Please help Equita and Birmingham City Council Tax

sy187

Hi all


I'm currently locked n my home staring at the front door anticipating the return from the Bailiffs.


This weekend has been the hardest weekend in my life and have no idea on how to express this.


On Friday 23rd September I had a hand delivered letter from a bailiff that has no date or time on it.


BAILIFF REMOVAL


Payment due in full – 24 Hours


I have attended today with the intention of removing your goods and chattels as are necessary to discharge the outstanding Council Tax Liability Order and any additional Enforcement Costs incurred.


PLEASE NOTE – No further arrangements are acceptable and payment is now required in full by CLEAR FUNDS ONLY.


I will re-attend at your address with immediate effect may REMOVE goods even in your absence. Should you wish to avoid this distressing course of action, contact me immediately on the telephone number below to arrange payment of your debt.


No contact will be taken as your refusal to pay.


I have been in contact with Birmingham City Council since August 8th 2011, when I received there first letter, the original debt belongs to someone else dating back to 2005.


Despite many emails and telephone conversations Birmingham City Council as passed this matter on to Equita.


Please help

hallowitch

Birmingham council outsource the administration of council tax to a company called Capita so when you phone /e-mail them you are speaking to a capita employee Capita own a bailiff firm called Equita


First thing Monday you phone and e/mail the council tell them don't ask tell them (politely) that you have never lived at the address tell them you e-mailed them on the 8th August when you were first contracted by Equita as you still have bailiffs calling it looks like no action was taken by them to sort this out clearly there is some kind of maladministration and you want conformation in writing by e-mail by the end of the day (Monday) that all bailiff action against you has been put on hold until they can establish why you have been linked to this to this address

If they refuse to put the bailiffs on hold tell them you will be writing /e-mail a letter of formal complaint to the chief executive Stephen Hughes

sy187

cheers hallowitch
I will give that a go on Monday

hallowitch

If you have to go down the formal complaint route you must head your letter/e-mail Formal complaint F.A.O. Chief Executive Stephen Hughes(you should be able to find his e-mail address on the council web site )


a copy should also be sent to the Head of revenues with a simple cover note such as

Please find enclosed/attached formal complaint letter

google equita and Birmingham city council you will find you are not the only person who has problems with the Capita/Equita combination
you may also want e-mail your local councillor and MP

sy187

It's that deep...
Could be a bumpy ride

sy187

well that didn't work, they are refusing to email me that the bailiffs have been put on hold

dancingfairy

So where exactly have you got so far? Who have you emailed and written to?
Have you emailed all the people that have been suggested so far and put in a formal complaint?
I'd email it in the first instance but back it up with a letter in the post.
Also get your local councillor organised to back you up.
df

sy187

I have emailed chief executive Stephen Hughes, but with no response.
I also have a letter ready to be sent to the Head of revenues, but I'm currently stuck inside my home.

feeling quite desperate

RobertoMoir

sy187 wrote: »

I have emailed chief executive Stephen Hughes, but with no response.
I also have a letter ready to be sent to the Head of revenues, but I'm currently stuck inside my home.

feeling quite desperate

If they've never been inside your house then they can't force their way in no matter what their letters say, not for council tax anyway.

Just be careful not to let them in.

Close and lock all doors and windows. Don't leave anything they might find valuable enough to seize outside on the drive (this includes your car if you have one, don't leave this outside the house or on your driveway). I'd also advise closing blinds or curtains downstairs (they might look through a window, write down details of what they can see then claim to have been inside).

With that done, go out and get on with your day and don't worry. Easier said than done, I appreciate, but there's no need to feel trapped by them.

sy187

Hi RobertoMoir
Thank you for your comments.

I was just wondering if this includes items in your back garden.

I have a very big locked gate, and was wondering if they are allowed to enter going over the gate.

Thank you

RobertoMoir

sy187 wrote: »

Hi RobertoMoir
Thank you for your comments.

I was just wondering if this includes items in your back garden.

I have a very big locked gate, and was wondering if they are allowed to enter going over the gate.

Thank you

I don't think so but I can't remember for sure. It's been a very long time since I was a bailiff.