Baillif coming

Lavendyr

Remember council tax non-payment is one of the things you can be sent to jail for, so make paying this an absolute priority over any other unsecured debts that you might have.

No one can know whether they've been in your situation before or not unless you explain your situation more fully - post up your SoA and outstanding debt so people can help you.

Crown

Hi, I don't wish to make a nuisance of myself but as Lavendyr says its important that you pay your priority debts first as you could lose your home or in the case of council even be imprisoned. Hopefully in your case it wont come to this. I just looked and found your SOA you posted back in March. Are you still making the the payments to Next for £100 a month?

If so then you should stop this and make them token payments and then pay the money towards the council tax. If this SOA is out of date then maybe you could edit it for us.

plonker wrote: »

Revised SoA - with notes
Just wanted to know if what I'm trying to do is worth it or if you think there is a better way to sort things - Sorry its a bit long !!

Income per Month
Net Basic Salary: £800
WFT/CTC £800
Child Benefit: £204.00
Total Income Per month: £1,804.00

No of children 4, ages 14, 11, 9 and 3

EXPENDITURE PER MONTH:
Rent £240.00
Council Tax £70
Children’s Endowment Policies £20
Water Rates £35
Electricity £80 (Includes Arrears)
Gas £50 (Includes Arrears)
TV Licence £10
Car HP £165
Telephone £60 (Reduced this down to 3 for £30 with NTL)
Mobiles £20 (£10 per month for myself and husband o2 PAYG)
Vehicle tax, mot and insurance £110
Vehicle maintenance £40
Petrol for back and for work £50
Pets £40 (Food and Insurance and general vet bills that aren’t covered with insurance)
Housekeeping £300
Next £100 (Paying in full to mum) Owe 1k
Additions £90 (Paying in full to mum) Owe1.4k
Capital One £10 (Only owe £185 so trying to pay off ASAP)
JD Williams £15 (only owe £300 so trying to pay off ASAP)
LPF £10 (Arrangement plan)
School Dinners x3 £72
Clothes/Hairdressers £100
Brownies/guides/karate £50

TOTAL EXPENDITURE £1,737

INCOME - EXPENDITURE £67

Which I’m using to pay extra off the smaller debts listed above including my Mothers ASAP so I can work on the ones below and offer them more maybe in a years time.
I am also trying desperately to cut down on the above making more money for the smaller debts.

CREDITORS
National Debt Recovery – Offered a token payment of £1. Money owed £1,204.00
LloydsTSB – Offered a token payment of £5. Money owed £8,000
Argos Credit Card – Offered a token payment of £1 Money owed £1,000

I could up the payment offer to £10 but wanted (stupidly maybe) to try and pay off the smaller debts first and then concentrate on the bigger ones – if they agree to stop interest and accept token payments for a year I think this would be the best plan, giving me chance to clear the others first.
Hope this makes sense !!

plonker

Thanks again
Yes still roughly the same, can't reduce payments as it's my Mum's catalouge although not ordering any more that's for sure

Was hoping they would accept payments of £100 a month but doesn't look like they will

chevalier

Ref your SOA.
As we are about to start a new school year, then perhaps you could do one of two things. One ask if you are entitled to free school dinners (saving £72 a month), or insist that they are all going to take pack ups this term at least which will save you a large part of the £72 a month.

Have you asked your water company if you can pay over 12 months, this might save a bit.

How are you doing with the arrears for the gas and electric? It might be worth checking whether you are now in credit, because they won't tell you. This would mean these costs might go down too.

£300 is not bad for a family of 6, but doing things like shopping online (with vouchers for money off/free delivery) might help to keep to shopping lists, help with meal planning etc. If you could cut this by £50 a month a long with the other savings then you would be getting closer to the money they want each month.

Do you have things you can ebay to get some cash quick?
best of luck
chev

RAS

Quote:
Originally Posted by plonker

Income per Month
Net Basic Salary: £800
WFT/CTC £800
Child Benefit: £204.00
Total Income Per month: £1,804.00

No of children 4, ages 14, 11, 9 and 3

EXPENDITURE PER MONTH:
Rent £240.00
Council Tax £70
Children’s Endowment Policies £20 - stop this
Water Rates £35
Electricity £80 (Includes Arrears) - carry on
Gas £50 (Includes Arrears) - carry on
TV Licence £10
Car HP £165
Telephone £60 (Reduced this down to 3 for £30 with NTL) - can you reduce this futher
Mobiles £20 (£10 per month for myself and husband o2 PAYG)
Vehicle tax, mot and insurance £110
Vehicle maintenance £40
Petrol for back and for work £50
Pets £40 (Food and Insurance and general vet bills that aren’t covered with insurance)
Housekeeping £300 - you can cut this in half if absolutely necessary and you need to save some money
Next £100 (Paying in full to mum) Owe 1k - would she let you drop a month's payment
Additions £90 (Paying in full to mum) Owe1.4k
Capital One £10 (Only owe £185 so trying to pay off ASAP) - pay the minimum - coucil tax is far more important
JD Williams £15 (only owe £300 so trying to pay off ASAP) pay the minimum - coucil tax is far more important

