bailiff - peaceful entry

grogsy

I have some very very good advise for you. Do exactly what RAS advises you to do. I'm the previous poster who got the charges refunded.

sscdougal

not to sound ungrateful to RAS (thankyou muchly by the way) is there ne 1 else who can offer there two cents so to speak, maybe provide a link to official/ legal information to back up the advice or personal experience

RAS

Herbie21 posts here sometimes but she runs this website which list bailiff rules:

http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/

If you send her a PM, she may respond here for free. Also pm hallowitch.

kaya

www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk

kaya

wow, great minds and that!

RAS

and http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=02_bailiffs_and_council_tax

LittleMissMPB

I had this exact situation about a year ago. I fell behind with the council tax, and it went to a DCA who called the bailiffs out. The bailiff I had to deal with was very threatening, mis-represented powers, overcharged and basically made me scared to be in my own home, but also scared to leave it incase I forgot to shut a window or he forced his way in. I even had letters claiming he would enter the property whether I was home or not, when he had no right to.

I wrote a letter to the council explaining I was finding his behaviour threatening, that I had a 2yr old child at the time, I was on my own with her whenever he came knocking and that I was disappointed that the council would use such threatening companies to collect their debts. I asked the council if they could stop the bailiffs from coming if I paid them £40 a month directly. I received a reply, in which they agreed to my offer and sent out some giro slips for me to make the payment with.

The bailiffs company I was dealing with was Rossendales. Even seeing that name written down now makes me feel nervous and my situation with them was done and dusted a while ago. Don't tell the bailiff you are going to try and get the council to take the debt back - they will tell you that the council won't do it and give you some scare stories about what will happen if you don't pay (key word there being scare stories - I since found out my 'bailiff' didn't even have a liscence - I'm sure there is someone who can help you find out if yours does? I can't remember where to go)

Also bailiffs are not allowed to visit 'vunerable' people. There is list of vulnerable persons - it is part of The nation standards of Enforcement agents 2002

Those who might be potentially vulnerable include:

• the elderly;
• people with a disability;
• the seriously ill;
• the recently bereaved;
• single parent families;
• pregnant women;
• unemployed people; and,
• those who have obvious difficulty in understanding, speaking or reading English

so if you fall into one of these groups, include this in a letter to the council, stating you know that they should not be contacting you. (this bit about vunerable persons was sent to me by someone over at CAG at the time and I kept it in my e-mails just in case, as some of it applied to me at the time).

I'm afraid I can't find the links I used when I had this trouble, I can only tell you my experience.

sscdougal

seems i have the best advice available i will follow all the advice i have been given and will try and post results for you.

sorry if i have seemed ungrateful RAS i just like to cover all angles first, i really am grateful for all the advice given to me here