they can line their own pockets with your money. Its not a job they do, its nothing more than legalised theft. And most police forces will either help or turn a blind eye because they have the same presumptions that if they have a court document then they are the good guys and we are the bad people who dont pay what is owed, and are treated like a criminal. I can now see the bailiffs rubbing their hands and almost drooling now that there is a recession pending. These bailiffs need to stop treating people as if we were all the same, ok there are some out there that thwart the law, but dont tar every one with the same brush, mistakes are made and they should take that into consideration, they have ruined peoples lives and some have taken their lives because of mistakes, how do they live with themselves. God forbid if one of their family ever gets treated like they treat others.

[kel123]

Following some of kermits posts I know what company I would put my money on. If you look at his other posts 2 deniles out of 3 posabilities says loads. And yes Bristow & Sutor have lost the Walsall Council contract according to Walsalls head poncho.

 

I think Walsall Council are lambeth Council reincarnated!

[kermit2482]

These bailiffs need to stop treating people as if we were all the same, ok there are some out there that thwart the law, but dont tar every one with the same brush,

.

 

Exactly how i feel when people tar all of us with the same brush, just as this forum does day in and day out unfortunately

 

However i am prepared to accept that there are a lot whom do give the industry a bad name, but having said that i have also come across a lot of people who are prepared to tell damned right lies too and yes i am talking the general public here, i could give a couple of examples but i wont breach DPA so i shall leave it at that.

 

As for what company i work for, let me assure you its none of which i have seen mentioned on here, however i have not loooked that far back i will admit