Question regarding Council Tax and Baliffs

deepindebtor

Just for clarity, the first visit was not so much of a visit but a delivery.

I was sitting on the couch, TV on about 2m from the front door. The front door is in the hall, hall door was open. I can hear a moth breathe outside. I did not hear a knock.

All I knew was a letter pushed through the door, heard it slide through the letterbox and hit the floor.

Got it, read it. Surprised at the time there was no knock. Not that I would have answered it anyway, I wasnt expecting anyone and I tend not to answer to strangers because of debt situation and also you get a lot of unwanted callers, electricity sales, religious , etc.

I am obviously going to speak to the council first thing on monday morning and see if they can do anything but at the moment other than just asking them to help me I have no real ammunition to make them help me, is there any? Laws or whatever I can quote if they dont want to listen?

Failing all this I have to try and contact a councillor Monday as well.

I suffer from panic attacks and this is causing me to have some serious ones, all my own fault but nonetheless stressful.

RAS

deepindebtor wrote: »

I suffer from panic attacks and this is causing me to have some serious ones, all my own fault but nonetheless stressful.

Make sure that you tell both the council and the councillor that information.

It may mean that you are considered a vunerable person and there are rules about being nice to vunerable people that council are supposed to abide by.

With regard to the first visit, if you did not sign the walking possession order, then then all he can do is charge for the first visit.

So keep your chin up and keep us posted.

deepindebtor

I must admit to having made a complete mess of things over the years.

Making that list of debts what the first step and obviously your always afraid to do it in case its worse than you think. I had visions of £100,000 of debt.

In reality, its just over £6,000. Now while that is bad enough, its just the price of a car. Its less than a years wages (ok, not working at the moment but you get what I mean).

This means its is possible, with probably less effort that dealing with all the letters and visits and living my life in hiding from the debt collectors to actually get my finger out and fix this.

I actually have some hope.

The fact that you guys are helping is a big boost too, I don't feel so alone or like the odd one out for having bad debt.

Thanks

RAS

deepindebtor wrote: »

I must admit to having made a complete mess of things over the years.

You and just about everyone else on here at some point in their life.

deepindebtor wrote: »

Making that list of debts what the first step and obviously your always afraid to do it in case its worse than you think. I had visions of £100,000 of debt.

In reality, its just over £6,000.

Now that is a good way of self inducing a panic attack !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So well done for actually looking at it and getting over that first hurdle. One little step at a time and it can happen.

A coupl of thing you might want to do with that list?

Are any of the debts really old? More than 6 years since your paid anything?
Cross them off the list as they are probably statute barred.

Do you have any CCS or loans with Payment protection Insurance? Will it pay out now? if not, you were probably mis-solfd and can claim it back.

Any bank accounts, credit cards or catalogues where you have paid penalty charges in the last 6 years. You can claim them back as well.

Finally, when you are ready ring one of the debt charities and get there help. See http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/debt-help-plan#help

You will probably end up paying £1 per month to most creditors whlst you are not working. You do need to kep up with the rent, CT, and utilties and fee yourself.

deepindebtor

I have just faxed herbies "vulnerable person" letter to the baliff and council.

This is ahead of speaking to them on Monday.

If I need to I will also follow that up with posted copies.

I also added my complaints about the baliff and their lies to me to the copy that went to the council.

See what happens.

gilligansyle

deepindebtor wrote: »

Just for clarity, the first visit was not so much of a visit but a delivery.

I was sitting on the couch, TV on about 2m from the front door. The front door is in the hall, hall door was open. I can hear a moth breathe outside. I did not hear a knock.

All I knew was a letter pushed through the door, heard it slide through the letterbox and hit the floor.

This is typical behaviour from some of the more underhand companies. They want the attendance fee, but not the hassle of actually being refused entry. I used to work for a local authority and got numerous calls from people upset because they had a threatening letter through the door. Another point, the letter must be addressed to you personally and in an envelope. anything else is not allowed

Please take all the excellent advice you have been given, but do not let these people bully you.

THE_LONE_RANGER_4

COUNCILL TAX i see what people mean but the bailiffs do a walk in possesion for one reason if you fail in your instalments in they come , i am all for fighting your corner with dca and bailiffs a like, if you can win but ct is guv money and they will get it, i know from past knowledge fight battles you can at least have a chance of winning ,
Im not a big fan of the keep your windows locked talk through the letter box and similar in my view silly advise ,know one should be a prisinor in there own home . or frightened in there own home or afraid to answer there door or phone , its clear the bailiffs are collecting ct they will not accept small payments i am not trying to get you worried but have you a reli who can help you out etc as if the bailiff dosent get in, it will next be attachment of benefits .

deepindebtor

A big thank you to everyone here that has helped me this weekend.

The council has agreed to take back the debt and work with me on a payment plan.

This is a big step forward as they are the people I owe the most money.

Now I just have to sort all the others out but this is a major step in the right direction.

RAS

Am so glad for you.

With respect to your other debts, have you spoken to any of the debt charities?

As you are only benefits, you should try to pay each debtor £1 per month, and CCCS, CAB or Payplan can help you sort this.

Also if you post here, people can help you find things cheaper, devise decent but cheap menus, link you to pay for clicks and survey sites that do not affect your rights to benefits and all manner of other things.

Do you have any PPI that would kick in, or any that you had but is not paying out?
Do you have chqarges on banks accounts, credit cards or catalogue you can reclaim?

deepindebtor

You know its a funny thing.

I am eating healthier now than when I had money to buy unhealthy things.

I am definately learning some lessons here I was never taught as a kid, so it isnt all bad news.

Gone are the ready meals, in are quick vegetable meals or meals that I can cook in my slow cooker and portion out, freeze if I have to.

No fried foods either, bake, grill or steam. Also I can save energy costs with my contact grill and steamer.

I also am on a fixed price contract for all my phone calls so that is now a known cost instead of a surprise every time the bill comes in.

I hope I am not out of work too long but things dont look good right now do they. At least I am preparing for the worst.

I just didnt want to go back to hiding in my own home, living during the night and sleeping during the day so I didnt make noises in case a debt collector came to the door. What a sad existence that used to be. That was a few years ago now but it was like a living death.

As the previous person said you should not be made to be a prisoner in your own home.

If these companies could just see past the end of their noses. Start off with an offer of payment, make it large and as the person doesnt respond or refuses reduce it, you might hit oil and actually get a response. Instead of going for the whole amount to be paid today, or just asking someone to call a very hostile phone operator, that is not the way to progress a debt, yet it is the way they seek to do it and all it does is alienate people from them. They do themselves nor their clients any favours, far less the person in debt.