bailiffs and sheriffs

[chrismc]

My posts are deadly serious, they have no more powers in law than you all do. Fight them all the way, but use the laws that they constantly flaunt and hey, not only will you win, the next step is inviting them how much compensation for illegal harrassment they want to offer you pre-court...

 

Yes I agree too! and wheels are inmotion on my current battle with Philips.

[maybelline]

Association of Civil Enforcement Agencies, I complained to them but not upheld, I noticed their memebers are most of the ones I have seen on threads here, Philips, Equita, Rossendales, etc, they can be viewed throught the national debtline link on here, just had a look. The Code of Practice talks of 'highest standards of business ethics' laughable or what?;-)

[thaskitz]

ok i am a bailiff (no need for the comments)

Right as for the charges we dont make those up they are put in place by the government!

 

As a bailiff acting on a court warrant i CAN enter your house through an open door or window even if i HAVE NOT been there before! (however we dont do this as it is an aggression catalyst) imagine walking in your house and there being someone in there i know what id do

 

Once i have been there and levied your goods i can return and break in to retrieve them if you have not payed as promised

 

All i have to do to gain peacefull entry to your house is put my foot over your threshold (when we ask for i.d. or letters whatever and you say "ill go to get them" SHUT THE DOOR)

 

When a levy is written most bailiffs will list the goods and then write "plus sufficiant goods to cover the debt" This is NOT legally binding!!!!

 

As for the poster who said about signing the goods over to someone else.. unless that person can provide a reciept for that item then i can remove it

 

We are not all bad people i have been in lots of debt and i also have 2 kids which i have to feed. my advice is this if you get a parking ticket or whatever pay it straight away people seem to forget that it takes months before i even see it!!!

 

If you need anything clarifying (letters from companys e.t.c.) let me know

Oh and i dont work for drakes or equita we are much nicer than those!!

[chrismc]

Thaskitz

 

What you state is correct, we have a few Bailiffs and ex Bailiffs on here now and all say more or less the same thing, the information is readily available all over the internet if you know where to look, but it is just that most people do not know their rights and so therefore are at the mercy of the Bailifs and as in most walks of life and business there are good and bad apples, some just abuse the system and others actually offer help and advice.

 

I guess some of it depends on the type of person you are and also who you work for!!

 

Chris

[seylectric]

Exactly, the BBC programme "Bailiffs" showed the tactics of the trade, many bailiffs smiling and saying, "Can I come in?" then proceeding to enter the premises of the unsuspecting victim who was totally oblivious to the fact that the man they had just invited in was now in the process of writing out a walking possession order and now had the right to break into their victim's premises on a future visit.

 

I HAVE YET TO MEET A BAILIFF WHO EXPLAINED THE RIGHT OF THEIR VICTIMS - THERE IS NO OTHER WORD FOR IT - BEFORE ENTERING THE PREMISES. THIS ALONE IS ILLEGAL.

 

As for "advising" people to "pay up" in respect to parking tickets etc. again this is misguided information at best. Many - many millions - of parking tickets are issued illegally and no way should people simply "pay up" just to avoid the supposed wrath of the bailiff. I have yet to meet a bailiff who acted legally. This isn't a personal attack, I simply tell it like it is and I make no apologies for doing so.

 

Incidentally if you tell the bailiffs the goods are not yours, BY LAW the onus is on them to prove otherwise. You don't have to prove a thing. There is no legal requirement for you to do so.

[strude]

Hi

Could someone please answer a question for me.

A friend of mine says that if a bailiff touches you he can be done for assault, she says that she fused to let the bailiffs in by standing in the doorway and pointing out that if he tried to move her aside she would sue.

I only ask because I am not sure if she is within her rights to do this.

[thaskitz]

Hi all

I am a nice person lol and i believe the carrot is FAR better than the stick (pardin the expression)Obviously i am not going to tell you who i work for but we are not as nasty as some!!

When i do a call i will try my upmost to help the people out of the situation as i have been in debt and its not nice. The last thing i want to do is take people's belongings away from them. There is no need to go in all guns blazig and take all the stuff i will try to levy or write an unsecured arrangement all the time and am allways contactable if they reach difficulty! I know some bailiff firms (no names) who will set arrangments the people cant keep so as they breach the baillif has to come out again and earns more fee's!

