Help!! Bailiffs

MyDogToby_2

Sorry if I've barged in but I'm not very good on these forum thingys so if I'm in the wrong place maybe somebody could help me..Please!!

This is a bailiff problem but a little history first.
The company where I had worked for eight years was taken over by a liquidation firm. They said I'd been identified as somebody worth keeping and asked me to stay on while they tried to sell the company but also told me there would be no money to pay my wages while in the process of selling the company.
Three weeks later they had failed to sell the company and I found myself on the dole and looking for a job.

***IF YOU ARE OVER 50, SINGLE AND ON THE DOLE PLEASE READ THIS***

There were very few jobs being advertised so I took the only job I could get, it was for eighteen hours per week and minimum wage. I asked at the job centre whether I would get help with rent and council tax if I were to take this job and they told me I would, they also said my benefit could be stopped if I didnt take the job.
The coucil gave me partial help with my rent and council tax but insisted I pay the rest from my wages.
My total wage was just £108 per week. Taking into account the average weekly cost of utility bills and the cost of travelling to work I was left with a total of £2.15 per day to feed myself and my 15 year old collie. I was also expected to pay rent and council tax out of the £2.15.
I wrote to the council (ROTHER DISTRICT COUNCIL) explaining that I could barely feed myself with what I was earning but they refused to budge and insisted that I pay rent and council tax.
They sent it to court and suddenly I am presented with a letter giving me just DAYS to pay the entire debt or they'd pass it to a bailiff.
At this point my new employer laid me off to prevent me getting into more debt, I couldnt just leave because that would have meant I couldnt qualify for benefits.

MY BAILIFF PROBLEM.
A bailiff letter arrived asking for the full amount, I had no money so I ignored it. More letters came with costs added on and now the original council tax debt of £170 has risen to £470.
I have written to the bailiff explaining that I am unemployed and would make an arrangement to pay this off at £5 per month but they refused my offer and demanded £143 per month.
I have never allowed the bailiff into my home (and never will) as I know he is not allowed to force an entrance.

Here's my problem.
I asked for a breakdown of the bill and listed on it is a charge of £32 for lvying on goods.
As he's never been into my house I can only assume he's spotted my motorcycle thats standing in my garden.
I have never signed anything and he has never notified me of any levy on my goods until I saw the charge listed on the breakdown. I have no knowledge of what goods he has levied.
Does anyone know the law concerning LEVYING?
Can I remove the motorcycle?
Can he levy something without my knowledge or even telling me what it is that he's levied?
I know some of the law concerning bailiffs but this levy thing has got me worried.
PLEASE HELP.

PS. The motorcycle is my only chance of getting out of debt, when I have completed the work it needs I will sell it to pay off my debts but if he were to take it away and auction it he'd only get about £50 for it as a non runner but when I finnish the work it'll be worth about £1200 hence my desperation concerning this.

NorthernLas

Hi MDT - It is better that you start your own thread than posting on the end of someone else's as you will get better answers on your own.

You can find out more information from here on council tax and bailiffs http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/admin.php?c_id=2. Choose download document under bailiffs and council tax and it will give you details on the charges.

More info on council tax arrears and payment if you cannot afford to pay http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/counciltax_whathappens.htm. You may be able to get the council to take the debt back or come to an arrangement with bailiffs because you are now unemployed and therefore classed as 'vunerable'

Hannah_10

bigtuk51 wrote: »

Firstly it's highly unlikely they'll bother with your car. As for signing your goods over to a family member that is frought with problems Try goodsprotection.com. Well thought out, 100% legal and extremely cheap for TOTAL peace of mind.

What with this being really "well thought-out" and "cheap" peace of mind you're advocating tuk, how come no one on the staff can add up?

STEP 5:
Please note as Goods Protection Ltd has purchased your goods for a nominal £10.00 this will be repayable to Goods Protection Ltd by you at the end of your contract with the addition of VAT at the prevailing rate, £10.00 + VAT at 15% (£10.00). However, if you extend your contract for a further period/s the £10.00 will only become payable at the conclusion of your final contract period.

Perhaps I'm just thick as a brick and all that, but I make the prevailling rate of VAT 17.5% nowadays...

Anyway for the sake of continuity I'll pretend it's 15% too...

I make £10.00 + (VAT @ 15%) £11.50.

UnderPressure

Firstly op your head must be spinning, the amount of bad advice you have been given by some members is unbelievable, listen to RobertoMoir he HAS the knowledge and KNOWS what he is talking about.

Bailiffadviceonline is a great resource as well but as I always say if you phone them be aware it is a premium rate number that will be costly from a BT line a ridiculous from a mobile, you could also do worst than phone national debtline (use google) they have a fantastic website full of info on this kind of stuff and a freephone number so you can get more tailored details from someone who knows what they are talking about.

The basic bones of it you do not have to let them in your house you dont have to even speak to them, if you have a car park it away from your house, they cannot use a locksmith or anyone else to force entry to your home if all else fails for them eventually it will get passed back to te council. How you deal with the council and try to repay the debt the national debtline will be able to advise you on.

Hope that helps a little, I know how you are feeling I have had many a run in with bailiff's over the last 2 years and it is a nightmare if your worried dont even speak to them just ignore the door but the only way to solve the problem is to pay this debt or come to an arrangement to pay it, hopefully with the council.

Ring national debtline they will help

donkeysdiamonds

please help advice wise.

I had a council tax bill that was passe dont o a bailiff, who added charge instantly, then he made a visit and i recieve a letter informing that he had paid a visit, his next visit was at 6am and he wouldnt leave, telling me he would get someone to get in, panicked and scared with my young son i allowe dhim in and paid out of my sons savings of £700, original council tax bill was around 350 is this lgal to add such heavy charges ect...

RAS

donkeysdiamonds wrote: »

please help advice wise.

I had a council tax bill that was passe dont o a bailiff, who added charge instantly, then he made a visit and i recieve a letter informing that he had paid a visit, his next visit was at 6am and he wouldnt leave, telling me he would get someone to get in, panicked and scared with my young son i allowe dhim in and paid out of my sons savings of £700, original council tax bill was around 350 is this lgal to add such heavy charges ect...

hi

You really really need a new thread. Do you uindestand how to do this?

Which bailiff company please.

He should only have charged the original bill plus £75 plus £24.50 plus ( I think) it is £36 for the levy

So debt plus £136 ish.