Bailiffs

glebeland

Hoping someone might be able to help…..

My son picked up a parking fine from the local borough council some months ago, he failed to pay the fine and which has subsequently been enforced via the courts and increased to £112 which he has once again failed to pay

On Friday we received a visit from a bailiff (Marstons) who say the fine now stands at £378 and that failure to pay will result in goods being taken from the house. My son doesn’t live here any longer and is no longer on the electoral register at this address so I’m pretty sure that as none of his possessions are in the house there will be nothing they can take. But what I would like to know is whether a fine of £112 can justifiably be increased to £378? If this amount is enforceable? and if it’s likely to increase if the bailiff makes another visit?

My son is going to pay the fine (ideally this weekend) but we are just a little concerned that the only piece of paperwork we have from the bailiff is a hand written form with no reference numbers etc….does this sound right?

Many thanks for reading this far

vax2002

Did you let the Bailiff in the house ?

Coupon-mad

glebeland wrote: »

My son is going to pay the fine (ideally this weekend) but we are just a little concerned that the only piece of paperwork we have from the bailiff is a hand written form with no reference numbers etc….does this sound right?

Many thanks for reading this far

Before he does, it may be worth him contacting Sheila for advice, at bailiffadviceonline. That seems like a very large amount of money from a bailiff and often Sheila can provide urgent help & advice to get the amount reduced at least.

Bailiff charges are worth scrutinising anyway, and if you go to bailiffadviceonline (where I have no connection at all) it will cost you or your son £10 for advice.

Maybe worth you paying that tenner up front if he's not great at sorting things out in a timely fashion? At least if you get Sheila's advice, you'd know EXACTLY what to say if the bailiff calls again at your house - and you may well be able to save your son part of this money too. We do often recommend that website to people before they just pay whatever a bailiff says they owe...

muckybutt

Your son needs to put this on pepipoo http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30 today or tomorrow.
There are ways to get the bailiffs off your back and the ticket put back to the original amount but you need to act on advice given on there as early as you can next week.

give_them_FA

If youre son doesn't live at your house any more or have any possessions there then the bailiff should not return.

Marston's are notorious for adding excessive and unjustified charges.

However if they have no address for him (and you are not obliged to tell them) then they won't bother to seek him out.

Or, depending on how it went, if he didn't get the proper paperwork he may be in a position to set the procedure back to before the bailiffs got involved.

glebeland

Wow - thanks for the fast responses!

We didn't let the bailiff in the house and he doesn't know my sons new address as far as we know.

I'll follow up on the links provided...thank you so much for your help.

Coupon-mad - you're so right about my son not following up on things. He didn't even own the vehicle when the ticket was given, he'd sold it some weeks prior but failed to register this with the DVLA - so this isn't actually his fine anyway......hopefully he'll learn from this!!

Thanks again for your help x

hallowitch

even if your son pays the original PCN to the council (if they will allow him to make payments ) he will still have legal bailiff fees to pay

I'm not great with bailiffs fees for PCN but this is how its worked out

Taken form a post on another form
http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?346612-Can-anyone-help-us-with-Ross-amp-Roberts...Please&p=3801048#post3801048

: For preparing and sending a letter advising that a warrant is with the bailiff and requesting the total sum due: £11.20


2: For levying distress –

(i) Where the sum demanded and due does not exceed £100: £28.00

(ii) Where the sum demanded exceeds£100: 28% on the first £200 due
5.5% on any additional sum over £200


3: For attending to levy distress but where the levy is not made:


The reasonable costs and charges for attending to levy. But, not to exceed the fees and charges which would have been due under item (2) above if the distress had been levied.


Note: The aggregate costs and charges payable under paragraphs 2 and 3 are not to exceed the costs and charges allowed for three attendances to levy distress.

However if your son no longer lives with you logic says HE did not receive all statutory notices (the warrant of execution will have your address on it not his)therefore in my opinion he should file a TE7 & TE9 (i think thats the correct forms) with the traffic enforcement centre

glebeland

That's really interesting hallowitch and based on that it looks like the bailiffs are inflating the charges beyond what's reasonable.

I'm beginning to think that we might be able to do something here...thanks again!!

hallowitch

http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/northampton-bulk-centre/traffic-enforcement-centre/frequently-asked-questions

have a read of this

as i understand it you can phone TEC (phone numbers in the link) and they will e-mail you the forms