Reclaiming Equita (council tax) on credit card.

Strawberryz

Hi
I had an enforcement officer visit from Equita. He lead me to believe he had to take money that day or my car! I’m also a vulnerable person but he took no notice of that. I was crying and very upset.
The only way I could pay anything was my son using his credit card. So now I’m in debt to him over £1,000
I’ve made offers to pay and made a token payment £25 to Equita online.
I’m unemployed on universal credits and also sick.
I’ve been a single parent (after 30 years marriage) for just over a year. I’ve been left with bills and trying to sort them out.
Main question- can we now cancel/claim back the credit card payment as the amount to be paid that day was falsely implied ?
Any help at all would be gratefully received.
I acknowledge that the debt belongs to myself and my estranged husband and I’m trying to make payments.

lincroft1710

Did the council obtain a CCJ?

Nasqueron

If you chargeback, the bank will ask the firm who took it if it's legitimate, assuming it is, they will let them have the money back.


Assuming you have a CCJ against you and they have taken on the debt collection then yes it's legitimate. You must have been not paying your council tax for a long time and ignored all the help available to get to this point. Seem help with someone like Citizens Advice or a debt charity before this happens again

CIS

Did the council obtain a CCJ?

They have to have a Liability Order before instructing the enforcement agents (Not a CCJ for council tax purposes).

I had an enforcement officer visit from Equita. He lead me to believe he had to take money that day or my car! I’m also a vulnerable person but he took no notice of that. I was crying and very upset.

Vulnerability is a decision for the council and enforcement agent to determine based on the circumstances as they see it.

The agents, at the point of a visit, are almost certainly at the removal of goods stage so they would be looking at a full payment or immediate removal of goods (unless they voluntarily decided to accept instalments).

Main question- can we now cancel/claim back the credit card payment as the amount to be paid that day was falsely implied ?

I'd expect it would be very unlikely that the bank will reverse the payment.

Strawberryz

Hi
I was under the impression that CC companies have some sort of guarantee or “insurance” if there’s an issue?
The enforcer broke s lot of the code of conduct rules. (I’ve complained to the body)
I was under duress to make that much payment in one go. Which goes against their guidelines.

CIS

Strawberryz wrote: »

Hi
I was under the impression that CC companies have some sort of guarantee or “insurance” if there’s an issue?
The enforcer broke s lot of the code of conduct rules. (I’ve complained to the body)
I was under duress to make that much payment in one go. Which goes against their guidelines.

There's a difference between possibly breaching rules for their governing body and acting outside of legislation. What did they do that you think was wrong ?



Telling you they need full payment or they will remove goods is not duress, or against the enforcement rules, it is what they would be expected to undertake at that time.