What i meant about the parking tickets is if you get 1 you have about 6 weeks on average to argue the case with the council (or the ncpo w*****s) before it gets sent out to a bailiff! the easiest thing to do is pay the 30 quid THEN argue the case as the bailiffs dont even get to see it, I was in no waY intending to advise people to pay up as not to icur our wrath it was simply to try and save people a lot af hasstle in the long run and i apologise if it came accross this way!!

As far as i am aware if the goods are in your house and you cannot prove that you dont own them then they are considered to be yours and are legaly able to be levied (again i will check this out)

As for the assult question a bailiff (or any other peson for that matter) does not even need to touch you to assault you if you are put under fear of assault this is TECHNICALLY enough! Your friend could cry assault but i doubt it would stand up as there would be no other witnesses to it and truth could be proved neither way! Plus most bailiffs earn a half decent living andd would not jepordise loosing their ticket and judges are aware of this!!!

@sylectric i didnt see it as a personal attack

[Bonus77]

Ok, I have a problem with a bailiff for unpaid 2006/6 council tax and will not negotiate an installment plan, just wants £801 by friday ( debt was only for £650, so charges applied and he hasnt even visited ).

 

I have done my research using this and other very helpfull websites and spoke to National Debtline, who advised me not to deal with the bailiff and go direct to my council. I have contacted them, explained situation, sent SOA and reasaons why debt wasnt paid and a proposal to clear by April 2007. I am waiting to hear back ( only sent it 2 days ago ).

 

I am confident the proposal will be accepted, but I have a few questions and queries on some finer issues.

 

Firstly, I have a very young family (kids aged 6,2 and2) and understandably, they want to play in the back garden. We have high fences and an excellent lockable gate, but shall I advise my wife to keep the kids in doors til its all sorted? I know bailiffs are allowed to use a ladder to climb my fence, and am worried my wife will be faced by a situation where she has to both collect the kids and lock the back door before he gets over.

 

Secondly, Can I open the smaller windows in the house that an average man cannot fit through? I have excllent lockable windows, so easy to keep larger ones fixed. I am jsut a little worried that by him putting his arm though said open window he can interpret it as invitation to enter?

 

Thirdly, My hire purchase car, we cant park near our house and share a small bay with about 8 other cars from neighbours. how will he know which ones mine? Also, as I use it to get to and from work (30miles), is that business use?

I dont think he can seize the car, but can he clamp it and refuse to remove until debt has been paid?

 

Forthly, My wifes car, again she uses it to commute to her place of work, how can they tell which is ours when its no where near the house and is the commute business use? Would it be to my advantage to park on another street for now? Can they clamp it if they find it? Will they go looking for it at all?

 

Lastly, I didnt receive the letter from the council saying I had 14 days until bailiffs are sent out, how much weight does that carry?

 

Ohh.. and hes very intimidating and blunt, but can I tell him to f*ck off, especially when hes caused me so much hassle when he could have simply accepted a repayment proposal?

 

Oh... hate to go on, but his first letter to me states "I will be calling with transportation to remove your goods at any time from today onwards " - can I complain about this as he hasnt got a walking possesion agreement? It also states " Goods may be removed in your absence and with police attendance if necessary " Again, no possesion agreement.

 

And... really lastly this time. If by finding and levvying my vehicle, is he then allowed to forcefully enter my home or do usual entry rules apply still?

 

Thanks for advice already posted, very helpfull. I understand hes doing a job, but I was nothing but polite and honest and he was both rude, unhelpfull and spoke to me like a piece of dirt.

 

Cheers for any advice:D

[chrismc]

Bonus

 

Sorry I haven't time to answer all your questions at the moment but all the answers are actually in this thread, read specifically pages 2,3 & 4 of this thread.

 

Also this may help

 

Here is some more do's and don'ts that may help:

 

IF THE BAILIFFS HAVE NOT BEEN INTO YOUR HOME BEFORE TO COLLECT THIS DEBT, THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO COME IN. THEY CANNOT BREAK IN. YOU CAN CHOOSE NOT TO LET THEM IN.

• DON'T open the door to them as they may try to push past you. If they get inside, they may have a right to enter again and may break in to take your goods.
  
• DON'T leave windows open or doors unlocked - bailiffs can legally get in through these. Bailiffs CANNOT get the police to help them break in.
  
• BEWARE some bailiffs may leave you a phone number, and arrange to come round to 'have a chat'. Don't let them in, even if they say it's only to use the toilet or make a phone call.
  
