Jacobs Debt Collectors

chyllyphylly

Hi all.

So I moved out of an area and forgot to tell the council, yeah it was a stupid thing to do. A year later Jocobs got in touch and said I owed £1700.

I arranged a payment plan of £150 a month and been paying it on time. Now they want me to INCREASE my payments, and I can’t afford that.

I am quite willing to continue to pay the £150 a month until the debt is cleared. Seems like they are moving the goalposts, as they were no mention of this when I arranged the plan.

Anyone got any suggestions?

National_Debtline

Hi there,


Unfortunately, Jacobs will be acting as a bailiff if they are chasing council tax arrears. The difference being, that they would have a right of entry to your property. As long as they haven't been inside before and nothing has been signed, they cannot force entry, and can only come inside if you let them in, or if they find an open/ unlocked door. So keep everything locked, and anything valuable outside needs to be hidden.


With regard to the payment plan, they may want you to increase it so the debt is cleared within the tax year, however, you should write/ email the office and explain that your circumstances haven't changed, you have not missed a payment and you are unable to increase the offer -they shouldn't visit just because of that. If they have not visited before then they may want to visit in order to add the £235 enforcement fee. But if they do this, you can raise a complaint, as it certainly sounds as though you have stuck to your end of the deal.


Laura
@natdebtline

CIS

chyllyphylly wrote: »

Hi all.

So I moved out of an area and forgot to tell the council, yeah it was a stupid thing to do. A year later Jocobs got in touch and said I owed £1700.

I arranged a payment plan of £150 a month and been paying it on time. Now they want me to INCREASE my payments, and I can’t afford that.

I am quite willing to continue to pay the £150 a month until the debt is cleared. Seems like they are moving the goalposts, as they were no mention of this when I arranged the plan.

Anyone got any suggestions?

One key point in this is whether or not you are actually liable for the balance - have you checked the dates of the charge with the council to make sure it is all yours ? You'd be surprised how often it turns out the information the council are working from turns out to be wrong.

chyllyphylly

Well, after calling my repayments are staying the same.

According to the operator, the council says they have 6 months to collect the debt. Another review in 3 or 4 months.

CIS

chyllyphylly wrote: »

Well, after calling my repayments are staying the same.

According to the operator, the council says they have 6 months to collect the debt. Another review in 3 or 4 months.

6 month is a common time scale for the council to set.