Council Tax and Bailiffs ref only - NO POSTS ALLOWED

[echowitch]

The woman at the Council "advised" you to let the Bailiff in ????? WTF ??? I hope you got her name. Which COuncil is this that employed someone whose other half is most likely a Bailiff.

 

Firstly.....the woman at the Council is talking utter tosh !! It is not extreme cases that they can take the account back. Its is every single case where you make an offer of payment to them. They are required to accept ALL offers of payment from you, and are required to take the account back from the Bailiffs as per the Council Tax Collection and Enforcement Regulations, and the Local Government Finance Act.

 

How much do you owe still ?? Not including Bailiff's fee's. And what fee's have the Bailiff's added ??

 

Inform the Bailiff's that you are talking directly with the Council and that they will be taking the entire account back from the Bailiffs.

 

But ring the Council first and get them to take the account back and arrange payments with them as per the regulations and act noted above. If they refuse, escalate it to their manager, and keep escalating it. Advise the Council that you are aware that they are required by the laws that govern them that they have to accept all reasonable offers of payment and if they refuse they are in breach of them and you will escalate it, and if necessary take it to your MP as a formal complaint.

 

Hope this helps and gets to you before the Council closes

[chi0001]

The council involved was Gravsham Borough Council.

 

We owe approx £850 in council tax, but when I called the auotmated bailiff payment line the outstanding amount was £957 something.

 

As far as I know we have only ever had a letter from the bailiffs. We have never had a letter posted through the door by hand indicating that a bailiff has attended at our property.

 

I gave the bailiff hell on the phone. He got quite defencesive on the phone because I kept laughing at him.

 

Sorry I know it proberly wasn't the smartest thing to do but I was so incenst that he had tried to misrepresent the powers he had to enter my home.

 

The F****R!!!!

[echowitch]

LOL don't worry about it, I gave someone a slow round of applause for their atrocious driving this morning (Wife gave them a stronger hand signal that was perhaps less than well thought out as they ended up parking at the same office as she works in lol) For Bailiff's......I'd love to get a cricket bat and come to their house and intimidate them

 

As for the Bailiffs they can only charge £24.50 for a first visit, and £18 for a second visit. If you have only a letter than Im pretty sure they can't charge you anything as they have not attended.

[chi0001]

Okay thanks for your help.

 

I missed the council today but I'll be on it first thing Monday morning. I knew that I was right but they (council & bailiff) both insisted that I had to deal with them.

 

Regards X

[Debtomjack]

dont pay them any money directly by cheque or otherwise!!!!! pay the council direct find a letter with a bar code and pay at the post office

[mandy9954]

dont pay them any money directly by cheque or otherwise!!!!! pay the council direct find a letter with a bar code and pay at the post office

 

 

i havent got any letters with a barcode on it... so how do i pay this... i try to pay on the online page but i dont have an account number...

 

any ideas thanks

[mandy9954]

Me again.....

 

where can i find a template of a letter to the council... i have a letter to the bailiff.. help

[emanant]

You can do it online if you have an account number - this should be on your council tax bill it'll also be on any council correspondence regarding your bill pre bailiffs

[PanicGirl]

Hello everyone, obviously I am new here so please excuse me if I have not posted in the correct area.

 

8 years ago (when I was still an irresponsible teenager and struggling with my mothers terminal illness followed by bereavement ) I left an address without clearing the Council Tax due, I have never heard anything since leaving the property although I did see a court summons whilst I was still there.

 

Flash foward and I am now a home owner who never misses a payment on anything, my Council Tax account is actually in credit each month as I always round my payments up however I have been racked with anxiety and panic for the last few years as I now understand the severity of an unpaid account.

 

I would be extremely grateful if some one could give me some guidance as I am torn between wanting to contact the council regarding this old account and panic attacks that I could be arrested for this unpaid amount.

 

From my vague memory the original balance could not have been anymore than around £600 as I did make some payments but could actually be less.

 

Please help!

 

EDIT: MOVED TO OWN THREAD, THANKS

Edited October 13, 2009 by PanicGirl

[chi0001]

Hi Echowitch

 

The council are outright refusing to take the debt back. When I quoted the Council Collection and Regulations Enforcement Act, Mrs Hammond at Gravesham Council replied that "We have had ample opportunity to pay and the account is now with the bailiff and that I would have to deal with them." End of converation. She couldn't give a S**T basically.

 

Mrs Hammond asked where I got this information and I told her. She said that once a bailiff company has the account they will not take it back.

 

What should I do. Just carry on paying the council what I can afford? Then right a letter? Also what part of the regulations is it that concerns that the council have to take back?

 

Please help, I am at my wits end with this.

 

Plus we owe £1,753 in total. Some from 2008?

 

Regards

[RogerX]

Hi...i need some advice.

I've just had a visit from Ross & Roberts bailiffs for council tax arrears....like a fool i let them in and they did a walking possesion agreement after i paid then the sum of 400 pounds.

 

The things is they listed goods that dont belong to me...they do infact belong to my half brother who stores them at my house as he works abroad all the time.

I stated this to the bailiff and he declared he could still remove them and we would have to prove it after...is this correct?

 

They also charged me for 2 visits although i have only seen them once and they stated they had been 3 times??

 

I am a single parent on sickness benefit and they want 50 pounds a month off me which is going to be a struggle...is there anything i can do?

 

Any help is appreciated.

[hallowitch]

Hi...i need some advice.

I've just had a visit from Ross & Roberts bailiffs for council tax arrears....like a fool i let them in and they did a walking possession agreement after i paid then the sum of 400 pounds.

 

The things is they listed goods that don't belong to me...they do infact belong to my half brother who stores them at my house as he works abroad all the time.

I stated this to the bailiff and he declared he could still remove them and we would have to prove it after...is this correct?

