Help and advice for Rundles bailiffs

MissMuffin

Hello, I'm hoping this is the correct forum to post on.
I've been paying Rundles weekly for over a year for a council tax debt. I made first payment of £300 and they agreed to £5 per week until the rest is paid up. So far in total I've paid £545 and there is £135 left to pay.
I had a letter through the door yesterday (hand delivered) saying

ATTENDANCE NOTICE THE CLEARANCE OF GOODS
COUNCIL TAX
Your debt remains outstanding despite our previous attempts for payment.
I called today with transportation to remove your goods. I shall be calling back in the next 48 hours with the police in attendance if necessary to complete my task. This action will be taken without further notice.
I may seize and remove sufficient goods and chattels as are necessary to clear the debt at public auction, this may include vehicles. The cost of removal contractors and auctioneers will be deducted from the proceeds of the sale of your goods.
TO AVOID THESE DISTRESSING AND COSTLY ACTIONS CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY.

So I phoned him as I've been making my payments and he told me I missed a payment of £5 at the beginning of November so the agreement has been cancelled and I have 48 hours to pay £135.
I explained to him that I didn't realise I missed the payment as I'm having treatment for breast cancer and get so tired and forgetful but he said there's nothing he can do, if I don't come up with the money he's coming round to see what I've got that he can take.
He also told me I have a second debt of £400 which he is willing to accept £5per week as long as I clear the £135 within 48 hours.

What can he actually do about this missed payment? I've never been to court about this and I'm going to carry on paying my
£5 per week, that's all I can afford as I can't work at the moment.
I phoned the council and explained my situation to them and they said it's all up the the bailiff now, nothing to do with them??
I only missed one payment!
I've got enough worry with my cancer and looking after my children (I'm only 30) this is really scaring me I told him I don't want him to come to my house but he said he hasn't got a choice,
Please can someone give me some advice, I'd be very grateful

hallowitch

I don't time to deal with this properly right now but I will be back later on I will write you an e-mail to send to the council and the bailiff firm to get this and the other debt sent back to the council and payment taken from your benefits


you are 100% a vulnerable debtor and when you informed the council they should have recalled the debt immediately


In the meantime do not let any bailiff into you home (regardless of whether they have been in before)if you have a car don't park it outside your house do not phone him and most of all don't worry it will be sorted


Has a bailiff been in your home previously to levy goods if so can you list the goods levied and fees charged


Find out who the CEO of your council is your MP and your local councillor get there e-mail address

National_Debtline

Hi MissMuffin

I'm sorry to hear about your difficulties. The bailiff conduct you describe is very disappointing and it's important that it doesn't continue in this vein. Hallowitch has already highlighted the most essential points for now.

Regardless of whether the bailiff has already entered your home and/or levied on your belongings, you should be insisting that the debt be taken back and dealt with "in-house" by the council.

In the meantime, please do your best to ignore these 48 hr deadlines being slapped down by the bailiff - this is a very common scare tactic they use - remember this is a bailiff, not a magician; he cannot get blood out of a stone.

Regards

Dennis @NDL

MissMuffin

Ok thank you both so much for your replies, just reading them has made me feel a bit better, a bailiff has never been in my house and I've never been home when he's knocked.
Hallowitch I'd really appreciate that email to the council, it'd really help me out. I'll find out the email addresses you mentioned ASAP, what do I send them?

hallowitch

if you have a letter from your oncologist that you can scan and attach to the e-mail that would help


you just get the CEO e-mail address I will write the e-mail (wont be till much later tonight )


when were you diagnosed was it after you started paying the bailiffs
do you know exactly when you started paying the bailiff
what is the name of the bailiff who left the letter
is there an outstanding amount on the letter
what council is it (send me a PM if you don't want to put it on here)


Im bloody lived at your councils attitude my DIL has terminal cancer and Jacobs were collecting rent arrears she missed a payment and they were threatening her with all sorts you really don't want to know what I said to my council and Jacobs suffice to say the debt was returned immediately


phone the council and ask them (see if you can get this info today ) if they refuse to give you it ask them there name and to confirm they are refusing to provide you with account information (note down the time of your call if you cant record it )


1 - how many Liability Orders they have against you (ask for liability order ref no )
2 - the dates they were obtained
3 - the addresses they were for
4 - the period of time each covers
5 - how much each one was for
6- Have there been any adjustment's made to any of the liability orders
7- Reason for adjustment (liability order ref no the adjustment relates to)
8 - the dates the liability order(s) were passed on for enforcement
9- the date the adjustment was passed on for enforcement
10 - the dates & amounts of any payments


the date of any fees added by the bailiff
the amount of the fee
the reason for the fee being charged

MissMuffin

Thanks again, I was diagnosed a few months after I started paying, although I'm not having active treatment at the moment (chemo and radio have just finished for now) I still have bone scans, ct scans and more surgery coming up.
All payments have been made from my debit card so I have the exact date I started paying and the exact amount (1st payment was £300 then £5per week after that, plus a £1 sur charge each week for using my debit card).
I know his name and have his number, it is Medway council (in Kent) and there is no amount on the letter he left, it tells me how much I owe every time I phone to make a payment, so when I phone I'm told my outstanding balance is £135 then the bailiff told me yesterday that I have a second debt for £400 to pay by £5 per week after this one is cleared.

I'm going to call the council now and find out that information.

Thank you for your help

hallowitch

what's the bailiffs name ?

hallowitch

I don't expect an answer to this tonight the letters nearly ready I just need to know the bailiffs name (you can send it to me by PM if you want) I need to know if he is on the bailiffs register employer Rundle & Co Ltdhttp://certificatedbailiffs.justice.gov.uk/CertificatedBailiffs/searchPublic.do?search=Rundle+%26+Co+Ltd


what benefits are you receiving
are you a single parent

MissMuffin

Oh, sorry. His name is Mr Jessop.
I receive employment support allowance, child tax credit and child benefit. My husband is my carer

MissMuffin

I've got the details you asked for from the council,
They have told me the 1st debt from 2009-2010 for £478.13 is clear
Another for my old address I Owe £79.28 liability ref no.126730 date was 19th may 2008.
For these two I have paid £545 in total so far and have £135 left to pay (I assume it's the 79.28 and the rest in bailiff fee's)
The next one is £456.42 according to Rundles, council said this liability order is for £307.92 + £75 costs=£382.92 ref no.158032 date 16th may 2011

MissMuffin

I've also been sent a breakdown of charges from Rundles with the fees they've added, but they didn't send me all the payments I've made so I'll call them today and ask for that too