Rossendales harassment

Puccini777

Please help, Rosendales are out of their mind, and not sure what should I do.

Here is a my story short. Renting a house, we owed some Council Tax. I knew that, but wasn't sure how much. We moved out to another house, and notified local Council. So After a while, i received a letter, with council tax for new house, and the remaining amount for old house. I paid that remaining stated in that letter straight away.
After few months we are getting Rossendales letters, that we owe them money. £310 to be exact. So it turns out, before council sent a letter to my new address to pay the outstanding balance, they gave it to rosendales as well. So I call Rosendales, say i paid it, why do i owe you? they say - we sent a person few times, so you must pay for visits. What address? Old address. So why would i pay, that they were sending someone to the address i don't even live anymore? And they kept sending those treatening letters (left by their bailiff), who threatens to lock cars on property (a property which does not belong to us and cars that don't belong to us as well). So, i write an official complaint.
After a while, I get a letter, that they admit the complain, but I have to pay £75 in 14 days and they write off the remaining £235. Few days later, I paid it. After a while, we get bailiff visits and letters again, that we owe £235. Why??? According to them i paid £75 too late. Sorry, but i got the letter too late. So who is to blame? Royal Mail? Maybe they sent it too late? Maybe they dated it wrong??? They are categorical, - I paid too late, I have to pay £235 now. Again threats to lock cars and bla bla bla. I write a complain again. this time they say that yes I owe it.
Now yesterday, another threatening letter, which asks to send them income information, or a fine of £1000 will be added, a conviction will be added, etc. I got fed up with this. I thought ok, I can not fight versus giant, i will go and pay. I go online, enter all reference details, and it shows that my balance is 0!!!
So it is 0 online, but speaking to them they say £235. I mean this is outrageous. They simply harass us, and contradict themselves.
What do we do??? Soon they will add this £1000 fine on top and keep coming and threatening and add conviction etc.... what do we do then?
What authority monitors them? Who do I complain to and stop this Rossendales harassment?
Please help someone.

sourcrates

Hi,

As you seem to have a slightly complicated case here, give National Debtline a call, the number is in my signature.

They will be able to advise you how to deal with Rossendales.

There advice is free, and non judgemental.

fatbelly

Yes, typical bullying behaviour from Rossendales.

I think I would complain to the council who employed them - hopefully they will lose their contract if enough people make a fuss.

As for who regulates them - when the government gave a shake-up to bailiff law 2 years ago the one thing they did not do was set up a regulatory body, and the bullying behaviour has continued, just with 7x the fees (was £42.50, now £310. Thanks, Mr Cameron)

National Debtline may have some more ideas, as might bailiffadviceonline.co.uk

National_Debtline

Hi

They can’t add a £1000 fine so don’t worry about that. They’re trying their pressurising game as they want a fee.

If you want to complain about council tax bailiffs you can start by complaining to the council and then escalate a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman, as they can investigate some cases. There is also a trade association called CIVEA who can deal with complaints:

www.civea.co.uk

It does sound like a relatively complicated case so it’s best to give us a call as sourcrates and fatbelly suggest.

James
@natdebtline

fatbelly

Puccini777 wrote: »

Now yesterday, another threatening letter, which asks to send them income information, or a fine of £1000 will be added, a conviction will be added, etc. I

Just noticed this. The fees of £75 and £235 are legitimate, but you can argue that they shouldn't apply here.

Bailiffs cannot threaten to fine you £1000 - so that does need to be brought to the Council's attention.

Cross-posted with ND.

National_Debtline

I’m questioning how appropriate it was for the council to use bailiffs at all, given that they were able to send a letter to the OP’s new address and receive payment. I think it’s worth asking the council to call Rossendale’s off and cover the £235 themselves.

James
@natdebtline

sourcrates

National_Debtline wrote: »

I’m questioning how appropriate it was for the council to use bailiffs at all, given that they were able to send a letter to the OP’s new address and receive payment. I think it’s worth asking the council to call Rossendale’s off and cover the £235 themselves.

James
@natdebtline

I would second that, unless you kick up a fuss by every means nessessary, these people think they can walk all over you.

Sometime councils do make mistakes, other times they just don't observe due diligence, whatever the reason, I would make a written complaint to both the council and the bayliff as well as there trade association too.

CIS

With regards to the income details - it depends on whether they have been authorised by the local authority to act on their behalf for the information. If the local authority have authorised the enforcement agent to do so then they can collect employment information under regulation 36 of the council tax (administration & enforcement) regs 1992 - the form is commonly called a 'request for information' form.

Providing this request is made in writing then it is an offence to fail to provide the information within 14 days as it's breaching a notice which is issued under a court order. The penalty for failing to provide the information.

Regulation 56 provides that failure to comply with the Regulation 36 is subject to a level 2 fine on conviction by the magistrates court. A level 3 fine can be issued if false information is provided.

Craig

sam1967

Just a thought, but is the letter mentioning the £1000 fine the one from the cpouncil asking for details of people at your address, thats just for the election register i think, and nothing to do with the bailiffs

sourcrates

sam1967 wrote: »

Just a thought, but is the letter mentioning the £1000 fine the one from the council asking for details of people at your address, thats just for the election register i think, and nothing to do with the bailiffs

No, it was from Rossendales attempting to deceive the OP into thinking they have more legal clout than they actually do, and generally exaggerating there powers, again !!!!

Good pick up though.

CIS

sourcrates wrote: »

No, it was from Rossendales attempting to deceive the OP into thinking they have more legal clout than they actually do, and generally exaggerating there powers, again !!!!

Good pick up though.

It's not deceiving people though if the council have authorised them to request the information on their behalf (as per my earlier post).

Craig