Urgent baliff advice desperately needed :-(

Keepgoing_2

To explain it briefly: I have £176 in council tax arrears from last September which I didn't realise I had (long story as to why I didn't realise).

By the time I found out, it had already been passed onto a bailiff through Equitas. When I got the bailiff letter, I started trying to ring the bailiff to make payment, which I was willing and able to do, and is what the letter told me to do.

It always went to the bailiff's voicemail, so I left messages with my name, postcode and phone number asking to be called back. I have left many, many messages over the last fortnight, but I was NEVER called back save once when I was driving and couldn't stop and get to the phone in time.

I finally spoke to the bailiff last night. Only after enquiring was I informed that over the past week, the £176 has now become £407. :eek:

I DO understand that they have costs they are allowed to recover from me and so on. But the fact is, I was willing and even desperate to pay the initial debt as soon as I first heard about it. But the bailiff simply never answered his phone and never called me back. I was so worried about this that I did also call the council and Equitas, who simply told me to 'keep trying' the bailiff's number.

I cannot afford £407, although I can just afford £176 - I've been trying to pay it! :mad:
So now I'm desperately worried and frightened as to what do to. I don't have £407. Please please please can anyone advise me???
Thank you in advance.

Flash-bang

Hi,
Have they put anything in writing? The council will add some for issuing a liability order (possibly about £100), but unless the bailiff has been in your house (which it sounds like they haven't) they can only add about £40 for visit fees (this is basically giving you a letter - they will claim they visited but probably won't have). If you do a search on the forum for bailiffs it will bring up the exact amount.

I had a similar situation - I paid the council direct via their online system, including the bailiff fee - the council will pass on the payment. I also wrote to the council complaining that their bailiffs had refused to speak to me and had added illegal fees to my account. This seemed to sort it all out. I also asked the council to send me written confirmation that the debt had been cleared - in case any bailiff turned up, they never did.

HTH

fatbelly

Without a valid levy, the maximum they are allowed to charge is £42.50 - for two visits (£18 + £24.50) - and only then if they have actually visited.

Factsheet | Bailiffs and Council Tax

Clarie_2

I go with Flashbang. Pay the council, ask for proof it's been paid off. And complain to the council too - they shouldn't employ people (with our taxes!!!) who use these sorts of tactics.

Keepgoing_2

Thank you so much for the help. I know for a fact they have never actually visited, because my housemate is ill and never leaves the house (but always answers the door).

I feel way better after having advice from you guys, thank you!

I have written a letter to the council enclosing a cheque for the initial amount I owed them, and explaining how I was never able to get in touch with the bailiff and so on. I really really hope that this will sort it.

I am fortunate in being a reasonably confident person - I can't imagine what something like this would do to someone less able to deal with things like this. I think it's disgusting. Thank goodness for places like this that offer support. :T

Flash-bang

Hope it all goes well, although you will probably have to pay the £42.

It seems to be a money making exercise for them, send a letter, claim they have visited and put in for 2 visit fees. We had one who insisted, when he called me, that he had visited twice before and that he knew I lived in an upstairs flat as he had put the letter in through my door. Funny that, I lived in a semi at the time :rotfl: - I did try to explain that he probably had the wrong address, but he then just told me I was lying and people like me often lied to avoid paying. He even refused to take a note of my actual address! What a plonker.