pregnant and council tax bailiff visit

susie1982

Hi, I am looking for some advice about council tax and bailiffs please. My partner and I run our own business and for the past 6 months things have ben a struggle. A lot of clients owe us money that we might not see at all and the ones that are paying are doing so very, very slowly. This has led to us getting behind in our council tax - rather stupidly I know as it's a priority debt. I am also 6 months pregnant and have had a few health concerns which has contributed to us allowing the council tax to get out of control.

We are expecting a few thousand pounds to come in over the next couple of weeks, hopefully some in the next couple of days but until it does we are literally penniless!

We have come home today to find a letter from a bailiff saying that they called today, we must pay within 24 hours etc. Along with the usual rubbish about how they can force entry if we're not here which I know they're not all owed to do.

The amount is completely wrong though by a few hundred pounds as it doesn't seem to take into account the payments we have already made these year. My questions really are:

If I ring the council to query the amount will they speak to me now the account is with bailiffs?

I know as I'm pregnant I'm classed as a vulnerable person and may be able to get the council to take the account back. However it's in both mine and my partners name so would they still consider that because he isn't a vulnerable person is he?

The bailiff firm is Rossendales. As soon as we have money, we intend to start making payments to the council via their website. In the meantime we are going to ignore the bailiff. Generally speaking how many times are they likely to try before they give up? And what happens then if we haven't managed to clear the account?

Thanks in advance for any help that anyone can give me.

david_hellier

I suggest you ring the council to confirm that they have definetely instructed baliffs as directed by a Court Order. Ask them to confirm the date the hearing took place.

Other bailiff experts on here will, I'm sure, be able to explain what happens next.

dancingfairy

is it definitely council tax and not the business equivalent? You really do need to get a statement from the council if you think the amount is wrong to see where you are up to. As the previous poster said it may be worth finding out when the liability order was granted and what costs that incurred.
It's definitely worth speaking to the council to see if they will take the debt back as you are a vulnerable person - although you might still have to payf or 1 or 2 bailiff visits , but as you know if they haven't been in and haven't levied on a car or anything then they can't charge any more than for the 2 visits.
My info is based on it being council tax as opposed to business rates if there is any uncertaintanty. I suggest you also look at the National Debtline website and their factsheet on council tax and bailiffs etc.
df

RAS

If this is Council tax, not business rates, then the bailiff can do nothing as longs as:

1. You ensure that the doors and windows are locked and do not let him in.
2. if you have any vehicles, you ensure that they are "sold" immediately to someone you trust (unless they are HP,lease or HAVE to be used to perform your business).

YOu need to ask the COuncil how much the liaibility order was for and then ask the bailiff company for a breakdown of charges; on the basis of the post on here most bailiff try to charge illegal fees. At the moment he is entitled to £24.50 and no more for a CT bill.

susie1982

Thank you very much for the advice. It is definitely council tax, our business rates are paid up for this year.

I have contacted the council to ask them for the true statement of what we owe and to ask if they would take the account back in view of my pregnancy. I've also contacted the bailiff company in writing to inform them that as I'm pregnant I'm a vulnerable person and also that I'm fully aware of the maximum charges that they are allowed to levy. (not that I really expect that they'll take any notice!) In the meantime I will just follow all your advice and ignore the bailiff if he calls again and make sure that there's no way he can gain entry and we will pay off what we can directly to the council.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

dancingfairy

Have you got any vehicles - if so like RAS says you need to get them parked a long way away or sell them to someone you trust as otherwise the bailiff may levy on your car/van and it will cost you dear (plus if you don't pay they can then take a car/van as well). This could run into hundreds of pounds so save yourself any hassle now.
df

susie1982

Hi, fortunately we don't have any vehicles so that's one less thing to worry about. Thanks for the advice though.