Advice needed re: Council Tax

Yazz_comper

Hello,

Not sure if this is the correct place to post so forgive me it's wrong.

I need advice, I have a £700.00 council tax bill due, unfortunately I fell behind on paying as me and my partner spilt up. I was a SAHM and he was working but hasn't helped paid off the council tax...

I have now been contacted by a bayliff at my doorstep. (No I haven't let him in.) Who is coming back on Wednesday, to try and get me to agree to some kind of payment plan.
However he wants £120.00 up front to let me pay by payment plan.... I cannot simply afford this. I have no money this week it's all gone out on bills and I'm at my ends wits as the last thing I need is getting into my home and taking me and my toddler's things..


Is there anyway I can transfer the debt to my ex? On every council tax letter I've had it states he is liable for the bill too... however I don't have a new address for him would this matter?
And can the bailiff get into my property if I refuse via locksmith etc?

Please help he's coming Wednesday and I'm very stressed out!

Yazz_comper

Anyone?

GuttedTBH

Hi.
I'm afraid I do not have the knowledge to give any advice, and I wouldn't like to offer any 'I heard in the pub that....' Advice because that does nobody any favours.

I hope you get sorted, but please call CAB, this is the kind of thing they are there for, failing that, your town/area will have a 'Law Center' where solicitors offer free advice.

Good luck.

McKneff

whose name is on the council tax bill. If it is both of you then you are joint and severally liable for it, both or either of you are responsible for it, they will apply for it from the easiest person to contact.


Sorry, can you contact your ex and ask for some help.


I have just seen in your original post you said ' he is liable for it TOO' so it looks like both your names are on the bill, unfortunately, you cannot transfer any of the liability to him.


Could any family help, do you have anything you can sell or pawn.

[Deleted User]

A few things.,

Firstly, the bailiff cannot take anything belonging to your child.

Nor can they take anything that doesn't belong to you, eg. items on rent or loan.

Neither can they take the basic necessities, such as food and drink, beds and bedding (including cots and associated items), minimal seating (they must leave at least one seating space for each resident), dining tables, fridges, cookers, pots and pans, crockery and cutlery etc.

Next, they cannot break in, which includes the use of a locksmith, although they may threaten to do so.

However, they can climb in through an open window, so it is vital that you keep windows and doors closed and locked.

fatbelly

I recently posted this on another thread:

For Council Tax, their 'warrant' does NOT allow them to force entry, except where they have previously gained entry and levied on goods, i.e. you can't obstruct them in accessing 'their' goods.

They must obtain access 'peaceably'

http://www.bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/walking_peaceful.htm

and there's a good explanation of that here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/23640647#Comment_23640647

Yazz_comper

Thank you all for you advice, I appericate knowing they cannot gain access via a locksmith as I was not certain.
I have now e-mailed Rossendales directly asking for a payment plan and I'm hoping they may accept or if not I will write to the courts showing i'm making an effort to pay and they are refusing to accept.

fatbelly

The court is not involved now.

Don't take any nonsense from the bailiff about not being able to have a payment plan unless they come in.

Keep us posted

Yazz_comper

fatbelly wrote: »

The court is not involved now.

Don't take any nonsense from the bailiff about not being able to have a payment plan unless they come in.

Keep us posted

So do I write to the council with proof of Rosendales refusing to accept payment plan if they refuse? I do know what to offer I can offer up to £50 per month but some people are telling me this is not enough for council tax debt?

fatbelly

Yazz_comper wrote: »

So do I write to the council with proof of Rosendales refusing to accept payment plan if they refuse?

Yes - but make the offer first.

Yazz_comper

Update:

I contacted Rossendale this morning who put back through to the baliff. He has said they cannot accept a payment plan unless they do a levvy.
He also said if I refuse to do a levvy Rossendales can then sent 'the next stage baliff' who come and remove items, apparently this baliff is just one who sorts payment plans. I don't know what do, CAB told me under no circumstances to let this man into my home and keep offering a payment plan... but they keep refusing unless I do a levvy which I do no feel at all comfortable about.

I offered them £50 per month and offered to show proof of my incomings and outgoings... and they are still refusing any kind of payment plan till I let this baliff in and do a levvy. This baliff has also been texting me 3-4 times a day, making me feel uncomftable as I thought they aren't allowed to text? I'm at my wits ends I feel like it's catch 22.

If Im being honest I just want to drag it out for 5 weeks when I can afford to pay the bill in one go, I just don't know how too as Rossendales are useless.