rossendales help please

lancs-lady_2

I received a letter out of the blue about 6 weeks ago from these people relating to a council tax bill going back 5 years.

I've no idea why it has taken so long to catch up with me as I've been up to date with council tax for last few years. I was going through a difficult time back then, so that's perhaps why it slipped through the net.

Anyway I phoned council who were no help whatsoever just referring me back to bailiff and refusing to take debt back so I could arrange repayment through them.

Rossendales had an appalling bad attitude on the phone and wouldnt accept £15 a week and asked me to send in a financial statement. I sent one in, again reiterating I couldn't afford more than that. I'm unable to work at minute due to ill health so only my partner working, and that is all we can afford.

They refused that and sent another letter saying either I send in bank statements etc they would carry on enforcement proceedings.

Now I'm sorry but I refuse to send personal documents to anyone least of all a bailiff!

All the time this has been going on, I've been making payments to them online via their website. I've sold some bits around the house and have so far managed to pay off £163. The debt now stands at £298. Not a huge amount I know.

My question is, can they do anything? Ie turn up and try to take items? I've nothing left to sell but will continue to pay what I can.

I have rung since to try and sort a payment plan but they won't until they see my bank statements! Their attitude stinks! I've never known a company like it.

I'm currently paying another bailiff (jacobs) and they have always been ok, and haven't wanted personal information.

Sorry for the ramble, but they have rung me this morning whilst I was on the school run. I've not rung back yet, I was really hoping for some advice about where I stand before I do.

Again sorry for the ramble, any advice very gratefully received. Thank you for reading.

sourcrates

Hi,
Best advice is to only deal with them in writing, phoning them usually only makes a situation worse, as you have found out.

Make a written offer of payment to them, and if they refuse, ask them to justify the reasons why it was rejected.

They won't put into writing things they would say to you on the phone, try to get it paid off as soon as you can to avoid them escalating and adding more charges.

fatbelly

lancs-lady wrote: »

Anyway I phoned council who were no help whatsoever

Usual behaviour

lancs-lady wrote: »

Rossendales had an appalling bad attitude on the phone

Usual behaviour


Look, they have no rights to force entry and if they cannot access anything like a car outside your house then they have nowhere to go with this except back to the council.

They can mutter about committal proceedings but as you are not refusing to pay, indeed you are paying, then that won't get anywhere either.

Just clear this via the website as soon as you can and try to treat Council Tax as a priority debt in future to avoid these idiots and their charges.

It's not clear whether the £235 enforcement charge has been added already or just the £75 compliance fee - if just the latter then more reason to clear this quickly.