Bailiffs, Council Tax and Charges - HELP!!

Hello I am looking for some help and/or advice:

I have just had the bailiffs round at my house as I missed one payment to a debt collection team for an old council tax bill. Although I have been paying the necessary 13 pounds a month I DID miss october as I struggle due to being on jobseekers allowance.


Without warning I had 2 bailiffs outside my house,

I called the local council and they agreed that if I made a 50 pound payment they would tell the bailiffs to leave. I borrowed the money and that was sorted out.

Now though, they have added 175 pounds on to my debt for bailiffs fees. Can they do this?

Any help will be really appreciated

thanks

Comments

  • bellrooster
    bellrooster Posts: 1,030
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    Did the bailiffs enter your house and levy on your goods? Or did you just speak to them on the doorstep?
  • Tixy
    Tixy Posts: 31,455 Forumite
    Hi Flipflop
    The fees they can add depend on whether you let the baliffs in and whether they levied your goods - this website should have the info you need - http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/bailifffeecomplaints_examplect.htm (its run by one of the posters on here)
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  • Thanks.

    And no, they didnt enter, just threatened to do so over the phone!

    Will take a look at the site too - much appreciated
  • RAS
    RAS Posts: 32,539
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    In which case, unl;ess they have levied ona car or somthing similiar, they can only charge £24.50 for the first visit and £19 (both ish) for the second visit. Read Herbie21's advice posted by Tixy and then demand a list of the fess that have added.

    if there is anything else on the list, get hold of your local councillor and complain.
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  • mavvysmum
    mavvysmum Posts: 234 Forumite
    DrFlipFlop wrote: »
    Hello I am looking for some help and/or advice:

    I have just had the bailiffs round at my house as I missed one payment to a debt collection team for an old council tax bill. Although I have been paying the necessary 13 pounds a month I DID miss october as I struggle due to being on jobseekers allowance.

    Without warning I had 2 bailiffs outside my house,

    I called the local council and they agreed that if I made a 50 pound payment they would tell the bailiffs to leave. I borrowed the money and that was sorted out.

    Now though, they have added 175 pounds on to my debt for bailiffs fees. Can they do this?

    Any help will be really appreciated

    thanks

    Hi - from what you've said I assume you had an arrangement with the bailiffs to pay £13/month and that you defaulted? If that is the case then they have probably done an enforcement/default visit and for that they can charge a lot. However, as the others have said, they should have levied on your goods before making the arrangement so I would be concerned if they havent. You need to speak to your council as they were the ones who agreed to accept £50 from you - was this to call the bailiffs off on that occasion, or to get the debt back from the bailiffs for good? I work for a local council in the council tax section & normally if we agree with someone to get the debt back from the bailiffs, then we agree at that point what bailiff fees should be paid before the debt is returned.
    Its a shame that your debt is with the bailiffs really, if you are on Jobseekers Allowance a council can apply for deductions to be made straight from your benefit at £3.25/wk - I think the best thing to do is call the council & say you're not happy about the fees - see if they will come to some sort of agreement & get it back from the bailiffs and go for an attachment to your benefit instead - councils should be trying to help people on low incomes & not inflate their council tax debts with bailiff fees - all the best!
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  • DarkConvict
    DarkConvict Posts: 6,338
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    Did they inform you of a time and date they would be arriving? They need to make an appointment aswell.

    http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/consumer_credit/oft664.pdf
    Debt collection visits
    2.11 Those visiting debtors must not act in an unclear or threatening manner.
    2.12 Examples of unfair practices are:
    a. not making the purpose of any proposed visit clear, for example, merely
    stating that collectors or field agents will call is not sufficient

    Charging for debt collection
    2.9 Charges should not be levied unfairly.
    2.10 Examples of unfair practices are as follows:
    a. claiming collection costs from a debtor in the absence of express
    contractual or other legal provision
    b. misleading debtors into believing they are legally liable to pay
    collection charges when this is not the case, for example, when there
    is no contractual provision
    c. not giving an indication in credit agreements of the amount of any
    charges payable on default
    d. applying unreasonable charges, for example, charges not based on actual
    and necessary costs
    e. applying charges which are disproportionate to the main debt.
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