Rossendale Bailiffs

Skwish

Hi all

first time posting on here, just after a bit of advice.

Basicly i have council tax arrears that i havent been paying as atm im currently unemployed (besides a couples of days a week cash in hand working for a friend) ....i tired claiming JSA a while ago but got told i hadnt paid enough tax in the last few years to be entitled to anything.

There are a couple of the bills that are from 2004 when i shared a flat with a friend, these bills are in both our names...we were young and stupid and didnt worry about things like 'council tax' .... I tried to dispute paying the full bill for these a while ago but they told me unless i could provide an address for my friend (which i have no idea of nowadays) then the full bill falls to me to pay. anyway....

Over the last couple of days ive had letters through my door from Rossendales bailiffs and today got through a 'Notice of Distress' letter .... on the letter it states "i have this day seized, distrained and impounded upon the premises the goods specified in the inventory" ect ect...

according to the inventory they have seaized a White transit van registration No.V005 xxx ...they have left me instructions on how to pay plus a lot of bank giro credit slips

Im 100% sure they havnt seized this van, this is a friends van (that i work for a couple of days a week as mentioned) the van is parked on my front drive maybe twice a week when im being picked up, so im assuming they have been sitting watching at some point and seen me getting into the van.

I have never spoke to them, so far, as ive always been out when they have called round and which has been 3 times this week, leaving a pile of letters and then today the Notice of Distress.

So basicly my question is, where do i go from here? ..... Im willing to pay whatever i can a month to start clearing the debts but i'd rather pay the council direct than deal with a DCA. Should i phone Rossendales? Phone the council? ....i dont own a car but im worried that they may take stuff from my house if my missus opens the door to them as she's not very clued up with this sort of thing and probably wouldnt have the confidence to refuse them entry.

any advice is much appriciated 8o)

RAS

You start by writing to Rossendales and telling them

1. This van does not belong to you, so the levy is invalid
2. That you are not going to allow them into the house.
3. Ask for a break-down of valid charges. Come back when you have this.

If you can find an e-mail address, send a copy by e-mail but make sure that you write and get a certificate of posting.

It is essential that you make sure windows and doors are locked. If you have anything valuable outside, move it and make sure the bailfifs cannot levy on that. You really do need to get your wife clued up and she needs to learn not to open the door to bailiffs, murders or rapists.

Is this your local Council? Is there an account number into which you can pay on-line? if not, take a chaeue to the Council, who will refuse it, then re-present the cheque having told the person that you are filming them. They have to accept payments from you, even if they do not like them.

You will have to pay the bailiffs £42.50 for the visits.

Make sure that you wife understands that opening the door will cost £250 and allow the bailiff to wreck your monthly budget as they will insist on unreasonable payments and threaten to remove goods everytime you fail to pay what they demand.

And please try and get your friend to employ you properly; you cannot claim contribution based JSA because you have not been paying NI, so now you are working and not paying NI, so you will get in the same mess in a year or two.