Bristow & Sutor Bailiffs-C.Tax Debt-Vunerable People

mum_of_2_2_2

Well I too have had a visit from B&S..... Yesterday I took my 2 boys to the beach before they went back to school. I came home to discover a letter on the floor stating "in the matter of unpaid council tax, sum now due £483.48.
The debt collector wrote on the letter and then used green highlighter - 48 hours!!! REMOVAL NOTICE
After looking online i came across this thread and have now sent B&S an email and also the council and email with details stating that I cannot afford to pay anything as I have become unemployed and am a single parent of 2 childen. I have asked to have the debt referrred back to the council and hopefully they will deduct from my benefits.
The bailiff left me a mobile number to contact him and i txtd him stating I have written emails to his company and the council requesting this also stating that I know the law about vulnerability according to the national standards for enforcement agents 2002 and guess what... he tried ringing me back, which I DID NOT answer. I txtd him again stating any correspondence will now be recorded via emails between myself, the company and the council... no reply
Fingers crossed the bailiffs will go away and my payments will now get sorted via the council Many thanks to you all on here for giving great advice, lets just hope it works

damtheman

Well I hope everyone is getting sorted with BSB - because I'm not!

Outstanding council tax (£398) was due from a previous property as I could not afford to pay it, my financial situation hasn't improved but BSB have got involved.

My property was visited, unannounced, by a bailiff who failed to make contact (I was at work, duh) and left a note. I had this referred back to the council, unsuccessfully but the council did advise BSB on a repayment arrangement (£38 per month) which unfortunately I could not get to them in time (my payday didn't coincide well enoguh) and now I'm back to square one - alone and with bailiffs most likely at my door soon.

I have a long correspondence with them via email (across today and yesterday) advising the circumstances; the delay in my confirmation of arrangement is in due to some minor dyslexia - can't be helped! And now my emails are going ignored and a bailiff will be going to my property to discuss an arrangement face to face and not via the phone (my preferred form of contact).

I'm secretly worried that my property has been visited already and my landlord (because he's an idiot) will let someone in but I'm also secretly hoping, when I do talk to a bailiff, that my original repayment arrangement can be made so they fit with my payday.

Very frigtening knowing that, reading the council's code of practice, that its actually lawful to "distract on goods"!! How so? I realise I owed money but I have always been open about my financial situation (I work full time and not on any form of benefits) and would expect some human concern about this...

To be honest, because the internet is what it is, I fear I will get the usual "you should have paid it in the first place" response

chappers

Just tell the baillif when he comes that you will not deal with him on the doorstep nor let him in.
Tell your LL to do the same if he calls.

The bailiff will probably make a few calls but as they can only extract limited fees they will eventually refer the debt back to the council and you will be able to deal with them.