baliff tracked down daughter to my work address!?

Gnomie25

Hi guys
have come on for much needed baliff advice!

my daughter (who is over 21 & I see once or twice a year!) had a court fee I was fully aware of. She told me she was paying it off weekly through her payment card.

Now I get a baliff turn up at my work - a retail shop (i do not own!) and looking for my daughter. I took him off quietly to another room (oviously being a shop he can just 'walk in') and explained that - this was my daughter - (and i could have just fobbed him off as we have different surnames) I explained she didnt attually have a address (she attually doesnt and if she did i would not know it!) but that as this was oviously a shop - she didnt live here! He said she had missed the last £50 payment from the court and had been fee'd and the debt was now £350.

He said as her mother I should take some responsibility even after I stated she is over 21! He said that he would need to contact the shop owner (my boss!!) and also the attual landlord for written statements to prove she did not live at the address. (a wedding shop for god sake!) this would put me in a very difficult position (clearly not allowed to use the address as personal!) as although I did not give this address for her - she clearly must have because otherwise he wouldnt be here!
So i agreed to pay the money (in a weeks time!)

I cannot get hold of my daughter and also am struggling to raise enough to pay the baliff for her.
My other daughter told me maybe I could ring the court and pay the balalnce directly to them as the balieff might have charged me alot of the amount hes asking for!?

any advice id greatly apprechiate

DS4215

I'm not an expert, but its not your debt and so you do not have to pay for it. Speaking to you boss and the landlord could be seen as harrasment.

NeverAgain_2

You may have agreed to pay this for family reasons, which is your own affair.

But I hope you haven't agreed to pay because you fear the bailiff will write to the shop or call again.

Were I your employer, and you explained the circumstances, I would understand, probably sympathise, and certainly not be bothered about the bailiff.

fd1972uk

That's terrible, you see your daughter once or twice a year?

Sorry, but I wouldn't be taking that responsibility on, unless I had signed something to do so.

Surely it can't be correct for someone to come in to your place of work and start demanding money from you.

I'd tell them to get lost personally.


FD

HappyMJ

Don't pay the money. Tell the bailiff to go away. You are not the person he is chasing so you have nothing to do with the bailiff. Any reasonable person i.e the boss will understand that this has nothing to do with you. Your daughter may not have given the address you work at. It's probably just a debtor trace done on your home address leading him to this address.

sandraroffey

dont pay...and please tell the court that he is turning up at YOUR place of work, which clearly isnt a residential address.

fd1972uk

I'd get in contact with someone like a local citizen advice bureau or the likes too, get your £50 back.

Sorry if this sounds rude and I know you have maybe been caught off guard and panic, but you were silly to pay the £50, you'd be a fool to continue paying them.

I'd probably be up at court personally if a bailiff came to my work for someone else's debt.


FD

Gnomie25

Thank you for your replies they have been very helpfull.
Its difficult because she IS my daughter and I want to help her - but this is not the 1st/2nd/3rd time ive paid her debts - only the 1st time balieff has come to my work.
and yes.. it is very sad we do not see each other often.

FD im sorry i think you mis-read. The baliff came because my daughter had missed her last £50 payment - and there fore is insisting the debt is now £350. I have not paid anything but had agreed i would call him next week about paying in full for her.
Thank you for your reply though i apprechiate your time

hallowitch

as HappyMJ pointed out you are NOT the person who owes the fine

This situation is very common (bailiffs trying to get parents to pay magistrate court fines) you are not the person named on the distress warrant and the bailiff firm Marstons/Phillips (england) cant /shouldn't get in touch with YOUR landlord or employer

Its a bluff /intimidation to get YOU to pay to clear his books and get the fine plus his fees of £275 paid before the warrant runs out

If you are worried about this give http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk a call they will supply you with the information template letter needed to make a formal complaint to the court regarding the actions of there bailiffs

I know its a premium rate phone number but its cheaper than paying the bailiff and they wont be so keen to intimidate you once they know you have bailiffs advice on line on board

vax2002

How exactly did you know he was a bailiff and not a debt collector, what does it say on the paper work and receipts he gave you for your money and do they have a SIA number written on them.

If you shop is in a centre or part of a shop watch, if he turns up again, ask him to leave once politely and calmly then if he does not, call security or shopwatch and have him removed as a trespasser.

fd1972uk

Hi Gnomie, good you ain't paid anything then and I can full understand about it being your daughter.

However, unless I've mis-read (again, hehe) you say it's not the 1st, 2nd or 3rd time? Are you meaning it's a regular occurrence for you to pick up your daughter's tab? If so, there lies the problem.


FD