Bailiffs collecting C/Tax- Help?

dfitz24 · 3 September 2009 at 5:50PM

Hi all,

Hopefully someone may have some help and advice regarding my situation.
My partner & I have been struggling fanancially over the last year and the whole situation seems to be coming to a head now and we're really starting to struggle as to how to move forward.

My main problem at the moment is that this years Council tax hax been passed to Rundle & Co Bailiffs with the total amount now standing @ £1472 (including bailiff charges so far..)

I spoke to the bailiff dealing withmy case today in the hope of coming to some arrangement to start paying the debt. My partner and I have worked out that we could probably afford to pay £150 4weekly and hoped that this would be sufficient at least initially. However as soon as I've mentioned trying to set up an arrangement with the bailiff he informed me that it could only be a short term arrangement, such as 3months. That would mean paying £490month which we can in no way afford. His only other suggestion was borrowing from friends or family but this also isn't possible for us unfortunately.

I guess my questions are, Is it not possible to come to an arrangement over a longer period where the bailiffs are concerned? we're not expecting them to accept £20 a month for the next 10years! But we are prepared to pay them everything we can afford (£150 4weekly)

Is there any way of getting the council to retake the debt?

We're extremely worried that they won't accept what we're able to offer and that they will just come and take everything we own.. which isn't a great deal. And he mentioned on the phone that they will be in this area next week.. :-(

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks,

Darren

RobertoMoir · 3 September 2009 at 9:15PM

What charges have the bailiffs added to your account? What have they done? Have they got a levy? Have you signed a walking posession? If your answer to the last two questions is "yes" then please describe exactly what happened.

dfitz24 · 3 September 2009 at 9:27PM

Hi, although I do not currently have a breakdown of the charges, the C/Tax outstanding is £1130.58, therefor I presume the difference of £341.50 is made up of the bailiff's charges. Which in itself seems incredibly excessive. The letter with the total of £1472.08 was hand delivered yesterday. Although my partner spoke to him (i was at work) as far as im aware he did not enter the house & no walking posession was signed. Hope this is some help. thanks

RobertoMoir · 3 September 2009 at 9:43PM

I'd ask for a breakdown of charges at this point and refuse to pay anything until you've seen this and made sure the charges are legitimate. It sounds an awful lot like illegal charges have already been added.

The bailiffs don't have to accept arrangements they are unhappy with - and many are under instructions from their clients, the councils, to clear up council tax debt very quickly... and of course are keen to do so for their own reasons too.

As the baillifs have not been in, have not levied, etc. have a look at this thread to make sure you're aware of your rights - make sure you follow the notes on bailiffs, not on debt collectors.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1837507

RAS · 3 September 2009 at 10:39PM

Hi

If the bailiff has not been in the house and has not levied or made a Walking Possession order, it is essential that you and your partner ensure that all doors and windows are locked and that you do not let the bailiff is at any time. As long as you do this, you have the upper hand.

Do you own a car. If so, there is a considerable risk that the bailiff will try to levy on it, so it needs to be off the road and out of sight and if possible, you need transfer ownership to someone else you trust.

if no levy has been made, the maximum permissible fee is c £42 for two visits.

i sound like a broken record here but does your local councillor have a surgery this weekend? if so, go and visit him/her, explain that you have offered to pay and that you are being charged illegal fees and see if s/he can negoitiate with the Revenue department.

dfitz24 · 3 September 2009 at 11:56PM

Thanks again for your replies.

I shall be composing a letter to them tomorrow regarding a breakdown of their charges. And having spoken to my partner they have not levied or entered the house at all.

I do have a car however it is on a HP agreement so am I right to assume that they wouldn't be able to levy on it?

As far as making repayments on what I owe to the council, should I just go along and hope they take a repayment directly rather than through the bailiff's? Obviously I want it to be clear that I am more than willing to pay what I owe in council tax, but I want to pay it TO THE COUNCIL!

Having read through some of this forum and the CAG forum I'm actually starting to feel a bit better about the situation. Thanks all.

RAS · 4 September 2009 at 12:08AM

dfitz24 wrote: »

. And having spoken to my partner they have not levied or entered the house at all.

Good - keep it that way.

I do have a car however it is on a HP agreement so am I right to assume that they wouldn't be able to levy on it?

They can try but you can overturn this.

if the CT debt is for this year, see if you can pay on-line.

Do talk to your local councillor. One OP who worked in Ct explained that all memeber queries has to be halted until they were dealt with.

Several OPs have had major success getting the council to take back the CT debt and re-instate monthly payments once the outstanding charge was paid off.

Bailiffs collecting C/Tax- Help?

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