Council Tax Paid, but Bailiff still chasing!

Jerryjerryjerry

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice before I contact Equita Bailiffs, so that I am armed with the correct information and my rights etc. etc.

I am totally up to date with my council tax payments. However, the Bailiffs keep sending letters to my address. This morning, a bailiff from
Equita has come to my door in person with a letter demanding payment in full. The amount? #236.50!! (sorry my pound sign is not working).

Letter says this amount is for outstanding council Tax Liability Order. Now, I have phoned the council (not the first time about this), and they repeated what they always do. Its not council tax, but their own costs.

How can Equita's costs amount to #236.50?

They have not been here with a removal van. They have not had to store any of my goods. They are just taking the mickey in my opinion. What can I say to them? Other than, can I have a break down of where you came to this figure?

I'm so angry as I have had to pay off a lot of council tax which I added to my mortgage because I simply can not find the money to pay it, as I cant seem to secure a permanent job after being made redundant. For instance, this month, i've had a total of 4 temping days working as a secretary at 7.50 per hour!

I tried to apply for job seeker's allowance as a last resort, but apparently, i've not paid enough tax in the last two years! I'm so angry and upset - moreso, because I went to the extreme length of adding debt to my mortgage just to get these bailiffs off my back and they wont leave me alone.

RAS

Hi Equita routinely claim illegal fees.

Will post a letter later today.

You have applied for contribution based JSA and been refused. have you applied for income based JSA?

Jerryjerryjerry

RAS wrote: »

Hi Equita routinely claim illegal fees.

Will post a letter later today.

You have applied for contribution based JSA and been refused. have you applied for income based JSA?

Hi there. Thank you for that. I will check my forms, but I don't know which type of JSA I applied for. All I know is that I was refused and the reason given was that I hadn't paid enough tax. I think I will give them another phone call.

Jerryjerryjerry

P.s. I have a husband in full time employment. I know this makes a huge difference.

hallowitch

any bailiff visits made before the liability order was paid will have to be paid

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/613/contents/made
Distress


45.—(1) Where a liability order has been made, the authority which applied for the order may levy the appropriate amount by distress and sale of the goods of the debtor against whom the order was made.

(2) The appropriate amount for the purposes of paragraph (1) is the aggregate of—

(a)an amount equal to any outstanding sum which is or forms part of the amount in respect of which the liability order was made, and

(b)a sum determined in accordance with Schedule 5 in respect of charges connected with the distress.
1st visit fee (with a view to levying distress ) where no levy is made £24.50
2nd visit fee( with a view to to levying distress ) where no levy is made £18

to charge further fees the bailiff will have to have a levy on your goods


http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/docs/Enforcement_Agent_Charges.pdf

ALIBOBSY

So on the above gov site unless they have levied they should be charging £42.50 max?

I would say OP at least needs to insist on a breakdown of what they alledge is owed.

Ali x

fatbelly

Jerryjerryjerry wrote: »

P.s. I have a husband in full time employment. I know this makes a huge difference.

You'll be regarded as a couple for benefits purposes so no income based JSA if joint income is more than £111.45 per week!

So, did the bailiff conduct a valid levy? i.e did he list your goods that he was actually able to access?

If not, then £42.50 is the maximum you can owe, and only if there were actually two visits.

hallowitch

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

So on the above gov site unless they have levied they should be charging £42.50 max?

yes

I would say OP at least needs to insist on a breakdown of what they alledge is owed.

yes

Ali x

just thought i would mention this also when Equita are the bailiffs of choice Capita usually administrate the council tax for the local authority

Equita are part of the Capita group of company's

Jerryjerryjerry

fatbelly wrote: »

You'll be regarded as a couple for benefits purposes so no income based JSA if joint income is more than £111.45 per week!

So, did the bailiff conduct a valid levy? i.e did he list your goods that he was actually able to access?

If not, then £42.50 is the maximum you can owe, and only if there were actually two visits.

About a year ago, he claimed to have come in when a painter was here. But I am unsure as to whether or not he actually gained entry and conducted a levy.

Jerryjerryjerry

hallowitch wrote: »

just thought i would mention this also when Equita are the bailiffs of choice Capita usually administrate the council tax for the local authority

Equita are part of the Capita group of company's

Thank you. So should I be emailing Equita or Capita? Or does it not make a difference?

By the way, this is my draft letter so far. I haven't emailed it yet:


I have today received a hand delivered letter from one of your bailiffs (M Brookes).

He is claiming that he was here on behalf of Birmingham City Council. When I phoned Birmingham City Council, they explained that it was nothing to do with them and that my account was fully up to date.

So why is your bailiff harrassing me and claiming to be working on behalf of Birmingham City Council? This is misrepresentation.

He has written by hand on a letter, that I owe him 236.50. That's impossible. How can you charge that amount? I do not owe you any money. If you feel I do, then I would request a break down of costs.

Failure on your part to send me an immediate break down of costs WILL result in my contacting a solicitor and/or going to the press.