rossendales/council tax

redsaxon

I received a letter off rossendales(£490 council tax) and i made an offer to repay £80 a month which they refused and instead asked for £245 per month( i dont even earn that in a week),so i called them and found them to be rude and hostile
My wife suffers from depression and anxiety and im worried how she would cope if/when they come knocking.

my question is.Can i just pay the £80 a month direct to the council online or via automated payments and avoid dealing with these rossendale bunch altogether?
They said they will charge me £75 if i dont pay up on time

National_Debtline

Hi redsaxon


I would advise you against attempting to address this over the phone with bailiffs - unless you're calling to pay in full, the conversations tend to be unproductive (as you've probably discovered).


If you try to pay the council online now, you may find that the payments can't be processed as your account may have been (temporarily) closed due to it being passed to bailiffs - worth trying, nonetheless. If rejected, you should be able to make online payments via the Rossendales website:


http://rossendalescollect.com/


You will need reference numbers which should appear on any paperwork they've sent you.


They will have been entitled to add a £75 "compliance" fee as soon as they received the account from the council. Further "enforcement" fees can only become applicable if visits take place - so it is best to start making the payments you can afford promptly.


If things do progress and visits look likely, please be aware that bailiffs would have no power to force entry. You can also make them aware of anyone in the household who might be classed as "vulnerable" i.e. your wife (due to the mental health problems you mention) and they are expected to proceed in a suitably sensitive manner where they might be coming into contact with such people.


The following links are worth reading to help you understand your rights and the bailiffs' responsibilities:


Our fact sheet on council tax recovery:


https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/factsheets/Pages/02%20EW%20Council%20tax%20recovery/Default.aspx


National standards for enforcement agents:


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bailiffs-and-enforcement-agents-national-standards


Dennis
@natdebtline

cjasmith84

Hi. Hope you don't mind me putting my story here. I had some outstanding council tax, from a previous address, it wasn't much, enough to naively forget about it. Even when the CCJ landed on the door mat.
I later received a letter from my council saying that the balance had been assigned to Rossendales and that anany further correspondence should b directed to them.
I heard nothing more from rossendales, until the 7th March when I received a letter stating a notice of enforcement. Saying that if I didn't pay by the 6th, and bailiff would arrive at my home 'taking control '.
At this point I was petrified. I sent rossendales an email, stating that although the deadline had passed, which was beyond my control, I was happy to pay in three installments. Rossendales said they couldn't help me as it had now passed the account to their enforcement agent. They gave me a name and number to call.
He was particularly abrupt and quite condescending. He said he wasn't willing to make an arrangement and that he would be calling at my home, soon, to serve notice and take pictures. I explained that I didn't want him at my home when I wasn't there, he was happy to take my number and said he would call when he was next working in the area end of the week . This all happened on Monday. Needless to say I have had a week of sleepless nights, total anxiety, until today when I saw my dad, he offered to pay the full balance there and then. He then susuggested just to try rossendales automated payment line. My account number was still live and I made the full payment. I've wrote down the reference number and date and time.
As the enforcement agent still has not visited, I guess no more fees have been added? I certainly have not received a hand written notice which is believed is the norm as far as I am aware.
Rossendales couldn't say that the account was cleared as it takes 24 hours to show on there system, so they say, and that all calls and enquiries should be directed to the bailiff.I haven't done this, as I have a payment reference number for the full latest amount. I'm hoping this is the end of the matter, what does anyone else think? All rossendales say is that they could add notes to my account, it sounds as though they are just going to try and apply more charges. I am still worried this man may come around my house...

fatbelly

I wouldn't be surprised if they try to charge the enforcement fee. This does not apply unless the bailiff has visited, so you can argue it.

http://bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/bailiff-fees/council-tax

If the bailiff did turn up, he has NO right to force entry. So tell him (through the letterbox or an upstairs window) that the matter is paid and he should contact his head office.

enfield_freddy

oh , I do hate rossendales , they tried the above with me many years ago , started removing my car etc ,


many yrs later I did jury service , farmer charged with assaulting a rossendales bloke , very nice judge , looked at the 2 x 6ft 6in Rossendale blokes , looked at the 69 yr old 4ft summot farmer and made a decision , I was happy with result ,

sourcrates

enfield_freddy wrote: »

oh , I do hate rossendales , they tried the above with me many years ago , started removing my car etc ,


many yrs later I did jury service , farmer charged with assaulting a rossendales bloke , very nice judge , looked at the 2 x 6ft 6in Rossendale blokes , looked at the 69 yr old 4ft summot farmer and made a decision , I was happy with result ,

Nothing quiet like the taste of revenge is there lol !!!!!

cjasmith84

Thanks. No there has been no visit, he said over the phone that he intended to, but couldn't tell me when as he was working in Staffordshire. I'm in Shropshire and that he has over two hundred and fifty cases to answer. Although why he told me that I don't know. They have not given me any more notices of further charges, and as far as I'm concerned the original debt on the enforcement notice is paid.