Rossendales

[bellenatur]

A Bailiff attended my home begin of Aug asking for my husband as Council Tax is in his name as I am full time student. He didn't come in and I told him my husband was home from work @ 5.30 he posted two bills one for £95.61 owing from 2006/2007 and £263.07 for 2007/2008....£354... Council Tax owed was £70.61 / £237 So charges of £20 and £26. Five days later i was walking from the shops with kids and I noticed someone familiar driving towards me. He slowed down and as I made the turn onto my housing estate he did too. As I approached my home I realised it was the Bailiff who was parked outside my home. I spoke to him through his car window and reiterated that if it was my husband he needed to speak to that he wasn't home until 5.30 but that he was going to ring that evening to pay the full amount. He gave me no paperwork.

During call my husband said to bailiff yes the full amount so I asked how much £389 I spoke to Bailiff and said thats a bit unfair i had already told you what time he was in. He said I am not charging you for that i came out at 8.00 am yesterday and nobody answered. I was definitely in and up and I asked why he hadn't posted anything with additional charges on or a card to let me know he had been. we both disagreed with the other and I said I will pay the initial charge of £354 but I dispute additional charges as I found it strange not to charge me for that day when he spotted me and then followed me home which he didn't disagree with but that he was charging me for a mysterious visit when nobody saw or heard him and he left no card.

He took the payment and after paying nearly half of hubbies wages for month we thought everything was fine. Three week later we recieve a court summons again for full amount of £702 inc £50 charge for remainder of 2007/2008. I contact council to inform them that we get 25% student reduction which hasn't been imcluded which would make us only three weeks behind and considering that we had paid our outstanding debt to them only three weeks previously this was a little harsh. I was then informed that there was still an outstanding amount and I realised the Bailiff had paid himself the disputed charge and withheld payment from the Council despite me being very clear over what I payment I was authorising with my debit card.I have contacted CAB and Consumer advice but the info such as lock windows doors etc is not really what I need to know.

The icing on the cake is that today I have found out that due to our proximity to a land fill site the people on our estate have been recieving a 25% rate reduction and have all had rebates going back to 2001 I have applied today so in fact they actualy owe me money.

 

Sorry it goes on a bit but there you go !!!!

Thanks for any advice

[tezviper]

You need to contact Rossendales with your complaint giving as much detail as possiblr including times and dates etc and copy the letter to the council and then see what their response is.

 

TezViper

[tezviper]

PS only do this in writing, avoid telephone conversations wth them at all costs.

 

TezViper

[tiglet]

You need to book an appointment with the recovery officer at the local council. Despite what they may tell you, the council are responsible for the conduct of bailffs.

 

Advise them that the debt is in dispute and ask them to call off the bailiffs. If they refuse, tell them you wish to instigate their complaints procedure and if not satisfied, you will atke it up with the local government ombudsman.

 

If they still don't play ball, write a letter to the CEO at the council, allowing 7 days for a response, advising that if the bailiffs aren't called off and the fees and your other issues aren't investigated, you will involve the LGO, your local councillor and your MP.

 

Write a letter to Rossendales stating what you ahve said in this letter and that the debt is in dispute and any action taken by them while the debt is in dispute will be reported to bailiff's certifying court.

 

Let me know how you get on.

[bellenatur]

Thanks for that.

Something of interest after googling Roosendales is http://www.irrv.org.uk/Associations/news/documents/Lancashire%20and%20Cheshire/Newsletter_August_06.pdf

 

Which details how grateful the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation (Lancashire & Cheshire association)are for the use of the Bailiffs office for 2006 AGM and further mentions how grateful the delegates from Councils all over the North West on a weekend refresher course in Blackpool are to the Bailiffs for sponsoring prizes and paying for the wine with their meal. Hmm