Bailiffs.

sp1987

Had a letter from a bailiff posted through my current door relating to a property I used to live in, addressed to my old landlord. Long story shortened is that the council seems to think not only have we moved, but we have taken our landlord and his wife with us, lol.

Just curious really, the letter relates to unpaid council tax and states they have called with the intention of removing goods, so does this mean there is a court order against them yet if they intend to levy on goods (irrelevant really as it isn't the debtors goods but still)? Are they able to be called bailiffs if not carrying out collections for the court or what? Obviously as the account is not in our name we can't be given any details so I'm being nosey on here instead.

Thanks

RAS

Were you tenants, lodgers etc?

sp1987

We were tenants and paid the corresponding council tax for the period which we lived there.

I can guess that the non-payment periods refer to unoccupied periods as one of them stopped when we moved in.

I'm more than nosey, but in my defence I have reported the issue to the council previously so they have kept me interested by continuing to send me presents for someone else.

RAS

So you need to write to the bailiffs and the council and remind them that you were not resident at the address for the periods a and B.

sp1987

RAS wrote: »

So you need to write to the bailiffs and the council and remind them that you were not resident at the address for the periods a and B.

They know this. They are trying to bill our old landlord, at our new address, no attempt to charge us. If they were trying to charge me they would have got exactly that. They now have the land registry address for the landlord. Though I have to say that the bailiff was particularly unhelpful (only a mobile number, no address) as he didn't want the debtor's home address and would rather send post here. No wonder people in debt have such problems with them.

My question was more whether debt collectors of council tax are 'called' bailiffs or whether this is due to it having been to court resulting in the instruction of bailiffs. We have received no papers or summons to either this or our previous address in their name so wondered if it had got that far. If they are referred to as bailiffs from the start when collecting council tax then obviously we would have had no summons regardless.

RobertoMoir

Bailiffs collecting council tax are bailiffs. They are instructed by the council based on a liability order granted in a magistrates court.

I'd throw the letters away as they are not addressed to you, and if the bailiff asks about it and doesn't like the fact that you're doing that, you can feel free to make a few "robust" suggestions.

DarkConvict

I agree with Roberto.

There is a court order for bailiffs to be used, but as you state the debt is for the landlord not yourself. So the bailiffs can't take anything nor charge you anything. All they can do is goto the address on the warrant they are given. Do do their thing and in this case you can politely tell them the person they want does not, nor ever has lived here and the council were told about it on numerous occasions.
Basically the council has the wrong address, knew about it but failed to act and took out a court order at the wrong address. Hopefully the bailiff will return back to the council and they will get into gear and leave you alone.

Still as a matter of caution. Don't let bailiffs inside your house.