birchalls bailiffs

loobee2

Hi there
Just got home to a hand delivered letter from birchalls wanting £927.16 for last year and this years council tax, I actually owe £768.57 so they have stuck a good fee onto a already huge bill. Im on benefits due to a bad fall down some steps. The letter says they are coming back within the next 48 hrs to removed goods, can they do this they have not been in my house before and im really worried. Ive been onto my councils website and made a £15 payment today do you think I should ring the council and see if they would accept this amount as a weekly payment and cancel the bailiffs. This years bill is only about £29 per month so paying £60 per month should cover current bill and some off the previous could go up to £20 per week. Please advise me the best route

debt_doctor

Hi,

Firstly, your bailiffs are charging illegal fees. The fees allowed are £24.50 for the first visit and £18 for the second visit. No more than 2 visits can be charged.
Pay what you can afford which hopefully will be your ongoing this years liability plus £15 pm off the arrears. Pay online direct to the council but make sure the monies are allocated correctly.
Write a formal complaint to the bailiffs about their illegal fees indicating you are not prepared to make payments to an organisation that makes unlawful charges and copy the letter to Council tax recoveries. The council are also responsible for the actions of their bailiffs.
Keep you doors and windows locked and deny the bailiffs entry should they turn up.

DD

DEBTMONKEY1A

You have a PM! To the original poster-a bailiff can ONLY enter by an unlocked door/window-thay CAN'T push past you-or put a foot in the door. If you have a phone that records video use it when they knock at the door. Anything of value outside (car/posh gas bbq, etc)-move indoors/to a locked garage-a few streets away.

Bailffs are like dogs with no teeth if you know how to deal with them(!).