• Bailiffs MAY try to break into sheds, garages, greenhouses etc., even though this is illegal. KEEP VALUABLES SAFE! They may be able to take cars, motor-bikes and other vehicles parked near your home.
  
• Politely but firmly refuse to let the bailiffs in. Offer what you can afford to pay. If the bailiffs accept your offer, ask them to return to their car, and go out and pay them. Make sure you get a receipt.

DON'T SIGN ANYTHING! If the bailiff leaves papers for you to sign and return, you do not have to do this. You don't have to sign agreements posted through your door either.

 

More info:

 

WHAT THINGS ARE THE BAILIFFS ALLOWED TO TAKE?

There are some things that the bailiffs are not allowed to take at all; such as goods that are rented or hired. The regulations also say that the following items are exempt and can't be taken:

• "Such tools, books, vehicles and other items of equipment as are necessary for use personally in employment, business or vocation"
  
• "Such clothing, bedding, furniture, household equipment and provisions as are necessary for satisfying basic domestic needs of the person and family".
  
• This list is not very specific so you may find that bailiffs have a different idea of what items are necessary for you to keep and what can be taken. You can complain about what the bailiffs take if you feel the items should have been exempt.

CAN THE BAILIFFS TAKE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT MINE?

The bailiffs can only take goods belonging to you if you are named on the liability order. This means that if the council tax debt is just in your name, the bailiff should not take goods which are owned jointly with someone else. If they want to take goods that belong to someone else (your children, partner, lodgers etc.) explain that the goods do not belong to you. If you can, show a receipt or note as proof. The owner of the goods may have to provide a sworn statement in the form of a "statutory declaration" to say this is the case. They cannot take goods which are rented or hired. This includes goods on hire purchase agreements. Show them a copy of your credit agreement if you can.

WHAT IF I HIDE THINGS OR GIVE THEM AWAY?

If the bailiffs haven't yet been in, you can hide things or take them somewhere else. If the bailiffs have already been in, you are committing an offence if you remove goods that they have said they will take. You can hide them on your premises but the bailiffs can search for them. However, if the bailiffs have listed exempt goods on a walking possession agreement, the agreement may be invalid as it applies to these goods. You may be able to remove the exempt goods only.

 

BAILIFFS PROCEDURES

If the bailiffs are distraining for poll tax or council tax, there are certain procedures that they have to follow. They must have with them:-

• written authorisation from the council for them to call. They should show you this if you ask.

They must leave you a copy of:-

• the law setting out their powers and what they can and cannot do. These are the "Enforcement Regulations".
  
• the charges the bailiffs are allowed to make for each visit. You should check they have not added too much on to your debt.
  
• any agreement you have actually signed. This will be called a "Walking Possession" agreement and includes a list of goods the bailiffs have warned you they may take

HOW DO I STOP THE BAILIFFS?

• You can try to make an arrangement to pay the debt back at a rate that you can afford. You can offer the money directly to the bailiffs, although it is easier to get them to accept your offer if they have never been into your home. Always get a receipt for any money you pay.
  
• Bailiffs cannot send you to prison . If the bailiffs have never been into your home and they will not accept your offer, all they can do is to pass your debt back to the council. It is important to make an arrangement to pay the council, or they may try other ways of recovering the money, such as taking money out of your wages or your benefit.
  
• If the bailiffs refuse your offer it is important to put the money you have offered aside so you can pay it to the council as soon as the debt is passed back to them. Write to the bailiffs and the council telling them you are saving the money up as the bailiffs have refused to take your payments.
  
• If you are on income support, pension credit or job seeker's allowance, some councils have a policy for not using bailiffs and will accept an offer from you or agree to accept direct payments from your benefits. Ask your council if they are willing to take the debt back from the bailiffs so you can pay them directly.
  
• If the council won't help then contact your local councillor and ask them to take it up with the council for you. Explain what hardship you will be in if the bailiffs come to your home and take your belongings.

Chris

[Bonus77]

Sorry chris, the post was a bit of over-kill and i have read the entire thread so hopefully these questions wont have been repeated so heres a summary of the important queries.

 

How will they know which cars are mine if im parked in a shared parking area? I know they cant remove my HP car, but can they clamp it?

 

If they cant physically fit through a window and cant use it to unlock a larger entrance, can i leave it open?

 

Thanks

 

Bonus

[chrismc]

Sorry chris, the post was a bit of over-kill and i have read the entire thread so hopefully these questions wont have been repeated so heres a summary of the important queries.

