Bailiffs

MissB1985

Wasn't sure which forum to post this in.

I owe about £1600 to Marston Group limited.

Since October 2015 I had a direct debit in place of £50 per month. But last month I was unable to pay it.

As I was unable to call I emailed notifying them that I wouldn't be able to pay and asked if I could pay it off the following week. They only responded to tell me that due to be missing a payment my agreement had been cancelled and said I needed to pay the full amount.

I emailed back told them I didn't have the money but through friends and family I had raised £300 and if they could at least give me till the end of July to pay the rest.

They responded by sending a bailiff round to my house whilst I was at work.

I still tried to make a payment online regardless. But it said the payment was unsuccessful despite the money leaving my account. Not the first time I've had a problem with their system.

Now I've received a letter saying they will be showing up with officers and removal contractors on 15th July to seize control of my goods.

I've told them I live in a shared house but I don't think they care. They seem intent on not helping me rectify the situation.

I struggle calling due to working during their opening hours. I've corresponded with them through email before. I even set up my original direct debit through email. But this time they only seem to want to reply when it's to issue a threat.

fatbelly

Yes, that sounds like Marstons.

You do not owe the money to Marstons. My guess is that you owe money to your local council who have a liability order and have chosen Marstons as enforcement agents.

Marstons played hardball in order to move your account from compliance to enforcement and trigger the extra £235 fee in addition to the £75 fee. As long as you do not open the door to them and keep your car away from where you live there is nothing further the bailiff can do, no further fees that they can charge.

Now if it isn't Council Tax things may be slightly different.

You should be able to use the direct debit details (sort code, account number and reference) to set up a standing order. This is safer than a direct debit anyway. If you can pay more than £50 (and you now say that you can pay the whole amount by the end of the month) that is good, but don't pay more than you can afford.

This is a priority debt but if you have other debts you may want to run the whole situation past someone like National Debtline.

Marktheshark

It depends what type of warrant they have.
If its a liability order or a magistrates warrant they need consent to enter and they can not break and enter.
So you can lock the door and ignore them.
Once they have been ignored and their threats ignored 3 times they will give up.

MissB1985

The debt comes from when I worked at Marks and Spencer. When I left it turned out they had overpaid me. That was four years ago. But as I had moved address I wasn't aware of it till a bailiff showed up at my door a year ago. Thus incurring a fee on what was originally a £900 debt.

They refused my initial offer and I incurred a second fee. So my debt more than doubled.

It's a High Court Writ that they have. I thought they expired after a year which would buy me some time but they must've renewed it.

fatbelly

OK so it's a ccj booted up to the High Court and Marstons acting as HCEOs

No right to force access, despite what they might say. It doesn't change my advice, though the fee structure is different

http://bailiffadviceonline.co.uk/bailiff-fees/high-court-enforcement

MissB1985

Thanks I feel alot better knowing they can't force access.

Like I said it's a shared house and each room has its own key.