Help with debt collectors

Tripletmummy

Hello

Hoping you can give me some advice regarding some debt collectors that are chasing me for unpaid council tax.

I have outstanding council tax due and finally after a long battle with the council involved, got the bill reduced due to my children being in further and higher education and not required to pay thus meaning that I was entitled to a 25% discount on the bill.

In the meantime, the council passed the debt on to Bristow and Suitor. I had them come out to my address whilst I was still disputing the bill and as a consequence the bill was increased by approximately £300.

I have now tried three times to set up a payment agreement with them and each time, they have said that they are not prepared to accept the amount. I have sat and done all my sums and there is absolutely no way that I can pay any more than I am offering. They are insisting on more than double the amount I can afford and I have no hope in hell of being able to get close to that figure.

Having read some older threads on this board, it appears that the amount of £300 additional fee is more than they are allowed to charge. Is this still the case, and is the acceptable fee still £42.50 or has it increased?

In addition, is it still an option for me to write to the head of the council asking for them to take back the debt and agree a payment plan with them instead of with these debt collectors?

Any advice that you can give me would be really gratefully received as I am losing sleep about this and have no idea what I can do to get this sorted out.

sourcrates

Yes, get in touch with the council and they will call the dogs off, Bristow and Suitor are a bailiff company and will be working under a liability order obtained by the council.

Its hopeless trying to deal with the bailiffs, they always want the full amount and won`t agree acceptable terms just to be awkward, the council should accept their mistake and take the debt back.

Tripletmummy

Thanks for the advice Sourcrates. It is much appreciated!