 

How will they know which cars are mine if im parked in a shared parking area? I know they cant remove my HP car, but can they clamp it?

 

If they cant physically fit through a window and cant use it to unlock a larger entrance, can i leave it open?

 

Thanks

 

Bonus

Hi Bonus

 

They can find any car that is registered in your name from the DVLA or HPI Register, all they have to do then is look for it, there may be other ways also, I suppose it depends on how much they want to look for it.

 

You are right, even if on HP and they cannot remove it legally, they can still clamp it as a bit of a lever to make you pay up, they did this with me read my thread here Philips Bailiffs and see what my case notes stated, it will tell you a bit more.

 

If the car is classed as a 'Tool of the Trade' they cannot take it away, even more so if it is on HP, but they can again still make life difficult by clamping it.

 

If they cant physically fit through a window and cant use it to unlock a larger entrance, can i leave it open?

I would say Yes, but is it worth the risk?? Once in they have a right to entry in the future!!! Remember what I posted above

DON'T leave windows open or doors unlocked - bailiffs can legally get in through these.

 

I hope this helps a bit more

Chris

[chrismc]

Bonus

 

Remember also If the bailiffs have never been into your home and they will not accept your offer, all they can do is to pass your debt back to the council.

 

Just tough it out and they will have to hand it back, or go in to the Council and tell them you will not deal with the Bailiffs, if you can, offer to make them a payment there and then for what you can afford if they agree to this, or go online and make a token payment, once they have received this they have in effect agreed to deal with you directly again. Others have mentioned this, it is a clever trick/loophole that you can use to your advantage.

 

You can then tell the Bailiffs you have already made a payment to the Council and they have accepted it, (you don't have to say how much, it is none of their business) so the Bailiff although not happy will have to then go back to his employer for advice. Takes the hassle of the Bailiff away from you!!

 

Chris

[Bonus77]

Thanks for your replys chris, and good luck with Philips, I read through your story and I think this guy may turn out to be similar so I will keep all information I can on what goes on.

 

Can they actually legitimately charge for the clamp to be removed? Or is this a charge i will be able to recover as it doesnt fit in with the charges schedule?

 

Is the suggested council tax collection charges a basis then bailiffs personal expenses ( van and mileage ) costs added on?

 

I have written to my council, spent ages on hold only to be told they are looking into my proposal, i really want this situation sorted now. Its driving me crazy! I have also made payments through their website to keep to my word and show willingness to pay.

 

The thing i hate is, I need my car for work, my wife needs her car for work and to collect the kids from school, we have twin boys aged 2 and they cant walk too far so I cant even park too far away to hide the car.

 

Im not looking forward to this torrid time ahead.

 

Time to hit the bottle i reckon!

[chrismc]

Thanks for your replys chris, and good luck with Philips, I read through your story and I think this guy may turn out to be similar so I will keep all information I can on what goes on.

 

Can they actually legitimately charge for the clamp to be removed? Or is this a charge i will be able to recover as it doesnt fit in with the charges schedule?

 

Is the suggested council tax collection charges a basis then bailiffs personal expenses ( van and mileage ) costs added on?

 

I have written to my council, spent ages on hold only to be told they are looking into my proposal, i really want this situation sorted now. Its driving me crazy! I have also made payments through their website to keep to my word and show willingness to pay.

 

The thing i hate is, I need my car for work, my wife needs her car for work and to collect the kids from school, we have twin boys aged 2 and they cant walk too far so I cant even park too far away to hide the car.

 

Im not looking forward to this torrid time ahead.

 

Time to hit the bottle i reckon!

Forget the bottle Bonus, that will solve nothing, actions will though. Keep positive and don't let them grind you down. If you have already made payments online to the council I would mention that you are dealing direct next time they knock on the door.

 

They cannot legally charge you for removing the clamp but these guys don't worry about the legalities!!

 

There are fees established for certain items eg 1st visit, walking possession etc etc, but they also bang on loads of unauthorised fees, they just basically make them up as they go along based on what they think they can get away with.

 

Interestingly in my case they have quoted legitimate fees in their statements they sent me, but have purposely or conveniently forgotton all those they added on at the door and which I paid.

 

If you are that worried about your car, see if you can hide it somewhere, or on a friends drive, or if you can park it behind locked gates on a private drive or on your drive they cannot touch it.

