Baliff arriving tomorrow to take belongings

Aylana

The Baliffs are coming tomorrow to take our stuff for unpaid council tax. Can I refuse to let him in?? OH will be at work early and the car will be with him. We previously (and stupidly) let the guy into the house to see how much our stuff was worth and signed the form he filled in. Even though he valued everything at less than £100 cos it is all old they still want to take it unless we can magically produce a minimum of £500. So when he turns up, if I don't let him in what will he do next? Any advice?

Cheers

~Beanie~

I'm pretty sure that once you have allowed them access, they are allowed to break in. There is some info on baliffs and council tax debts here:

http://www.multikulti.org.uk/en/debt/bailiffs-council-tax/

Aylana

Thanks beanie. Best hide the laptop somewhere then!

GeorgeUK

I suggest having a look at this site
https://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk

an PM'ing Herbie21
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/private.html?do=newpm&u=204019

Aylana

thanks george, have looked at the website already but will drop herbie a message see if there is anything I have missed.

fifitrix123

Do not leave any windows open!!

I was a baliff a few years ago (I was told I was the nicest baliff anyone had ever met!) and we were allowed to access a property if there was a way in but we were not allowed to break in! (I never did it anyway).

I am not sure if this has changed but council used to send threatening letters saying we would take the stuff away but never did that until we had visited a few times and listed property (ie just make a list of valuable stuff to take) but I always got householder permission to do this. Kids stuff should never be taken. Baliffs will always value stuff as rubbish even if new so they can take more stuff and sell it cheap.

You do get charged each time baliffs visit and we used to visit neighbours to to verify your details and those of people who lived with you, which could be embarrassing for you! We also used to check which cars belonged to whom so it would be wise to hide your car too as these could be taken quite easily.

You are probably better to make an offer to pay to the council as each visit the costs add up and the council prefer to get any money than nothing. Call the CAB for advice, it's better to get it sorted than to worry about everything!!

Aylana

Thanks fifitrix, we have made them an offer, they say it isn't enough, even though it is more than the value of the stuff they listed when they visited!

You must have been one of the nice ones by the sounds of it. The guy were are dealing with is extremely rude and threatening. Which is worrying as I will be in the house alone tomorrow when he says he will be turning up.

f1widow

Hi - A few years ago i had problems with baliff re council tax- he turned up we let him in to talk - he stated in his letter they were coming to get items - he turned up in a car - hardly big enough to take items - i showed him rent arrears letter etc - try to make a deal with him - do you know the whole time he would not even talk to us - AT the time i was so frightened i offered him my car (hubby had brought it really cheap it was an old mini and was actually well worth more than my council debt) - he just shook his head - he wanted actual money not items - next day i phoned council and explained we were trying etc with offers and how the baliff had acted - the council actually took us back from baliffs and we sorted it through them - now we might have just lucked in given the fact the baliff was known to council as being "a hard man" - i also explained he had come when my son who was only 3 at time would still be up and that i was upset and we were trying to talk to baliff but he was having none of it and it had upset son

Is it worth speaking to council about your offer of payment in view it is higher than the baliffs amount ??? worth a try - i dont know the law on this but i must say it worked for us speaking to council - do council know your income and expenditure etc - explain you will be on your own tommorow

I was once advised by National Debtline to park car well away from house (i thought this was a bit sinister but i see their point)

I dont know if this will help but thought i would post it anyway
Good luck tommorow - i will be thinking of you xx

Aylana

thanks very much for this F1widow. We have already rung the council today and they said we had to deal with the baliffs and not them. I might just have to wait and see what the guy says tomorrow. See if he does really take our stuff or is just trying to frighten us into scrounging some money together. The car will be away from the house when they turn up so they can't get that. I appreciate your thinking of me.

immoral_angeluk

Anything they have listed down and you have signed is now technically theirs if you don't pay up what they are asking. So hiding anything that has been listed will only cause yourself more problems. If you don't let a bailiff in who has a walking possession order then they are well within their rights to get a locksmith out to remove goods. You need to get them to agree to a deal to halt the walking possession order.

Let me just load up my CAB system then I'll get you some more info.

immoral_angeluk

Here is a factsheet on bailiffs for you
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/d_bailiffs.pdf