LPF £10 (Arrangement plan)
School Dinners x3 £72
Clothes/Hairdressers £100 - stop this use www.freecycle.org - you cannot afford it
Brownies/guides/karate £50 - do they really want to go?
TOTAL EXPENDITURE £1,737

INCOME - EXPENDITURE £67

Which I’m using to pay extra off the smaller debts listed above including my Mothers ASAP so I can work on the ones below and offer them more maybe in a years time.
I am also trying desperately to cut down on the above making more money for the smaller debts.

CREDITORS
National Debt Recovery – Offered a token payment of £1. Money owed £1,204.00
LloydsTSB – Offered a token payment of £5. Money owed £8,000
Argos Credit Card – Offered a token payment of £1 Money owed £1,000

I could up the payment offer to £10 but wanted (stupidly maybe) to try and pay off the smaller debts first and then concentrate on the bigger ones – if they agree to stop interest and accept token payments for a year I think this would be the best plan, giving me chance to clear the others first.
Hope this makes sense !!

debt_doctor

You need to go to your cab without delay. C/T is apriority and this is how it is. First the council have a duty to negotiate with people in arrears, however they will only accept basic calculations, for food, rent and other priorities. You must stop paying all your non priorities and address the council tax. If it proceeds to the magistrates court you will have £ 65 added on. This will then be sent to the bailiffs for collection.

You do not have to let them in. Their powers are exactly the same as for county court judgements ( plenty on here can advise you on bailiffs and peaceful entry ) If the bailiffs cannot gain entry they will return the warrant to the court, and you will be summoned for a comiital hearing.

You can have a means hearing before a magistrate at your request or when the liability order is issued.

Please stop paying your non priorities and make a reasonable offer. Your council should send you a means form.

Rest assured if you do offer payments you can afford, after paying priorities, you will NOT be sent to prison. ps allow more for your housekeeping the law allows you to eat !

Best wishes

TheAble

Whatever you do, do not let the bailiffs into your home. Ensure all windows are closed and locked. Bailiffs are NOT allowed to enter by force, they can only come in if you allow them in, or through open doors or windows.

If I were you, I wouldn't answer the door unless you are sure who's out there. The council are a complete bunch of shysters who should frankly be ashamed of themselves if you are trying to pay but can't afford £240 a month and they are taking you to court.

I can't stress enough how important it is not to let them in. If you let them in once, that's it. After that they are allowed to get a locksmith out to break your locks so that they can get in and take your stuff, which they sell at a mere fraction of its value.

DO NOT ANSWER THE DOOR!

Crown

TheAble wrote: »

Whatever you do, do not let the bailiffs into your home. Ensure all windows are closed and locked. Bailiffs are NOT allowed to enter by force, they can only come in if you allow them in, or through open doors or windows.

If I were you, I wouldn't answer the door unless you are sure who's out there. The council are a complete bunch of shysters who should frankly be ashamed of themselves if you are trying to pay but can't afford £240 a month and they are taking you to court.

I can't stress enough how important it is not to let them in. If you let them in once, that's it. After that they are allowed to get a locksmith out to break your locks so that they can get in and take your stuff, which they sell at a mere fraction of its value.

DO NOT ANSWER THE DOOR!

Hi, Dont want to discourage you although if the Bailiffs are assigned by the court they have every right to enter if they have a court warrant as the law is then on there side. This is different to a standard Debt Collection agent who I agree has no right of entry. Lets hope the OP can seek the legal advice needed before it gets to this stage.

plonker

OK now you're scaring me
I thought it would be a peaceful will you accept X amount, they say yes and all is happy, how naieve

Herbie21

Can I just correct a few points made.

Firstly the bailiff has a RIGHT to enter your home. However this must be by "peaceful means". In practice that means that:

He can be invited in.......DO NOT DO THIS.

He can enter through an open door or window.

Enter through a door that is closed but unlocked.

If a key is in the lock he can use that to enter.

Although the weather is hot at present, try to keep doors and windows closed and remember that although he is allowed to enter peacefully......you can refuse and you should.

Yes you can be sent to prison for non payment of council tax, however with 4 million Liabilitity Order issued last year for non payment there would have to be a huge amount of spare spaces. Joking aside, commital is VERY RARE and the test for whether to pursue this course is referred to as being "wilfull refusal and culpable neglect". In other words you are against the principle of paying council tax. You on the other hand are offering to discharge your debt at an affordable level. That is why it is so important to ensure that any offer to repay is put in WRITING. Do not rely just on telephone calls.