visit and call from baliff (Bristoe & Sutor), could use some advice

its_maths_not_magic

Hi all. Sorry this is going to be long, but trying to show the circumstances. Just got off the phone from the baliff and am really scared. So here's whats happened. Last year my husband and I ran up bills mainly due to me being unable to find work. It wasn't that we simply wasted money, it was just the cost of living was too expensive for my husband's wages. We managed to to survive, just, but had one bad thing happen after another.

Our car died, we had to get it fixed (my husband works an hour from home and afternoon shift, so even if he caught public transport there, he had no way to get home), our laptop died and I needed a new one for work (I have a very small online business that brings in around £50 per month but hopefully will be able to grow that) then the car really died, we were lucky to sell it for scrap. So we had to get a new car. Chuck in a few dental emergencies and having to take a couple of pay day loans to stop us being evicted and homeless and you can imagine how tight things have been.

At any rate, we ran up a rent debt and a council bill debt as all of our money went to bills and food. So we owe £1371 to the council (Im not sure that its supposed to be so high, I am going to go through my stuff later on and make sure it is that much) and £1862 for rent. We have now moved to a caravan park and live in a caravan. Which has freed up some money and we have made arangements to pay the rent debt. We were actually going to contact the council to set up a similar payment plan this week but they got here first I guess.

Anyway, today we get a letter saying that they are going to seize our possessions (namely the caravan, because thats all we've got). We called the ballif, and he basically said we need to give them £200 this week in order to be able to make a payment plan. Problem is after rent, food and petrol we only have £130 left. And that should be going to bills and our rent debt. Realistically after putting money aside for just bills we'd have £57 left.

When I tried to explain this, he became very nasty. I explained that we are Australian so we don't have family here we could borrow the money from, on top of that my husbands mother just passed recently so his father couldn't afford it anyway. I don't have parents to ask. He basically said "let me finish, its not the councils problem" I really don't want to go down the payday loan road unless absolutely necessary. And just to top it off my dog has a weird black growth on his nose that popped up this morning and will need vet care tomorrow - I think its a tick but don't really know.

I don't know what to do. Im terrified of being made homeless. All we have is the van and our car and together they may be worth £1000. Oh and our laptop which may be worth £50. Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Tixy

Hi

Did the letter come in the post or hand delivered?

Have they provided you with a breakdown of the balance and charges?

Will look out a template letter for you if they haven't.

If your caravan is your home then I would imagine that they cannot take that. National debtline may be worth a call to clarify if nobody else on here know.

Edit the advice on this thread, particularly from hallowitch might be useful
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4440713

and this one https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4599563 (in partic post 18)

its_maths_not_magic

Thanks for the reply and the links. The letter was hand delivered. I just spoke to stepchange and they were under the impression that the baliff can take our carvan. Which puts us between a rock and a hard place. I am going to try national debt helpline just to make sure. From what I can gather it will be OK if we magic up £200 by Monday and make a payment plan.

Mara_uk7

Ok ... but first the tick ... Cover it , really smother it in vaseline if you have such stuff. It might drop off by itself if it cant breath.
OR
You can take it off yourself, wear gloves, as ticks can pass an infection to humans, take tweezers and grip the tick as close to the dogs skin as you can, Pull very gently straight up. It may come out in a oner, if it doesnt, you may need vet help as infection could set in if the mouth parts are left behind. Once you get it out, rub the area with antiseptic cream and keep an eye on it in case infection sets in.

its_maths_not_magic

Thanks, will do asap.

sacha28

Have you tried speaking to the council direct? I know it's a long shot but I got myself into some awful trouble when I was on maternity leave and basically buried my head in the sand. The bailiff came round and wouldn't listen to a thing I said and was very nasty. I wouldn't let him in then phoned the council tax department, pleading for someone to help me. They put me through to one of the managers who listened to what I had to say. I told him my financial state but that I was returning to work 6 months early at the end of the month and would be able to pay a bigger amount (almost half) the following month when my wages had improved. He asked to speak to the bailiff (who was still sat in his van outside, talk about intimidation!!) and he told him that the council were going to take the debt back so he could leave my property. He also told him to remove the bailiff charges from my account so it was just the arrears showing.

I know it's a long shot but if they agree then you will feel the weight of the world come off your shoulders!!