Bbc Bailiffs Whisleblower

moneymare

The trouble is, what they were doing (and I'm talking about climbing in through windows etc) is NOT against the law.

Its there, in black and white, in British Legislation. If your front door is shut, but not locked, they can walk in, just as they can climb through an open window.

Like the reporter said, he saw plenty of people who were victims of the system, but also saw lots of people who could pay but chose not to.

Simple fact is, if you owe money - know your rights.......if the debt is not yours, then they can't remove goods.

However, I feel that as the Police get called quite often in these cases, they need to be better informed/trained to deal with it.

Its the same as any business.......there are good ones and bad ones....Whistleblower happened to show examples of the bad ones - it makes for better tv........

kittykat100

My DP, says that if they put a foot in our door, or found one climbing through the window, he would use 'reasonable' force to eject them... ie accidently dropping a carving knife on their foot, or accidently thinking they were a burgler knocking them out.

How those people sleep at night is beyond me and what that man did to those children is dispicable. I hope that their friends have watched it and see what low lifes they associate with. Just scum... worlds fail me... and they are officers of the courts!!! They all deserve locking up by the courts and not working for them!!

anniestar

Mike_St_Helens wrote:

OMG... A bailiff has just knocked on the door for the business rates of the pub we used to have !!! OMG...

I told him we have a bankruptcy date, and he was very pleasant and walked off !!

You must have got THE pleasant one then!!!!!!

Mike_St_Helens

anniestar wrote:

You must have got THE pleasant one then!!!!!!

I know... He looked mean until he realised I havent got tuppnce to give him !

homersimpson_3

what really worries me about this programme is the attitude/lack of knowledge of the police and solicitor who was phoned by the female relatives of one of the debtors. when the police were called they seemed to merely support the baliffs because they were regarded as 'officers of the court' and even joked with one baliff about the weight of one individual which is totally irrelevant to any debt. the management seemed to condone the baliffs appauling behaviour and as is often the case in alot of companies only chose to take action when the dirt hit the fan. they should also be disciplined for failing to taking action- it was claimed one manager was even driving around in a posh car which should have been sent immediately to auction!. if so has manager committed offence? were any actual offences commited by the baliffs - if so why did police not refer file to cps to consider prosecution- there was no comment on this at all in the programme. reporter did not say file going to trading standards (or similiar body). why did reporter not refer file etc to court and let court stop using this firm etc?

cattie1

i think we should find a punishment that is npt illegal and do this to all baillifs, i would prefer to have a "baillif kicking" month/months myself (but not quite sure this is legal!)
All bailliffs would stand in front of a large crowd and then 1 by 1 woul be kicked up the bum by every individual they had visited! and as a special punishment for "ladders" he could climb his ladders while each "debtor" got to shake them vigirously, i'm still thinking of a punishment cruel enough for the ones that upset children,
I personally HATE baillifs, as some people will remeber the council sent them to me even though i was in credit with council tax (their mistake-no apology though!) when i contacted bailliffs and explained they said i still had to pay them, none of them had a clue what they were doing and unfortunately for them i knew my rights and have to admit i was very cocky with them-didn't pay them a penny and they are gone!! ha ha!

file_wizzard

Seperate thread to discuss proposed changes to Bailiff powers of recovery and entry.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=272160

rog2

file_wizzard wrote:

Seperate thread to discuss propoased changes to Bailiff powers of recovery and entry.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=272160

That is one complicated document F_W. Surely giving this amount of 'power' to the type of untrained thug that we saw on the programme runs contrary to the basic principles of democracy.:mad: :mad:

file_wizzard

rog2 wrote:

That is one complicated document F_W. Surely giving this amount of 'power' to the type of untrained thug that we saw on the programme runs contrary to the basic principles of democracy.:mad: :mad:

Indeed, however the salient points of it are that forced entry will become lawful, and the use of "reasonable force" to both execute a warrant and to recover goods once lawful entry has been made will become a reality.

Obviously I'm not suggesting for a moment that the "wont pays" should be safe hiding indoors with no chance for the courts to recover what is owed, however the implications for the less "aware" and “cant pays” are frankly shocking when the missing link and his mate can force entry and terrorise some unfortunate soul into paying debts which aren’t even theirs, or they cant realistically afford.

The danger here is that the Bill will be passed with little or no objection by the general public, and it will be yet another reduction in your civil liberty’s.


Write to your MP, I have !

aliyah

i was pleased to see Drakes bring scrutinised!

they chased me mercilessly over a Congestion Charge of £60 plus costs totalled £380!!

came home one day after only two letters from them and numerous telephone calls from me to Drakes to say the charge was a mistake (I am exempt) and that I was challenging it only to find they had clamped my sons Motability car.

very heavyhanded tactics ... i paid them money that wasnt mine to give away out of fear of loosing the car. They claimed that it doesnt matter if I lease the car from Motability, they can still auction it off.

I have since found out this is b*£!**@%ks!

These companies need regulating NOW!

and i speak for anyone who knows that horrible sick feeling as you peep round the net curtains when there is a knock at the door or an unexpected heavy parked outside your home..............