 

Chris

[thaskitz]

ok finding out if a car is on finance is easy all we have to do is hpi it takes five mins and can be done by text from a mobile phone!!!

 

We can clamp it but legallyif the car is on h.p. you do not legally own it the hp compay does!! and as far as i am aware legally they have to remove the clamp at the hp companys request

 

We can seize the car but are not allowed to sell it as its not yours

As for the clamp its self if you are on private land they MUST have an S.I.A. licence to allow them to do this(many companys get round this by not charging a fee) so if you are charged a fee ask to see the licence if they dont have 1 call the police as they have no legal right to do so(some do this and hope you simply dont know)

 

The fees added to a case are set by the government and local council if you believe that they are unlawfull charges call the office of fair trading and they will investigate it!

 

As for writing to the council to argue Once a warrant of execution has been issued the councils are not able to interviene until the case is sent back by the bailiff!

 

When a case is sent back by a bailiff then you could recieve what is called an attachment of earnings These are NOT nice. What this means is that whatever you earn a certain ammout will be deducted form your wages REGARDLESS of anything rent bills e.t.c. no of kids, loans it does not matter an amount is taken The various tiers and percentage escape me but i am pretty sure that if you earn £1200 benefits included (woking child tax credit e.t.c.) you will loose £300 a month from this no matter what unil the debt is payed!!!

 

Also on the comment about the direct payments to the council it does not matter When a bailiff has a warrant of execution you could have paved half the debt to the council the bailiff is there to collect half the debt!

 

Cars paked on private land are no different to cars parked on the road i can clamp a car on private land (again s.i.a. licence)

 

As for the van call notice about removing goods they cannot break in if they have not entered before!

 

hope this helps a bit

[paulson1985]

Hi Bonus,

 

 

Ive just seen your thread it sounds as though you are gouing through the same hard time I had last week or so.

 

What Chris says is sound advice. I followed the advice on here and managed to come through the other side (hopefully).

 

I do understand what your going through and it is not nice to say the least.

 

But if you do as selexric says do not let them in your home at any price. At the end of the day there is nothing they can do they will have to send it back to the council.

 

As for attachment of earnings this has to go before the court,

 

They will take into account your outgouings, income etc and will make an ordear that you can afford . The fact that you have small children will definatly be taken into consideration.

 

As for hitting the bottle sometimes this can help (that is my opinion) if only for a short time Id leave it until weekend though.

 

good luck

[Bonus77]

Thanks for all the help and advice guys, its also nice to hear it form the bailiffs side. It does shock me a little the lengths they can go to. I mean, seizing a HP owned car, which is used for me to get to work in order for me to pay this bill is ridiculous.

 

Ok, I paid a sum towards the debt yesterday ( automated system ) and with help from family I have raised enough to pay off the actual debt with the council. All I have to do now is get them to accept this money and with any luck they will then call off the bailiffs.

 

I know the bailiff will play hard ball, i dealt with him around 5 yrs ago from an unpaid parking fine, they ended up charging me all sorts of costs and as i was in a position to pay, i just paid it... bloomin muppet i am. I am sure he will pursue the debt and it may even go that the council accept the monies, but allow the bailiff to chase me. So im going to be extra vigilant.

 

Its my family I feel sorry for, They really are going to suffer having to sit behind locked doors, shut windows in a stuffy house with no car access without a long walk. I feel terribly guilty for them, but I do kind of relish taking on the bailiff. He is obviously making up charges and I cant wait to call him on them. Im then going to slap in a complaint too. If it was a case of only doing his job I would understand, but to refuse all negotiations and slap on made up charges, this guy is an obvious cowboy.

 

Mr Skitz, thanks for commenting on the matter. I have managed to move my cars around to another area of the neighbourhood. Will the bailiff go looking for them as he cant access my property? Also, will he know which garage is mine if its on-block and will he try to break into that?

 

Dont worry though, the bottle is purely to chill me out. Im not ducking away from this guy, i just feel for my wife and children who will deal with this ****** first hand.

 

Also if he collects goods from my garden from climbing over my huge fence, like my gas bbq ,and lawn mower does this give him walk in possession?

[Bonus77]

Ok, just to update...

 

I just paid the council directly the balance of my liability order, I spoke to the recovery team and the guys is going to call off the bailiff for seven days til he sees the amount hit my account. He confirmed the bailiff may want to chase for additional fees. I told him if its not in line with the guidelines, then im not paying them.

