Council Tax Debt And Bailiff Info Please Help!!

bburn

Hi.......can anyone give me any info at all as im really worried now. I owe council tax arrears of around £900 and this has been passed to the bailiffs (equita) who came to my house for the first time last week i wasnt in but he left a letter and i phoned him back. He told me he could accept a minimum of £365 upfront and then £60 a month after. I said id see how much i could get. I managed to get £200 and phoned to offer him this but had to leave a voicemail and havent yet had a reply.
Since then ive been told off someone that i can go directly to the council to sort out repayments instead of going through the bailiffs. Just need some advice as to whether this is true or not? If it is id rather ring them and speak to thm rather than getting more charges from the bailiffs.
Any advice or info muchly appreciated thanks

National_Debtline

Hi bburn

We'll keep it simple and to the point.

DON'T let the bailiffs in.

HIDE your car if necessary.

The council will in most cases refuse to deal with you while the matter is in the bailiff's hands, but by all means try to make repayments directly to them.

Have a read of our fact sheet which covers the essentials of dealing with this sort of scenario... http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=02_bailiffs_and_council_tax

Good luck

NDL

dancingfairy

Watch out for the bailiffs trying to charge illegal upfront fees and do not under any circumstances let them into your house.
Best of Luck
df

Daddy-Spendless

from my own experience if you ignore the bailiff for long enough they pass the debt back to the council, at which point you will be able to do a deal directly.

its in your best interests to do it this way rather than pay the additional costs the bailiffs put on the bill.

throwoff

Agree in a way with Daddy-spendless.

It is best to work directly with the council, at the end of the day they want their money.

I am sure I have read on here before about people just sending a cheque to the council even after being told they won't deal directly if it is with bailiffs and the cheque being accepted and cashed by the council.

Put a letter together to the council, explain any hardship you have and send the cheque for £200 as a start to clearing the arrears.

Council tax debt is the worst debt you can have in my eyes (and I have had plenty!) prioritise it, only put rent and essentials above it. Other creditors will be much slower chasing you and generally making your life hell than the council will.

bburn

Thanks everyone think im gonna try avoiding the bailiff as much as i can and hoping it goes back to the council. I did try ringing them today but they said i had to speak to the bailiff so looks like im just gonna have to wait..........does anyone know how many times they will call at my house before they will give up??? thanks again

fatbelly

bburn wrote: »

Thanks everyone think im gonna try avoiding the bailiff as much as i can and hoping it goes back to the council. I did try ringing them today but they said i had to speak to the bailiff so looks like im just gonna have to wait..........does anyone know how many times they will call at my house before they will give up??? thanks again

Councils always say that - but they can't stop you paying your Council Tax via their online facility, and that's what you should start doing.

For Council Tax debts, bailiffs can only charge for 2 visits where they 'attended with a view to levying but no levy was made'. Total charge for the 2 visits = £42.50.

I have known bailiffs have a third go before handing it back but they can't charge for this. It would just be a last desperate attempt to find something to list.

RAS

Hi

Bailiffs rountinely charge illegal fees - they front lad the bill and try to get you to pay for things to which they are not entitled.

To complicate matters further some OCuncil Tax office are actually run by Capita who also happen to own the bailiffs Equita.

Ring the Council and ask for the value of the liability order and come back here.

Make sure you do NOT let the bailiff in the house or allow him/her to levy on a car. Sell the car to a family member whatever it needs.

The reason is once they get 8in tyhe house they levy on good (or levy on the car), which means that the gopods are effectively theres and they can retunr any time they want and take them away. What is more likely is that they will use that to push you into paying more than you can afford and ramp up the fees even more.

hallowitch

be very careful about what fees have been charged to your account

this little gem was added to the national standards for enforcement agents January 2012
this means that fees incurred will have to be paid regardless of whether you pay the council or bailiff




Creditors agreeing the suspension of a warrant or making direct payment arrangements with debtors must give appropriate notification to and should pay appropriate fees due to the enforcement agent.

mellymoo74

:money:worries me, but then they had to find some way of getting front loaded fees paid.

sworwood

can anyone help. ive moved in with girlfriend about 5 years ago and have had my house rented out, last year i decided to sell and its been empty ever since . i got 6 months free council tax which ran out april of this year i offered tendring district council £40 a month they refused this saying it would not be enough to settle the account in 12 mounths so i was taken to court and now getting letters from ballifs
demanding the full amount £1238.75+£178.50 costs.
is this legal as this charge is up to 31 -3-2013 how can i owe them up to march 2013 and its only august 2012 and to take me to court for it
cant be right. what if my house sells next month will they have to rebate me.as the house is empty why cant i pay on a month by month deal. please help what should i do now.i dont want to rent it out again
as to many bad tentants.