Rossendales - threatening behaviour!!

buffness

Hello,
Please can someone give me some advice on what to do with the following....

Myself and an ex partner of mine split and a council tax bill remain unpaid. I received a letter from Rossendales in June this year and called immediately to set up a payment plan. They asked me to fill out an income and expenditure and email to them - I did this, and didn't receive a response. I also asked my ex partner to do this, and this was completed and no response was given.

I called them end of July to try and find out what was happening. They said that a payment plan can't be set up as I haven't been in touch?!? I have the proof here to show that emails were sent and no response given. They said a bailiff will be coming over and I must deal with them directly. I think this is very unfair and I ended the call in anger.

I received a letter from a bailiff today and I immediately called him. His behaviour was threatening from the offset - I explained that I wasn't given a chance to set up a payment plan but can I do this? His response was, 'Don't give me that !!!! because that doesn't work with me' - I then said I want to speak to Customer Services to sort this out - his response was, 'You can do, but they are going to refer you back to me and you don't want to deal with me.'

I asked him whether or not he knocked the door when he gave me this letter as my housemate's mother was in all day. He said, 'Yes, I was knocking for ages but no-one answered.' I said to him that my housemate's mother has severe diabetes and she may need time to get to the door as her legs are swollen - he said, 'Is that my f**king problem?!?'

At this stage, I started to retaliate and told him I was going to call the police. He said that's fine and he ended the call with, 'I'll see you around very soon' and hung up.

Is this acceptable behaviour? I called Rossendales Customer Service who were more worried about the debt being paid than me telling them one of their bailiffs was threatening me. I asked if this person could stay away from the house and maybe send another - she said, 'This isn't guaranteed but I'll try my best'.

I immediately called the police and also spoke to the Council (Manchester) and they asked me to email a complaint. I am happy to pay the amount directly to the council themselves but I do not want to pay all these extra fees to a company like that. It's unacceptable.

Please can someone advise me on what to do?

Thanks

HappyMJ

It's unacceptable but pretty much standard. Ignore the bailiff and Rossendales. Eventually the bailiff will give up trying to collect the debt and return the debt uncollected to the council. The council won't try and claim any of the bailiffs fees from you so they effectively get written off. With the payments you have been saving up from now until then you can offer that to the council along with a reasonable monthly amount to clear the debt.

buffness

Thanks for the information.

The bailiff left a few forms - one of them was a notice of distress. Within that, there's an inventory section and they have noted my housemates car within that. Surely they won't clamp that or take it away?!?

DS4215

buffness wrote: »

Thanks for the information.

The bailiff left a few forms - one of them was a notice of distress. Within that, there's an inventory section and they have noted my housemates car within that. Surely they won't clamp that or take it away?!?

They shouldn't be able to, but in practice they can and probably will. You need to prove to them that it is not your car.

buffness

I've done all this and I called your 'customer service' number last night who promised me a call back this morning but have received nothing at all.

Your advisors are expecting me to still deal with this bailiff (Mr Johnson) even after everything he has done and said. What a complete joke.

'Proud to be professionals' - Lol - what a perfect role model and organisational advocate Mr Johnson is to your company!

happy_bunny_2

Maybe complain to the council that their chosen collections method are acting unacceptably and quote the police complaint.

They may be more willing to accept payment from you after this.

buffness

buffness wrote: »

I've done all this and I called your 'customer service' number last night who promised me a call back this morning but have received nothing at all.

Your advisors are expecting me to still deal with this bailiff (Mr Johnson) even after everything he has done and said. What a complete joke.

'Proud to be professionals' - Lol - what a perfect role model and organisational advocate Mr Johnson is to your company!

This was in response to a message left by a member of Rossendales Customer Service but he/she has deleted the initial message. Interesting :-/

buffness

Thanks to everyone for their help btw