urgent help needed with bailiff please.

jo1980_2

hi,
sorry if this is in the wrong section, wasn't sure where to put it,
We got a letter a few weeks ago from equita about and old council tax bill from 3 years ago that we were totally unaware of owing, as i lost my job soon after moving there and were claiming housing benefit and council tax relief until we left.

So when the bill turned up i wrote to the council and questioned my liability for the debt, to which i have had no reply.

then yesterday i received a removal notice from equita, saying it was out of their hands now and i had to deal with the bailiff directly.

I called the bailiff and explained it had come totally out of the blue and the best we could offer was £100 a month, starting next week, which as we only have 1 income at the moment as my wife hasn't returned to work following the birth of our daughter is as much as we can afford.

The guy has a real attitude, was very patronising and totally unreasonable. He refused to accept and said we have until 10am monday morning to pay £545 or he will send out a removal lorry to empty our house, and charge £250 for the privelidge.

Is there anyway of stopping him?, obviously i'm not going to let him in, but a few visits at £250 a pop will start to get very expensive, and will make it virtually impossible for us to clear it.

There is absolutely no way we can raise £545 by monday, we struggle through to pay day each month as it is.

i don't know where's the best place to get help, or if he's allowed to behave like this. any advice greatly appreciated.

thanks

ajaney

Post this in Debt Free wannabe forum.

visit the website http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/ this is run by Herbie21 who is e regular on that forum.

Zelie

Probably not much help til Monday but you really need to find out if you are liable for the debt. PHONE the council first thing Monday morning and find out exactly what's going on and why they think you owe money if you were receiving CT benefit.

davey9998

credit card is prob best bet i would have thought otherwise the debts could mount up quickly

ifonlyitwaseasier

pm Herbie21 she knows all about bailiffs and will be able to advise you,

and i'm pretty certain that they can't charge £250 if they don't get in.

hth

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

go on the debt free wannabe board but i can assure you the only way they can get in your house is if you let them. Legally - they HAVE to go to court to get a court order to enter your house and they wouldnt have done that if this is the first visit. Ive had loads of dealings with baliffs - my OH has over £30k in debt and they were threatening same thing and do you know - theyve never been in my house. Dont deal with them over the phone - they use scqare tactics - only deal with them in writing and ask them for proff they own the debt - alot of debt companies dont have the correct paperwork so they aren't actually able to persue the debt but they try it on and hope the scare tactics will bully you into paying before you realise this.

DO NOT LET THEM IN YOUR HOUSE TO WRITE DOWN THINGS YOU OWN - if you do they can come and take these. If you own a car - move it down the street but whatever you do - dont let them in.

make sure you pm herbie though, shes brill at getting them off your back and dealing with you legit.

Take care xx

ruggedtoast

And whatever you do dont leave any doors or windows open. If theres a way in without breaking anything theyre allowed to take it.

Good luck, dont let them scare you.

mezelks

These people have threatened me a number of times because the ******s that rented this house before I bought were, at my last count, around 70k in debt with various people. Be firm, keep a log of EVERY phone call and letter, and don't let them win. Rugged is right-keep the house like fort knox.
Also, beware that they WILL send letters through the post, saying that they were they at this time and this day, but I have had letters when I was home all day, and they didn't turn up. The collectors are lazy, and if they don't think you'll be at home, they'll not bother
Good luck
xx

Airwolf1

Don't let them into the property. Contact the council 1st thing Monday morning and speak with a manager, explain the bailiffs have said they're coming that day, and say you have previously queried this to which you have had no reply.

If you do owe it, ask that the costs be waivered and an arrangement be entered into. Also, if you were claiming benefit at the time, see if you can put in a back dated claim to cover the period the council are trying to charge you for (if appropriate). Ensure you know the dates they are saying you were in the property, and see if that is correct.

jo1980_2

thanks for all the advice, i'm going to ring the council and see if they will let me pay it through them.

i forgot to mention the bailiff was very aggresive on the phone, spoke to me like a naughty schoolboy, accused me of avoiding the debt for 3 years, when i tried to explain he would just talk over me, when i said he wouldn't be getting into my house he said i would be looking at 2 weeks in jail and then have to pay it when i get out.
and the final insult was to hang up on me.

thats why i'm worried if the council don't agree i'm going to have to deal with this moron, and there is just no reasoning with him.

neas

the thing is im sure in their profession they hear the 'im innocen' line all the time so its hard to differentiate between who is true etc.

If you was receiving council tax relief does this mean you pay 0 tax or a percentage off?