debt agency/bailiff

hamletcigars

hope someone can help,daughter left last home due to domestic abuse and although could not return and eventually gave up council house it was empty a long while,it was vandalised outside and in the garden etc
the council have bill her and she has tried to contest this bill (she cannot be held responsible as the council were aware the property was empty and she could not return due to violence )


shelter and others have tried to help and she has an appointment with CA next week

BUT

she has had a letter saying debt has been passed to an agency for recovery,if not paid within 7 days bailifs will be sent in


this 7 days is up before she meets with CA for advice


in the meantime is there anything she should/can do as she is worried who will turn up at her door or what powers they will have


if anyone could please advice it would be appreciated

thanks

Larumbelle

Could you do me a favour? Could you type up the exact wording of the letter (replacing any personal detains with xxxx) because in a situation like this the wording can be very, very important.

Who are CA please? sorry, Ive got my sunday evening head on I think.

hamletcigars

silvercharming wrote: »

Could you do me a favour? Could you type up the exact wording of the letter (replacing any personal detains with xxxx) because in a situation like this the wording can be very, very important.

Who are CA please? sorry, Ive got my sunday evening head on I think.

I will do ,just trying to get hold of daughter to relay letter to me ,CA is citizens advice

Larumbelle

Of course, citizen's advice! (slaps self)


It might be worth your daughter calling the bailiffs and telling them she has the meeting. They might say 'tough' but generally they back down a bit if they know that you know your rights.


Also make it clear to your daughter that on no account should she let them into the house.

hamletcigars

silvercharming wrote: »

Of course, citizen's advice! (slaps self)


It might be worth your daughter calling the bailiffs and telling them she has the meeting. They might say 'tough' but generally they back down a bit if they know that you know your rights.


Also make it clear to your daughter that on no account should she let them into the house.

I will and thank you ,unfortunately daughter seems to of turned phones off for the night (1 year old twins that she avoids disturbing) but I will put the contents of the letter up as soon as I can and thank you again

tigtag02

Im not sure that they can send the baliffs in without all the court proceding first (unless its council tax) ~ sounds like the DCA could just be using the scare tactic.

The debt is for the bill for the vadalism right?

Larumbelle

no problem, I am at work tomorrow, I might be able to pop online during the day, if not I'll be here on the evening. But I think there are plenty of people who know their onions here during the day. You might need to bump the thread up to the top so they see it.


Give your daughter a hug from me. It sounds as though she's been through enough without all of this. Please tell her not to panic. Whatever happens there are ways to sort it.

tigtag02

Herbie21 wrote: »

Hamletcigars.

This debt is almost certainly one for unpaid council tax and it sounds like the council have obtained a liability order.

No it isnt and no it doesnt

The OP has explained what the *bill* is for ~ please re-read the OP and advise accordingly!!

hamletcigars

tigtag02 wrote: »

Im not sure that they can send the baliffs in without all the court proceding first (unless its council tax) ~ sounds like the DCA could just be using the scare tactic.

The debt is for the bill for the vadalism right?

yes,what happened was she left (we collected her from a supermarket in the middle of the night ) we brought her home then returned with a council worker permission to retrieve what we could from the house (not much but better than nothing) the house was then locked up
she retained the keys and vacant tenancy,the council were aware she would not be returning but she had to hang onto the keys or she would be making herself homeless,her new area council rehoused her temporarily,then she gave the tenancy back

the house was broken into by ex and trashed ,the council accepted this and have not charged her for clearing the property of remaining items

but the outside was trashed /vandalised and they are saying because she still had the keys,even though they were aware she was not even in the same county,then she is responsible for the bill to clear this ...............shelter argued her case etc but they won't listen ........hence the bill

hamletcigars

It is definately not council tax herbie 21 but thank you for your other advice on bailifs

hamletcigars

Update ,it was from a debt collection agency ,she rang them up and told them this debt was still in dispute and they have put a hold on it temporarily,at least until she gets advice from CA,she also asked for a full breakdown of the debt (as this was never given)

the odd thing was the letter said 'pay within 7 days or further action will be taken',she asked what their further action procedure was and they didn't seem to have one


will come back once she has been to CA