Bailiffs first visit-what happens?!

shady63

Hi, I'm looking for some advice re bailiffs

Basically I owe £345 in council tax for 4 months at my previous property, but I was on income support and housing benefit so was entitled to council tax benefit. I had lived at that address since dec 2007 but only turned 18 in March 09 so was exempt up until then and I left the property on 31st July 09

Anyway at one of my interviews at the job centre I asked what I do about paying council tax and was told that because the council tax/housing benefit application process was just one form which was an application for both benefits that I would not need to apply and the councils data should just be updated and they should automatically award benefit because I was already in receipt of full HB

The first I heard of my owing council tax was a court summons, the minute I received the letter, I called the council and they confirmed that the database should have been automatically updated but in some cases it doesn't happen and mine was one of them. I was put through to 3 different people that day and they said they would send me a form. I never received it and phoned in constantly to ask what was going on, I was always told the member of staff that could deal with the enquiry was absent and that they would call me back-they never did...

When I moved into new accommodation I was given 2 HB and CTB applcation forms (in case I made a mistake on 1 of them ) I used one of them to apply for CTB for the 1st property, they told me that I hadn't made enough effort to apply in a timely manner and because of this they couldn't award the back-dated amount that they owed me so I would have to pay it myself. I appealed their decision twice and now realise I'm going to have to pay it myself, but I've had a letter from the council informing me of bailiff action..

I called the bailiff company and they said someone would be round next week to discuss how I'm gonna pay, what do I do??

-do I let them in? I've always been told not to let them in, but the lady from the company said to me they won't be able to give me a payment plan if I don't let them in...

-They asked for my partners details, I told them that he didn't live at the address the debt was accrued at so he was irrelevant but they insisted they wouldn't give me a payment plan without his details

-What will they do on the first on, will I have to sign anything, will they take anything?

Thanks to anyone that read that far, I know it's confusing and long-winded but I really could use some help!

milliemonster

I'm no expert on bailiffs but if they do visit you musn't let them in as the second you do they will do a walking possession order which means they can come back and remove goods if you don't pay.

Having said that, non payment of council tax is something you can go to prison over and is classed as a priority debt so this has to be given urgent attention.

Its a shame that during the time you were trying to sort this out you did it all by phoning rather than letter as this means unfortunately you can't prove now all the effort you went to which you could have if you had done it by letter.

Once the bailiff turns up on your door they will also add their fees onto the debt so it may be pertinent to try to set up a payment plan before they come to your house, but hopefully someone with more bailiff knowledge than me may come along soon to advise

RAS

The starting point is that you never ever let a bailiff into your house/flat, but that s/he can enter through an open window or door - so keep them closed. the reason they want to yto let them in is that they can add hundreds of pounds of extra charges when they get in.

However, that is not really the issue here; I think the most important thing you can do this weekend is to get hold of your local councillor and see if they can sort out the problems that led to your aquiring the debt in the first place.

Check out the council web-site, find out who it is (there may be more than one) and then when they next run a surgery. The chances are there will be a surgery this weekend so go and speak to them and they may be able to stop the whole process. if not you should find out if you can make a formal complaint to the Local Governement Ombudsman.