Council Tax Issue - Bailliff at Door

blacksta

I owe the sum of £650 an outstanding council tax - A liability order was granted in 16/07/09 but made an arrangement of to clear the balance but now have an outstanding of £290 which has now be passed to bailiff. The bailiffs now want an additional £181.50 . My gripe is that this is the first time i have heard from the bailiffs and how can they justify that sum . A letter which included a formal notice and Notice of distress was put through my letter box. I am now in position to pay off the balance but cannot afford to pay 181.50 . I read some where it details the charges a baliffs can charge. Someone please help.

DarkConvict

Best place for advice - http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/counciltax.htm

Bailiffs can charge £42.50 for a visit and 2 letters, if they have not been inside your house they cannot charge more than this. if they have made other charges like several visits, van fees etc, and they have yet to gain peaceful entry inside the house they are making unlawful/illegal charges.
If they have gained peaceful access to the house and made a levy of goods (walking possession), the car (levy) etc, then the charges can be much higher. If they have made peaceful entry once, they can make forceful entry on a return visit as levied goods then lawfully belong to them.

Ask for a breakdown of their costs, if they are unlawful tell them so and get them to charge you correctly, if they refuse then ask the council to take it back and pay the council directly they will often refuse but given pressure will take it back. (you may need to go and see them in person). Contacting local council councillor and local MP can be useful at this stage to get the council to take it back.

blacksta

Thanks to darkConvict

I have paid the council tax off - but the only thing i have ever received is a formal notice/ Notice of distress ( which i classify as a first visit) - On the notice Inventory section - My car is listed as goods seized or to be seized - My car was parked on driveway My car was on the drive way - The formal notice was put through my post box/

DarkConvict

If the car is yours and not used for work purposes (including getting to work if public transport is not an option)
Then the levy is valid and can be charged, not sure how much but i doubt its the remaining £70. The website i posted goes give u a number to ring, its Herbie21 from the site and she is in the know, does cost 60p a min though.

If the levy is invalid, you do need it for work you need to tell them this and get that charge and levy dropped.

RobertoMoir

If you've only had the levy done then the fees sound wrong to me. They cannot charge a levy fee and a van fee on the same visit, which is what it sounds like they have done.

I would be asking for a breakdown of charges - via the council if the bailiffs don't want to help - and I would complain to the council should it turn out they have charged you incorrect fees.

I would also be keeping the car very well hidden in the meantime, if I were you.

Herbie21

blacksta wrote: »

Thanks to darkConvict

I have paid the council tax off - but the only thing i have ever received is a formal notice/ Notice of distress ( which i classify as a first visit) - On the notice Inventory section - My car is listed as goods seized or to be seized - My car was parked on driveway My car was on the drive way - The formal notice was put through my post box/

When making payment have you paid just the Liability Order or have you also included the fees?

The bailiff fees do not appear to be correct.

A bailiff can charge a fee of £24.50 for "attending to levy (where no levy was made). In other words, when nobody was at home. Alternatively, if the bailiff were able to levy he can INSTEAD charge a levy fee.

On the amount of the debt, the levy fee should be around £50. It would appear from the charges that you have quoted that the bailiff is attempting to charge an "attending to remove" fee as well. HOWEVER, an ATR fee can only be provided if a PREVIOUS levy had been made !!