Please help had council tax bailiff at the door

chevalier

RAS is one of the good people on here, and I can't offer any other advice than the excellent words he/she has offered above. But welcome to the boards. Make sure you try and relax this evening. There is nothing you can do tonight, so rather than worrying about it, how about noting down things like
the month/year you moved,
points about the council having written to you at your new address, so where are the court papers

dig out the old paperwork regarding the old council so you know what your council tax reference number was (easier to find your payments then)

make a note to call the old council, and the court near that council to find out what is going on. If you have not had the papers, nor the judgement either, then you may have grounds for varying the judgement.

Is there any way someone could be nicking your post? Ie do you have a shared entrance? Just trying to think of reasons for not getting the letters they say they have sent.

If after all that you still have time, can you work out what your current income and expenditure is, so that you are able to send them an up to date statement. Also an explanation of how this will change in January when your maternity pay ends.

Will you be going back to work? Ie so that you can offer them a carrot of saying take x amount now because when I return to work I can increase it to y?
hope some of this helps
chev

jojopo000

chevalier wrote: »

RAS is one of the good people on here, and I can't offer any other advice than the excellent words he/she has offered above. But welcome to the boards. Make sure you try and relax this evening. There is nothing you can do tonight, so rather than worrying about it, how about noting down things like
the month/year you moved,
points about the council having written to you at your new address, so where are the court papers

dig out the old paperwork regarding the old council so you know what your council tax reference number was (easier to find your payments then)

make a note to call the old council, and the court near that council to find out what is going on. If you have not had the papers, nor the judgement either, then you may have grounds for varying the judgement.

Is there any way someone could be nicking your post? Ie do you have a shared entrance? Just trying to think of reasons for not getting the letters they say they have sent.

If after all that you still have time, can you work out what your current income and expenditure is, so that you are able to send them an up to date statement. Also an explanation of how this will change in January when your maternity pay ends.

Will you be going back to work? Ie so that you can offer them a carrot of saying take x amount now because when I return to work I can increase it to y?
hope some of this helps
chev

Thanks for all your replies and kind thoughts they are much appreciated. I have calmed down a bit now but still shaking.

This has so annoyed me as if we had recieved the court papers we would of filled them in and it wouldnt be at this stage. OH seems to think that maybe the court papers went to the address the arrears are for and the same for the Bailiffs letters but if that was the case why did he come straight to our current address. We live in a house so no shared entrance/letterbox and all the councils letters came to this address (the one where they turned down my payment offer and also the letter prior to that one stating what they wanted us to pay). We have never had any post go missing before.

I know I have to ask the council what court they used but when i call the court will they be able to tell me what address they sent the info to?

We have done a rough incomings and outgoings but this is going to change loads as baby is drinkning more milk so this means we will need more for her and she is coming out of newborn nappies so nappies will go up and also needs more clothes as she is growing very quickly.

We dont live a luxury lifestyle, we dont go out, dont drink, dont buy loads of designer clothes so its not like we are living beyond our means.

Baby is only 8 weeks old so am not due to go back to work until the earliest of the start of May and I tried to dangle the I will pay more once back at work when I last spoke to them in August and they were not in the slightest interested as were adament they want the money by April 08.

Am worried for my kids as dont want them to loose their toys, my 8 year old is already asking what is going on and with the things that have happened in the past 2 weeks I am ready to crawl into a hole and not come out.

johnroberts07

Try not to worry, i had the same problem 3 weeks ago. Go straight to citizens advice they will help you. And they are not allowed to take your childrens belongings. I suffer from depression and i was so stressed out i took an overdose and M.I.N.D helped me. And they said if you make an offer they have to take it even if its £1 a week, as long as you are paying it off. And after me taking an overdose they found out i didnt even owe the money, they had made a mistake!

jojopo000

johnroberts07 wrote: »

Try not to worry, i had the same problem 3 weeks ago. Go straight to citizens advice they will help you. And they are not allowed to take your childrens belongings. I suffer from depression and i was so stressed out i took an overdose and M.I.N.D helped me. And they said if you make an offer they have to take it even if its £1 a week, as long as you are paying it off. And after me taking an overdose they found out i didnt even owe the money, they had made a mistake!

Thanks for replying and I cannot believe what they did (was it for the same as me?). Have they apologised? I hope you are feeling better now?

I will try to go to CAB but they are impossible to get to see down here as so many people have problems they need help with.

I have a feeling that the post natal depression is going to win again, not only from all this now but how i have been feeling of late. I know as had it before after my 2 year old.

johnroberts07

mine was the housing benefit £1700 and council tax £450, no they havent apologised. you can also ask social services for help if you have children, they have advice and welfare rights as well. I have clinical depression and schitzophrenia, so stress doesnt help

doodledo_2

Sorry I have no better advice than that you have already received but wanted to send you some ((hugs)) and really hope you get things sorted.

Good luck.

jojopo000

johnroberts07 wrote: »

mine was the housing benefit £1700 and council tax £450, no they havent apologised. you can also ask social services for help if you have children, they have advice and welfare rights as well. I have clinical depression and schitzophrenia, so stress doesnt help

We had the same council ask for a return of overpayment of Housing benefit even though I wrote and told them and they now take £9 a week off of our entitlement through the council we live under now.

I cannot believe they havent apologised, do you think you are likely to get one?

I know it doesnt help much but you have made me feel a bit more human (if that makes sense?).

johnroberts07

Everyone on here made me feel a lot better though, i didnt feel as frightened and alone

jojopo000

johnroberts07 wrote: »

Everyone on here made me feel a lot better though, i didnt feel as frightened and alone

They have all been wonderful, at the mo I feel so low, I have let everyone down, the kids Xmas has been ruined, my little baby will pick up on my stress.

All the kind words and advice have been really reassuring.

I just wish this feeling of being useless to them all would go. I have let all my family down big time.

Sea78

Honey - you've not let ANYONE down and you haven't ruined Christmas at all. Believe me - I have felt exactly the same. Tomorrow, do get on to your hv and explain how you're feeling - I found i was jsut about coping after having my kids but add financial worries to the mix and I was not ok. Your kids adore you for being their fabulous mum and that's all that is important. you can and will sort the money issues, I promise - stay on the board, ring everyone you can tomorrow - including the CAB and further on your MP if necessary! We will be here with you every step of the way and I for one will be def looking out for you too.

Give your kids an extra squeeze in the morning - if your 8 yr old is worried before school, perhaps you could just explain that you are having a little trouble with the council, but that you and OH are sorting it (even if you don't feel like you are at the mo!!) and they needn't worry about it at all. Might help?

Sea xxxxxxxx