Advice-EQUITA Bailiffs, eek!

dancingfairy

Don't forget IF the bailiff turns up (he may or may not) and you feel threatened at any time then you can call the police. Sadly the police are not always up on bailiff tricks and tactics and don't always know the law in this area so they may not be as clued up as you are or may give wrong /incorrect advice which I would not rely on. However clearly they are there if needs be if you fear violence etc so do not be afraid to stand up for yourself and your rights (in a non agressive way obviously).
df

cottage_retreatist

We're back!

So, I wrote a letter to the head of the fiance department at South Oxfordshire district council and sent it direct to him, and cc-ed in capita, the SODC complaints department and equita (info@equita.co.uk) and listed all the fees we were aware of and asking where this extra amount may have come from that the bailiff said we supposedly owed him of roughly 500 quid (if anyone wants a copy please do message me).

We used most of the hints and tips posted on this and other threats offered - very very helpful and can't thank you enough for your assistance.

To cut a long story short this guy was amazing, emailed me back the same day saying he had sent the issue to the finance complaints department who sent me a full itemised bill of full amounts (which is all we wanted because we acknowledged it was our fault through a lack of knowledge/understanding that led to bailiffs knocking on our door) and told me to contact equita (not the bailiff thankfully) to take full payment which i did over the phone after checking twice, with two different employees to ensure they wouldn't take any more money than we agreed to pay off the outstanding arrears.

Very very scary and we felt completely violated by this person and the threat of them coming to our door (we actually hid one car in the locked garage and parked one in the local village for a week until we had this sorted out we were so scared they would get taken).

I suppose the only thing is they charged us for 2 visits, when we only received one hand-delivered letter that the bailiff had posted to say he'd attended the home. But whats 18 quid with a 2 grand debt?!!!!

Now just to take on all those other debts before any more scary bailiff letters come through the door :eek:

louuk_3

Hi im hoping someone can help--- I recieved a pcn as a named driver on my husbands carin july 2010- the car was registered to him, as it was not valid since I had a ticket the time the pcn was issued, i sent my ticket and a letter explaining to the council, my husband was out of the country at the time, I heard nothing back and presumed this had been an error. I separated from my husband shortly after and the letters must have been sent in his name, in response I returned to sender or binned the letters as he was no longer living at my house. The car has since been sold. I recieved a notice through my door that a bailiff had called to collect goods from equita including the car- which had been sold. I kept the car and continued driving it still in his name as I was paying the insurance fee- I tried calling equita but they gave me no information whatsoever for dpa- I didn't want to raise this with my ex as things are difficult enough- I have now moved out of the property and my previous landlord has sent me a msg today that bailiffs have been at the property again today----im so embarrassed and not really sure what to do- I read on some blogs that a bailiff can only come to the house 3 times after which its passed back to the council as they have been 'unsuccessful' at this point the original debt is due less the bailiff fees- is this correct-- help???!!!!!!

kittyfantastico_2

Hi All

I have had a very similar experience with Equita for payment of an Oxfordshire council tax bill.

Was passed to them and a monthly payment plan agreed. I was told that there was flexibility with the payment date around a weekend - ie if the date fell on a Sat/Sun I could pay on the Friday or Monday. This happened twice - but I paid the amount due on the day I'd been told I could - but on phoning the third time to pay I was told I'd been late to many times and were handing to the baliffs.

I phoned the baliffs the same day and arranged to make two payments to make up the full amount - both within the same month. At no time did they visit my property, hand deliver or even post a letter to me - and yet I was charged £209 baliffs fees.

When I challenged this amount for the second/final payment I was told if I didnt pay they would come round and start taking goods. As a single female I felt vulnerable - particuarly as I live in a block of flats and the rules around entering are pretty grey around them.

So the debt is paid off - but I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to challenge and claim back the £209 at this point? All the payments were done via the bank - so I can proof what was paid to them when. Any advice would be much appreciated.

hallowitch

Oxfordshire council back office staff are employed by the Capita group of company's Equita bailiffs are part of the capita group

Everything the bailiff does he does on behalf of the council the regulations clearly state this the bailiff is employed as there AGENT any over payment should also come from the AUTHORITY

you can phone your council and insist they tell you
what fees have added to your account
the date of each fee
the reason for each fee
and the name of the bailiff who attended your property when the fee was charged (tell the council you insist they give you the name of the bailiff as you may at some point want to send a form 4 complaint to to his issuing court where he gained his certificate as you feel his fitness to hold this certificate should be brought into question as to date you have received no hand delivered letters no notice of seizure/distress on your goods ) therefore he clearly charging for work he has not done



you have been charged 2x visit fees £24.50&£18

the reaming £165.50 could be anything most common levy fee attendance to remove fee,enforcement fee payment by card fee

there is no such thing as an enforcement fee or a payment by card fee under the currant regulations
to charge a levy the bailiff must attend your home and seize goods either inside or outside your home (car) the bailiff at the time of the levy must leave you a notice of distress listing the goods seized and fees charged

A van/attendance to remove fee cant be charged unless there is valid levy
will post the current regulations soon (as soon as i make grandson bacon butti ) and a letter to send to the council to get the fees charged put in writing

hallowitch

Kitty

can you PM me the bailiffs name that you phoned

I take it all arrangements to pay were made to Equita over the phone
did you receive a letter from Equita by royal mail

cookieboy1980

hi im new so please bear with me. i got a hand delivered letter from a equita balif but no 1 was in so he posted the note. wen i rang him he stated tha this was my second visit from equita however this was his first visit to my house. he said that the total bill was 416.30 and i was shocked wen i asked why it was so much he replyed rite lets see theres 35 for first visit and 45 for second visit and 160 enforsment fee and 103 to manchester city council for the parking ticket after doing some research ive kinda found out that theres no such thing as an enforsment fee. can anybody tell me what they can legally charge as i have only had 1 visit from them and they never gt in to my house. i have e-mailed equita 3 times and i have rang the council bt im going round in circles now ive been pased from pillar to post for a week now and am near the end now PLEASE HELP ME