 

They also charged me for 2 visits although i have only seen them once and they stated they had been 3 times??

 

I am a single parent on sickness benefit and they want 50 pounds a month off me which is going to be a struggle...is there anything i can do?

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

 

welcome to CAG please start your own thread with this

 

Bailiffs and Sheriff Officers click on this link it will take you to a new page near the bottom on left new thread

[RogerX]

will do...thanks

[dustbin]

Hi rogerx

 

welcome to the club of bailiffs!

 

Call national debtline and they will send you an information pack which is very useful it covers a lot of things. They are a free service and if you ring from a mobile they will ring you back. They are extremely easy to deal with and very polite, (which makes a welcome change). Their number is 0808 808 4000. Hours are Mon - Fri 9-9. Saturday 9-1 and have 24hr voicemail. Tell them that you have entered into a walking possession agreement with the bailiffs. I hate to say the obvious, but never let a bailiff in! Sorry!

 

dustbin

[funkychicken]

have u try to pay the council with automated telephone service? u'll pay with either derbit or credit card, u only need your countil tax ref no. whcih is 10 digit long, start with '50'.

 

check the your council tax bill or payment booklet, u'll find the telephone number.

 

If I were u I'll keep making payment to the council directly by phone (coz it they can never refuse it) and stop having telephone conversation with the bailiff, ( and never let them into your house of course) instead, write to the bailiff company, make it clear that you are not ignoring them, you just perfer to be in touch with them through writing only from now on, and ask for a breakdown of the charges, make sure you put the reference no. on it.

 

They usually get back to you fairly quicky, and give you a rough breakdown, with some not very understandable items on it, by then give national debt line a ring and ask if they are charging you fairly.

 

Never talk to the council people about the bailiiff problem, because they dont care, they are more likely to be on the bailif side, as they are the one that pass the job to the bailiff. The only time you should talk to the council, is when you are up to date with the payment, and u'll be asking for, if they can take you account back from the bailiff.

 

This is how I get out from my mess recently, and make sure you give the national debt helpline a ring, they seems to be the only helpful people in this kind of situation.

 

Also, when I wrote to the bailiff, I fax the letter to them in stead of post it, in that case, I can keep a copy of what i wrote, and everytime I fax it to them, the fax machine can print out a sent record, and so the bailiff can never say they never recieve your letter.

 

hope it helps.

[joker1970]

Hi i wonder if anyone can give me a bit of advice,i have just received a letter through my door (and i was in as well),saying that we owe council tax arrears and with it a notice of distress saying that if we dont pay within 5 days they will come and seize our car,now the car is actually still in a finance agreement,does that mean he cant take it?.

 

Also what they want is £451.41 plus now this i dont understand £186.50 bailiff charges total £637.91,now this bailiff has'nt even knocked on my door

 

can anyone give me a bit of advice,cheers

[hallowitch]

Hi i wonder if anyone can give me a bit of advice,i have just received a letter through my door (and i was in as well),saying that we owe council tax arrears and with it a notice of distress saying that if we don't pay within 5 days they will come and seize our car,now the car is actually still in a finance agreement,does that mean he cant take it?.

 

Also what they want is £451.41 plus now this i don't understand £186.50 bailiff charges total £637.91,now this bailiff hasn't even knocked on my door

 

can anyone give me a bit of advice,cheers

 

welcome please start your own thread you will get Plenty advice on this

 

1) Bailiff cant levy on your car it is on finance you will have to prove this to the bailiff send a copy of your agreement to the bailiffs and ask them to remove all charges connected with this Levey

2) your bailiffs fees with no levy are £24.50 if this is there first visit

 

keep a copy of any letters sent to the bailiff send it by recorded delivery

[joker1970]

welcome please start your own thread you will get Plenty advice on this

 

1) Bailiff cant levy on your car it is on finance you will have to prove this to the bailiff send a copy of your agreement to the bailiffs and ask them to remove all charges connected with this Levey

2) your bailiffs fees with no levy are £24.50 if this is there first visit

 

keep a copy of any letters sent to the bailiff send it by recorded delivery

 

ok will do,cheers

[honeysuckle weeks]

I would like to thank both witches, they were such a great help.

The baliffs were really getting to me, i did pay them some money but read on here about NOT to pay them..so i just kept paying the Council. I refused to give them anymore money, i have not heard from them in awhile, what would they have done thrown me in prison (i doubt it very much) i would liked to have gone before a judge to let him know what a big con these baliffs get away with, they think they are a law unto themselves.

I was at an all time low and very stressed from the hassle of the Council and the Baliffs.

The witches outlined a letter for me to send to the Council for which i did.

I finally at long last and should have a long time ago going to receive housing benefit. I have been struggling for so long to pay full council tax an rent.

This benefit will help so much.

Ah just received a letter from the Council the Council Tax i owe they are going to take it from the new housing benefit...(laffin)

So my advice to others is to be strong and dont let these Baliffs intimidate you and not to pay them keep paying the Council direct.and make sure you get receipts.

So a big thank you for both who helped me...

[hallowitch]

i am so so pleased you have Finlay got this sorted i know it has been a nightmare you well done you :D

[honeysuckle weeks]

one word of advice, DO NOT LET baliffs into your house...and dont let them bully you.

[honeysuckle weeks]

i am so so pleased you have Finlay got this sorted i know it has been a nightmare you well done you :D

 

Thank you witch..i was so very surprised that i had been awarded housing benefit, after struggling for 2 years or more. All this stress of baliffs etc could have been avoided.

Thank you...This forum is great help.

[hallowitch]

how long did get your council tax backdated (if you did)

[honeysuckle weeks]

how long did get your council tax backdated (if you did)

the end of august!

[hallowitch]

WTG