Bristow and Sutor Help

julienfreya

Hi all

I am currently paying this company £70p/m to clear off my council tax debt. I set up a standing order with them back in oct when they first wrote to me I have paid ontime every month since then. Yesterday they sent a bailiff to my house (i was out at work) and left a letter telling me that I need to contact them to make an arrangement to pay the debt! I have been doing this! they have charged me a further £18 for this visit also!!! I rang the bailiff and explained I didnt understand his visit as i'm paying the debt off at £70p/m! to which he said it "does'nt matter you dont have an arrangement in place" and in order to stop further bailiff visits he needs to come back to my property and secure the debt against my assets and then he will set the arrangement up! I looked back at the original letter and I only oowed them £438.00 at the start of the debt! and since I have been paying them £70p/m I now only owe them £158.00 less the bailiff visit which i dont see why I should pay this as I am actually paying the debt off! so after another payment of £70 and a final payment at the begninning of April of £88 the debt will be paid off.
Can anyone offer me advise. I dont see why i should pay for bailiff visits when im actually paying the debt off and its nearly fully paid. I have spoken to the main office and they told me i need to set the arrangement up with the bailiff and yes it will incur me more charges!
I just feel as though I am being treated like someone not paying when in actual fact I am paying a more than adequate amount considering I only work 2 days a week and am a single parent!
Any help would be greatly appreciated if someone has experience with this kind of thing.

RAS

The bailiff is lying - all he wants is for you to let him in so that he can charge you extra fees.

Will cost a link to another thread where this was covered yesterday.

And in the mean-time you need to find out who you local councillor is and when their next surgery is running.

RAS

Read this thread first and then ask questions. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3796161

julienfreya

Thank you so much, that thread was so helpful! I didnt understand all this having to secure possessions in order to make an arrangement! and as seen as I am paying them on s/o I shall not be worried as the debt will be paid off after 2 more payments! A big relief that I now know what to say should they try to do this on a further visit.

RAS

julienfreya wrote: »

Thank you so much, that thread was so helpful! I didnt understand all this having to secure possessions in order to make an arrangement! and as seen as I am paying them on s/o I shall not be worried as the debt will be paid off after 2 more payments! A big relief that I now know what to say should they try to do this on a further visit.

What he is after is the extra fees.

Do you have full details mof the liability order (ASK THE cOUNCIL) and a breakdown of the fees being charged by B&S?

julienfreya

Yeah the amount was £438 and they have added on £18 yesterday for the bailiff visit even though i wasnt in at the time! they say the amount i owe is now £182.50 including £18 for the bailiff visit yesterday, not sure where the difference comes from. I have made 4 payments of £70 since the debt was passed to them so ive paid off already £280 which in my eyes only leaves me with £158 which even with their £18 fee yesterday added on still leaves a difference of £6.50? Am i within my rights to not pay the difference and just pay the amount i know i definately owe? I have all original paperwork both from the council, court and this company so can back up exactly how much i should of paid. I dont see why i should be paying extra and for visits that are not even necessary as ive been paying the debt for the last 4 months and only have a small amount left to pay! And i definately do not want to pay the extra fee's for bailiffs to come into my home and assess my assets! what assets i dont know cause i live in furnished rented property so only have tv and its only a 26" not one of them great big things lol and a wii, my mobile belongs to work and i just pay my personal calls and the laptop i use is also from work for working from home when my daughter is in school holidays. I also dont own a car either so they cannot get me there.

julienfreya

It all just seems ridiculous that they are chasing someone like this who is already paying the debt! i could understand if id ignored them and not paid etc... but as explained its now nearly paid off! Sorry to go on it just makes me really mad! ive rebudgeted my finances etc in order to afford the £70 and im still being penalised!