Jacobs Bayliffs for Council Tax Debt

money_saving_hedgehog

I am looking for advice.
Unfortunately we have mounted up council tax arrears over a number of years.

The first being for 2009/10. I stupidly did not seek advice and let them in and signed a walking possession order. This was at a previous address but I understand is still valid at my new address.
I have a balance of £400 on this account, payable over the next four months at £100 a month.

I have received letters from the same Bayliffs Jacobs for later years (2011/12) debts.

Being £436.58 old address and £837.68 new address.

I have not opened the door when the bayliff has called regarding these or entered in to any discussions.

I have today received letters on the two later accounts stating Removal 24 hours notice. As we have not had a satisfactory response to previous correspondence I am now instructed to proceed with the removal and sale of your goods. Removal may take place in your absence.

These original council tax bills have now gone up to £651.58 and £1063.68 respectively.

I was under the impression that they could only add charges of £42.50 unless they had a walking possession order, can anyone confirm. If this is the case what are these extra charges, have they levied goods without my knowledge. If they did this should they have not provided me with a copy.

Can anyone confirm if because they had a walking possession order on a previous account they can do anything regarding these.

Am I correct that if I ignore the bayliffs and do not let them in or leave doors or windows open then there is nothing they can do.

I have contacted the council to see if they will bring these debts back and agree a payment plan, but they refuse. Although they have said they will accept any payments, so I intend to pay them direct at a rate I can afford.

I am really worried they will break in.

HappyMJ

The walking possession order only applies to the first liability order. They can't keep adding amounts without actually getting a walking possession order each year.

Make sure you clearly mark your payments to clear the first liability order then once that is cleared then concentrate on the next ones. If you ignore the bailiff after the first liability order is cleared they will visit a second and maybe a third time and if you ignore them each time they will return the debt to the council.

Are you paying this years council tax? That would be a higher priority than paying the arrears.

money_saving_hedgehog

Thanks for this, Do you think I am safe in that they will not force entry. I have just applied for Council Tax Benefit for this year, so hopefully shall not have to pay once that comes through.

HappyMJ

money_saving_hedgehog wrote: »

Thanks for this, Do you think I am safe in that they will not force entry. I have just applied for Council Tax Benefit for this year, so hopefully shall not have to pay once that comes through.

They won't if you keep to the payment agreement.

You may have applied for CTB but are you actually paying the council tax or are they considering taking you to court for this years council tax?

If you don't earn enough money to be able to claim CTB then you should not be paying £100 per month. The repayment rate should be more like £5 a week.

money_saving_hedgehog

I have not paid anything yet this year so will owe for April. I am no longer working, but my husband does. The benefits checker said once the claim comes though we should get full CT benefit and will not have to pay any CT from May onwards. The £100 agreement was with the bayliffs FOR 2009/10 and I do not think that this can be altered even though our income has gone down.

HappyMJ

money_saving_hedgehog wrote: »

I have not paid anything yet this year so will owe for April. I am no longer working, but my husband does. The benefits checker said once the claim comes though we should get full CT benefit and will not have to pay any CT from May onwards. The £100 agreement was with the bayliffs FOR 2009/10 and I do not think that this can be altered even though our income has gone down.

Do not pay the £100 to the bailiff. Pay it to this years bill before they take you to court again. The council will refund you later and you can then pay the refund to the bailiff. Otherwise you will still need to pay the court costs and liability order costs. They will not be withdrawn. This years council tax is the highest priority then you think about paying the arrears. They can change the amount. However, they will intimidate you into paying as much as possible so you need to be firm with them and tell them that you cannot afford it.

money_saving_hedgehog

I will pay the council tax for April as you advise, and will also keep the agreement for £100 per month to the bayliff. (a lot of ebaying to do). As it will be a big relief to have this earlier debt cleared.

Do I just keep off answering the bayliffs calls regarding the later years.

I am still worried at the amount of charges they have added and if they have levied any outside possessions etc without my knowledge, can they do this.

Can they enter the house using the old walking possession order, even though I have kept to the arrangement on the other plan and then whilst they are here levy goods for the new ones.

HappyMJ

money_saving_hedgehog wrote: »

I will pay the council tax for April as you advise, and will also keep the agreement for £100 per month to the bayliff. (a lot of ebaying to do). As it will be a big relief to have this earlier debt cleared.

Do I just keep off answering the bayliffs calls regarding the later years.

I am still worried at the amount of charges they have added and if they have levied any outside possessions etc without my knowledge, can they do this.

Can they enter the house using the old walking possession order, even though I have kept to the arrangement on the other plan and then whilst they are here levy goods for the new ones.

No don't answer the bailiff any more. Only deal with them in writing and very rarely. The less you deal with them the more likely they are to give up.

The charges are wrong they will add them in the hope that you will pay them. If you pay them and don't dispute them they have made a profit and that's what they want.

No once the old debt of £400 is cleared they cannot use that to enforce future years. BUT.....You must make absolutely sure your payments are marked very clearly to clear the £400 debt only. If you do not mark it they may (and in my guess they will) use the payments to clear the other years debts so the £400 is still outstanding and can be enforced.

I'm a little confused. If you have no money to be able to pay council tax and therefore apply for council tax benefit where does all this money come from. Are you declaring the income from your Ebay business? By declaring it that would reduce your council tax benefit and you would still have no money.

money_saving_hedgehog

No the only income we have is my husbands wages and child benefit. It is a case of finding money, and the only ebaying I will be doing is selling old clothes etc, not a business. Just trying to make ends meet, and make all this go away. Certainly could not sustain £100 a month in future, but hopefully may raise it with junk in the house in next four months.

Presumably if the bayliffs give up and it gets sent back to the council they may then be able to look at our income and agree a sensible payment plan for last years arrears.

I was working up until last month, hence the new claim for benefits.

RAS

Hi

Have you ever had a full breakdown of the fees charged on the 2009/10 account?

money_saving_hedgehog

No, and they did rack up. I would write to them but i want to keep a low profile, given the other accounts that they are chasing.