Please help - Philips Bailiffs

climbintheladderouttadebt

Does anyone know if a warrant of execution is the same as a distress warrant? Is this info any good?

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=08_reducing_payments_or_suspending_a_bailiffs_warrant_on_a_county_court_judgment

climbintheladderouttadebt

Astraea have you read any of the pages on http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk ? I can't get through it all but it seems to explain a lot, when you visit the free pages, that might help?

Wishing you the best of luck and hope tomorrow brings some better news!

NorthernLas

Astraea - Have a read of this section of bailiffadvice online http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/magistrates_theimportance.htm

1. Of particular note within procedure for collecting a fine:

If a warrant has been issued, you are required to either pay this, or, if you are unable to afford to do so, you need to contact the Fines Department of the Magistrates Court to arrange a date when you can attend for a Means Enquiry hearing. Our advice is that this must be done immediately. This is a very simple hearing where you will be required to complete an Income & Expenditure form so that the Magistrates can agree repayments at an affordable level. You must ensure that you maintain these payments.

2. The importance of seeing a copy of the warrant:
for Distress Warrants and Financial Arrest Warrants, the relevant contracts provide that where the bailiff has failed to make contact with you on a first visit (which of course attracts a fee!!), he is required to put through your letterbox, a letter with the time and date of his visit. He must also make a note of this letter on the Warrant (which will be in his possession) and to include on the warrant also: “any identifying marks of the address”…such as the “specific colour of the door” as proof that he made the visit!!!! This is most important when checking the bailiff’s fees.

3. I can’t afford to pay my Magistrates Court Fines:

If you cannot afford to make the payments due under a fine and you are not receiving benefits, you must contact the Magistrates Court immediately and the court will require that you attend a very simple hearing where you will have to complete a list of your Income & Expenditure. It would be for the Magistrate to consider your circumstances and set a payment arrangement that is affordable. For a hearing such as this, there is no fee to pay, and normally you will simply be able to turn up at the Magistrates Court without an appointment.

Following the hearing, the court will advise the fines office of the arrangement that has been agreed and this should ensure that bailiff action will cease…..you must keep to the payment arrangements.

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I know that you have already spoken to the court BUT the information suggests you can contact the Fines Department and arrange a hearing. Although it would have been better to contact the court when you first realised you could not pay, if you did not know this, then you do now.

With regard to fees, if you have not received a copy of the warrant, then they went to the wrong house and you should not be charged for it.

I would try contacting the court tomorrow.