Marston - Notice of Enforcement

GP1983

Brief background - I'm up to my eyes in debt however I'm beginning to get priority debts paid off gradually. One of these 'priority debts' is Council Tax, which is being paid back to Marston. I'm paying them back £107.00 a month which to be honest is a strain but I felt quite pressured into paying this as they were forceful on the phone. I've contacted them since and asked to reduce the payment however they told me I could not break the agreement once I'd entered into it.

I have now received another letter from the same company regarding a parking fine. Apparently a warrant has been issued by Northampton County Court relating to a penalty charge from 07/01/2015. The total due is £187.00.

I have spoken to Martson and explained I am currently paying them for another debt. I've asked to consolidate them both and they told me they could not do that as it is a different department.

I've then explained I can only afford to pay £20.00 per month at this stage, beginning next month. They told me this was not acceptable and asked if I could borrow the money from someone. They then said I had to pay at least 50% now and then pay on a weekly basis thereafter. They said they would not accept anything else. They then told me they would place the account on hold until a week today.

I don't know the law but surely they are obliged to accept a payment plan if that's all I can afford. Could someone advise me here please?

sourcrates

Hi,

You should stay off the phone to these people, it's seldom productive, you should only pay what you can afford, nothing more, put the details in writing to them, then just pay it, regardless of weather they accept it or not.

If they have not entered your property before, do not let them in should they call again, as it is a priority debt, try and pay as much as you can, make a seperate arrangement for the fine, again at an affordable rate.

GP1983

Hi

Thanks for the response.

The won't accept my payment plan for the second fine; so should I just start paying it off in accordance with what I can afford? I'm not sure how to go about doing this as I need to call them to make a payment to them. Can they still send someone round even if I'm making regular payments which they haven't agreed to? I really want to avoid them sending round a bailiff as I live at my parents and I don't want to worry them.

sourcrates

Usually if they cannot collect, the debt gets passed back to the council.

That may be better for you, as they are easier to make payment arrangements with.

No matter what the reason, try and make sure your CT gets paid, it will avoid having to deal with companies like Marstons in the future.

GingerBob_3

sourcrates wrote: »

Usually if they cannot collect, the debt gets passed back to the council.

That may be better for you, as they are easier to make payment arrangements with.

No matter what the reason, try and make sure your CT gets paid, it will avoid having to deal with companies like Marstons in the future.

Could we please use the correct terminology? It's scum.

Muttipops

GingerBob wrote: »

Could we please use the correct terminology? It's scum.

When I was little, (I assume he was) a baliff served my Mum, me and 2 little sisters who were all stood on the doorstep with an eviction notice; he cried when he handed it over because he said he hated to see such little children made homeless.
That is the only thing I remember about that day, him crying.
I do not supppose he had that job for long.
And I can imagine that those who have a heart would not last in the job, making it almost a requirement of the job to be a hard-nosed *******.
But, I bet that there are matter of fact ways of dealing with the whole distressing process without causing more suffering than is often the case.

sourcrates

Muttipops wrote: »

When I was little, (I assume he was) a baliff served my Mum, me and 2 little sisters who were all stood on the doorstep with an eviction notice; he cried when he handed it over because he said he hated to see such little children made homeless.
That is the only thing I remember about that day, him crying.
I do not supppose he had that job for long.
And I can imagine that those who have a heart would not last in the job, making it almost a requirement of the job to be a hard-nosed *******.
But, I bet that there are matter of fact ways of dealing with the whole distressing process without causing more suffering than is often the case.

In most walks of life you come across people who, let's say, exaggerate there powers.
What a bailiff can and can't do, is set in law, a quick Google gives you all the information you need to deal with them.

If someone can log on to an Internet forum to ask advice, surely it stands to reason they can Google the info for themselves ?

But I know some people are better than others at dealing with things of this nature.

I like the guys on the telly from DCBL, high court enforcement, most appear to be quite sympathetic in how they deal with people, now weather they are like that off screen, I don't know, I think that Paul bohill is probebly a stand up guy in real life.

At the other end of the scale you have the likes of marstons and Bristol and suitor, not surprising most complaints originate from this sector.

National_Debtline

Hi GP1983


Can I please urge you not to get drawn into the merry-go-round of phone calls, offers and refusals that seems to trap so many people.


You and you alone will know best what you are capable of paying Marston for these debts. Start paying that amount - there should be no need to call them to do so, for example card payments via their website are usually quite straightforward - and continue to do so at regular intervals until the balance is clear or you are asked to stop. Do not "offer" it or ask for Marston's blessing, just pay what you can. The more time you spend on the phone to enforcement agents, the more encouragement you give them to pressurise you.


Dennis
@natdebtline

CIS

When I worked in council tax recovery at a local authority the one thing we always said was that, even if no formal arrangement has been agreed (either with the council or the enforcement agent) , they should always try and pay as much as they can anyway - the logic being it was at least reducing the balance and if action was looked at again in the future the lower balance often swung a decision in their favour.

Craig