council tax and bailiffs

joeflo

yes, again!

I've looked through previous threads and got some good advice, but wanted some views on this particular situation.

They have delivered a letter to my mum's house, not mine, for an ancient council tax bill that I thought had been taken care of years ago.

I have had no court orders at my mum's place, no notice from the council that they are employing a bay leaf (i'm supposed to get 14 days?) and the bailiff simply dropped off the second letter without knocking on the door (my mum saw him oiut of the window, he dropped it off and drove off)

I have called the number and told them not to contact this house again as I have never lived there, and none of my property is there. (no answer from them yet, left message on answer machine)

can I tell them just to send it back to the council and then deal with it from there?

Also, is it illegal for them to give a letter saying they had come to take my goods when they obviously hadn't, the just wanted to drop a letter off and claim £18

final question, is there a lower form of life than a bailiff?

cheers for you answers/views

Tixy

Its likely that they have a liability order against you. However the baliff should not be dropping off letters at a house they don't know you live at.

I would try contacting the council to start, explaining that you did not realise there was a debt, establishing whether you do owe the money. You could then ask the council if you can come to a repayment arrangment with them (rather than the baliff) - they may agree to this.

joeflo

I'm sure they do have a liability order, but I can't understand how the court is giving them my mum's address (I used this as a postal address years ago, but have never lived there) but I never received court orders there, or notification from the council that they were employing bailiffs.

The question is, now the bailiffs have been informed that I don't live there, can they still pursue it? (Ironically I live two streets away, but i'm not desperate to divulge this to them).

Also,can they levy charges for delivering letters to the "wrong" address (i.e. the address they were given, but not mine)

DarkConvict

They can only charge £42.50 for 1 visit and 2 letters. I could contact herbie over it - http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/counciltax.htm

joeflo

The plot thickens. The bailiff contacted me today and refused to discuss things over the phone only in person. I said I was fine to discuss things by phone as I don't particularly want to meet him or give out my address. He said he wasn't prepared to do that, so I asked how he proposed to continue, as he did not have my address and hew was refusing to speak to me on the phone. he said "we have ways and means" I immediately asked him to explain what he'd said and said I was recording this conversation, as I considered that intimidation.

He replied that if I was recording the conversation he was terminating it. What is he worried about?

I plan to put in a formal complaint about his conduct. How do I do that?

BTW the firm is Marstons.

RAS

He will be checking the electoral roll, credit records, any on-line phone book, facebook etc.

Try googling your name (with "quotes") and town, and see what come up.

What this individual wants is to secure the debt on your goods, not least because that way he can add masses of extra fees to his bill.

RobertoMoir

joeflo wrote: »

can I tell them just to send it back to the council and then deal with it from there?

That's the council's choice, not yours. Of course you can work making them want to take it back from the bailiffs.

joeflo wrote: »

Also, is it illegal for them to give a letter saying they had come to take my goods when they obviously hadn't, the just wanted to drop a letter off and claim £18

No.

joeflo wrote: »

final question, is there a lower form of life than a bailiff?

I suppose I ought to be offended.

PNPSUKNET

they will as above search cra's , they will normaly if they can find out via national insurance go for wage deductions