bailiff action help pleae

DEV1L79

I have been looking at all the bailiff advice on the site and it has been very informative and I want to thank all that have contributed as it has really put my mind at ease, but I do have a few questions.

I will tell you a bit about my situation.

I was living at a house about 5 years ago and at the time I was receiving benefit. I had housing benefit paid and council tax benefit paid, so when my council tax letters where coming I thought they were just for my reference I didn't think I was liable to pay council tax.

It has been almost 6 years since I lived at that address and I started getting council tax bills saying I owed over £1000 in council tax for the period I lived at this address, I spoke to the council about it and explained, and they continued to send me bills, I thought they will just forget about it it was so long ago but I realised the bills would not stop and I needed to sort it, so I sent them an offer of a monthly payment.

They sent me a letter back almost a month after my offer of repayments and said it was to late and that they have sent my details to Jacobs, the councils firm of appointed bailiff for collection.

I rang Jacobs to see if we could come to an arrangement to pay the money back in monthly instalments and they said the matter is being dealt with by a bailiff and to contact them directly so I rang the bailiff and he said he was coming to my house on Thursday and if I wanted to sort out monthly instalments with him I had to pay him £50 there and then and that he would need to come into the house to take a levvy of goods to base the instalments on.

My questions are:
I know I am not to let him in the house but how do I actually pay back the money, if I ring Jacobs they tell me I must speak to the bailiff and the bailiff will not deal with me unless I let him in the property.

I do not know how to pay this money off and I am very worried and just want to start a payment plan.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thank you.

RAS

Have Jacobs provided you with an address? if so, start by sending a cheque to that address.

DEV1L79

Hi thanks for the reply RAS.

No I have not had any correspondence with Jacobs apart from the phone call I made to them when I got the letter from the council.

I would be a bit worried about sending them a cheque and how much would I send. I can't afford to pay the whole lot I will need to sort out a monthly payment plan.

RAS

Ok

Herbie21 runs this web-site http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/ - 0906 802 0273 (60p a min) There is some good reading there on Ct debts.

try sending her a PM and she may well answer it here for free. Otherwise, try tomorrow and ask her to read her pms.

Also try sending a PM to hallowitch, who answers more often on here.

Tomorrow please can you ring the Council and ask how much the liability order is for, including court costs?

Then post on here.

And any chance you could persuade the bailiff to respond to a text offering the £50? Perferably he will respond that he has to visit and you can respond that you know it is not necessary?

dancingfairy

can you not pay the council direct anyway for now? do they have an automated payment system or someway you can pay them - standing order?
df

DEV1L79

When I ring the council they tell me the matter is being dealt with by Jacobs and to contact them so I have no means in which to pay the council, I have asked the council in a letter if they would take back the debt and arrange a monthly instalment with me, and I am waiting to hear back from them but I heard 9 times out of 10 they won't do this.

I rang a place called national debtline who gave me some good advice, and I will act on that, I am also going to the CAB tomorrow so I am hopeful they will have something for me.

@ RAS the Bailiff has made it clear he will not deal with me unless I make an appointment for him to come to my house so he can take a levvy of goods.

Jesthar

DEV1L79 wrote: »

When I ring the council they tell me the matter is being dealt with by Jacobs and to contact them so I have no means in which to pay the council, I have asked the council in a letter if they would take back the debt and arrange a monthly instalment with me, and I am waiting to hear back from them but I heard 9 times out of 10 they won't do this.

I rang a place called national debtline who gave me some good advice, and I will act on that, I am also going to the CAB tomorrow so I am hopeful they will have something for me.

@ RAS the Bailiff has made it clear he will not deal with me unless I make an appointment for him to come to my house so he can take a levvy of goods.

This isn't my specialist subject, but I'd say he's being a very naughty boy with that one - you aren't required to let him into your house, and as you obviously know you should certainly NOT do so if he hasn't already been inside. If he hasn't been into your property, then never to open the door him for any reason (they may try asking to use your phone or toilet), make sure all windows and doors are locked, and talk to them through the letter box or an upstairs window. Also, make sure any car you own is parked several streets away, as that is the easiest (and most profitable) thing for them to levy on, as they don't need to enter your house to do that.

You can't be arrested for denying a baliff entry, only for wilfully refusing to pay, so if you are making an offer of regular payment they have no reason to refuse you that option and demand a walking possession visit other than increasing the fees they can charge you. Incidentally, check what charges have been added by the baliff, there are strict set fees which they cannot alter, but some will try and charge way more than they should!

Anyway, I'm pretty sure he has no need to do a levy of any sort 'to base payments on', and is just trying it on. There's a useful template letter at the top of this link which might helpm I think

http://www.consumerwiki.co.uk/index.php/Bailiffs:_Useful_Template_Letters

I'm sure someone will correct me quickly if I'm wrong, though

~Jes

king100

Ok Bailiff is being an idiot.

Do not contact the bailiff as you are wasting your time.

Your council should have an automated online payment system that you can pay. Pay what you can afford to them.

They can charge you for a letter £11.50 i think

1st visit £24.50
2nd visit £18

They will try and levy on anything so if you have a car park it 5 mins away from your property.

The council should let you know how much the liability order is for?

You can get a template letter to send off.

DEV1L79

Thanks for all the advice, Tomorrow is the day the bailiff will be calling, feeling nervous now._pale_

The CAB was closed today they are closed on Wednesday's.

I have got my letter drafted to send to Jacobs and I am writing out a budget form to send too.

I have still not heard anything back from the council, I am sure they are wrong about how much I owe it is well over £1000 and I was on housing benefit and JSA at the time they are billing me for.

I do hope I get this sorted I have a constant knot in my stomach

king100

DEV1L79 wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice, Tomorrow is the day the bailiff will be calling, feeling nervous now._pale_

The CAB was closed today they are closed on Wednesday's.

I have got my letter drafted to send to Jacobs and I am writing out a budget form to send too.

I have still not heard anything back from the council, I am sure they are wrong about how much I owe it is well over £1000 and I was on housing benefit and JSA at the time they are billing me for.

I do hope I get this sorted I have a constant knot in my stomach

You dont need to send a budget form to the bailiff company. Go to CAG - consumer action group and post there in debt subforum.

RAS

DEV1L79 wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice, Tomorrow is the day the bailiff will be calling, feeling nervous now._pale_

The CAB was closed today they are closed on Wednesday's.

I have got my letter drafted to send to Jacobs and I am writing out a budget form to send too.

I have still not heard anything back from the council, I am sure they are wrong about how much I owe it is well over £1000 and I was on housing benefit and JSA at the time they are billing me for.

I do hope I get this sorted I have a constant knot in my stomach

Devil

Please stop this now.

You must NOT let the bailiff into the house. Do you understand?

If he tell you that you have to, advise him that you are aware of the fee structure and know that he can claim lost more money if you are stupid enough to let him into the house. Expect him to find awayas of adding anythinbg up to £200 to the bill. And once he does a levy, he HAS the right to return and come in the house any time he wants ansd take stuff.

So, if you miss one payment, he will be there charging £150 van fees etc. And you will be scratting round trying to find hundreds of pounds to pay him by borrowing off people.