 

All he has done is drop a letter through my door a couple of weeks ago and then send me a letter through the post telling me he is going to be attending. He then said I had til today to pay him back so he did nothing up until this point.

 

The council stated I would be liable for any "reasonable" charge the bailiff may have incurred. He also said I could argue that with the courts considering they havent done anything.

 

So.. still all lockdown here, even though the bailiff said he wouldnt do anything til hes heard from the council ( apparently his company text him ). I dont trust him one little bit though. He wanted £801, when the debt was £641.56!! ******!

 

At what point can I deem it safe to return to normal life??

[paulson1985]

BONUS,

 

 

It looks to me as though you have probebly got rid of this unpleasant visitor.

 

I very much doubt he will bother you again.

 

 

All he was after was scaring you into parting with your money and making a nice little earner for hiself into the bargain.

 

I wouldnt worry too much over him I think you will probably find he will not contact you again.

 

His charges were over the limit he could charge and as I said he was after making hiself a nice quick buck.

 

I feel sure you can return to normal life but for the time being say a few days just be a little bit more carefull than you normally are and have that drink tonight.

[Bonus77]

Cheers Paul, as you say, I will stay vigilant, as technically I could still be charged ( I think? ) for the time a bailiff dropped a letter through my door without even knocking, so i will keep everything locked down just til mid-next week.

 

As far as the guy goes, I am still thinking of complaining about him. Just because there will be others out there who havent got the access or information ive had (thanks to all who contributed) and end up being conned by over charging and the way he pretends to have rights that he doesnt actually have.

 

Again, thanks to all who contributed. I will keep an eye on this thread to hopefully be of assisance to anyone else who has this sort of problem.

[elsinore]

 

As far as the guy goes, I am still thinking of complaining about him. Just because there will be others out there who havent got the access or information ive had (thanks to all who contributed) and end up being conned by over charging and the way he pretends to have rights that he doesnt actually have.

 

 

That's a very responsible attitude Bonus which does you credit.

 

Only if growing numbers of us report the scandalous behaviour of these gits, so will the authorities realise that changes are urgently needed.

 

You don't need to rush, remember the old saying, 'revenge is a dish best eaten cold'!!

 

Good luck to you and your family.

 

Elsinore

[MARTIN3030]

Great to see these results.

 

Not to forget a big pat on the back to Chrismc........the pioneering champion against the baliffs.

 

Lets all hope that he too gets a result and all his dosh back !!

 

[Brandie911]

OMG - this thread brings back so many memories:mad: I'm a single parent who also had the bailiffs hounding me over council tax arrears a couple of years ago, what a nightmare it was, but I toughed it out and didn't let them in after receiving that advice from CAB, through CAB I offered to pay £50/month and they refused it:eek: so I sent it to the council anyway, the bailiff still came round, but I just didn't speak or let him in, after about a month of not getting in and each visit/letter incurring charges, they then referred the debt back to the council who I paid the agreed payment to. It was a nightmare trying to explain to my 13yr old not to open the door at all. It was like being a prisoner in your own home for a while, luckily I called CAB within a few mins of getting the letter through the mail box, or I might have called the bailiff back, not knowing what options were open to me.

[chrismc]

OMG - this thread brings back so many memories:mad: I'm a single parent who also had the bailiffs hounding me over council tax arrears a couple of years ago, what a nightmare it was, but I toughed it out and didn't let them in after receiving that advice from CAB, through CAB I offered to pay £50/month and they refused it:eek: so I sent it to the council anyway, the bailiff still came round, but I just didn't speak or let him in, after about a month of not getting in and each visit/letter incurring charges, they then referred the debt back to the council who I paid the agreed payment to. It was a nightmare trying to explain to my 13yr old not to open the door at all. It was like being a prisoner in your own home for a while, luckily I called CAB within a few mins of getting the letter through the mail box, or I might have called the bailiff back, not knowing what options were open to me.

 

Good points Brandie....and what I have been saying all along, if you don't let them in their is sod all they can do about it, eventually they have no options left apart from handing the debt back. Pity I did not know all this when it happened to me, I know what you mean about what to say to the kids also, that was really hard for me too!! you just cannot explain everything to them and it is hard when you have their friends calling for them and they are not sure whether they can open the doors to them because you have told them not too just in case it is Mr Bailiff!!

[Layla_ck]

Bailiffs are like vampires....once they've been invited in THEY CAN COME BACK and will bleed you dry!!!!