Question regarding Council Tax and Baliffs

deepindebtor

Have had contact from a council tax baliff who posted a letter through my door asking me to contact them, which I did via email to explain I was unemployed and their offer of £90 a week was maybe more than I was getting coming in. By miles.

Since then I have contacted the council, who have adjusted their figures, finally, to show past payments from benefits, corrections, all manner of mistakes that have now been cleared up.

They have now told the baliff that the balance is now only £270, down from £900ish pounds.

I spoke to the baliff on the phone, after the people wouldnt email me.

He said he has to recover the money, willing to do a payment by installment or take full payment but only if I let them in the house. No payment by installment if I dont. Also said if I did not let him in, he would send the case back to the courts and they would charge me more money. Also said I had no right of appeal to the court.

Is all this true?

MUST I now let him in to proceed any further?

I need to find an answer before the weekend is over so any help appreciated.

Thanks

P.S. I am currently claiming Job Seekers Allowance (Contributions Bases as I am a new claimant)

GeorgeUK

Do Not Let Him In The House

Edit: There are a few sites i'll link to later on detailing what you should do when a bailiff calls but i'll bet they would never put that condition in writing.

Have you tried contacting the council to ask them if you can make arrangements to pay them rather than the bailiff?

If you do a search on this site for herbie21 and bailiffs, you should get a better idea of what they can and cannot do. Also what you should or shouldn't do.

Have a look at some of these sites:
http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=02_bailiffs_and_council_tax
http://www.insolvencyhelpline.co.uk/debt_basics/bailiff-guide.php
https://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk

deepindebtor

and.......

Hope and pray the debt clears itself?

I really need more of an answer than that to help me out. Thanks for replying anyway.

GeorgeUK

Sorry DID - just wanted to get that first point across incase they were on their way. Hopefully the links will help. Herbie21 is our bailiff expert on the board so should also be able to comment on what fees they can charge you. She will have done a few posts with that details already.

NickWarren_2

Paying by installment should not be a condition that they enter your house. They are trying to inventory anything you have of value. send them a letter stating your installment payment intentions, but remember not to sign the letter, and only inital it. Always best to get things in writing as its easy for them to "forget" what they agreed to over the phone.

RAS

deepindebtor wrote: »

Also said if I did not let him in, he would send the case back to the courts and they would charge me more money.

DID

At the moment, assuming he has visted you twice, he is allowed to charge one visit at £24.50 plus one at £18.00. He is not allowed to charge for any further visits.

Did he explain that if you let him in the house he can charge you for the walking possesion order, which is about £120 in fees? Which is one reason why you should not let him in the house. It is also why he is so keen to get in the house?

it might be cheaper to get it taken back through the court.

I would suggest that you e-mail your local councillor and explain the situation. I suspect that the councillor will get action halted and get some arrangeent made to pay back over time.

deepindebtor

NickWarren wrote: »

Paying by installment should not be a condition that they enter your house. They are trying to inventory anything you have of value. send them a letter stating your installment payment intentions, but remember not to sign the letter, and only inital it. Always best to get things in writing as its easy for them to "forget" what they agreed to over the phone.

I was told the judge needed them to do this as they, the judge, want security for any repayment plan. Lie?

RAS

deepindebtor wrote: »

I was told the judge needed them to do this as they, the judge, want security for any repayment plan. Lie?

What he means is that he wants security for any repayment plan. There is NO legal requirement for this at all.

You really do need to get you councillor involved because the council is responsible for the behaviour of the baillifs and this one is being naughty.

I would also suggest that you send a pm to Herbie21, who runs the bailiffadviceonline website, with the name of the company and the name of the bailiff plus what you have written here about the charges and the false information that you have been given, plus any charges that have been added.

deepindebtor

I have PM'd Herbie some details. It is shocking that these people are allowed to lie to you like this. I mean ok they want paid, ok people will try a number of tricks not to pay but there are a lot of us that find even the mere fact that someone wants to walk into your house and write down everything you own scary enough on its own that they dont need told a bunch of lies into the bargain. The law needs changed. In fact there should be stiff fines for this sort of behavior to stop this and make things sensible again.

After all the law must be fair for all of us.

I am not sure but maybe my household insurance policy came with legal cover, maybe I should call them and seek advice on this too?

sprob

DEFINITELY contact your local councillor first, also let them know of the underhand tactics being used by this so called bailiff, your councillor can also liaise with the council to get the claim for the money stopped or suspended until such time as a suitable repayment is mutually agreed, dont let the council push you into making a regular payment that you realistically cannot afford, then by all means use the legal cover on your house ins pol to get their take on it.

brightonman123

i would make paymets direct to the council, if possible (payment card, standing order etc, if they refuse cash at the counter..?). up to bailliff to get fees from them then!