DRO and ballifs

peterparker12

Hi,

I would like some advice please

I applied for a DRO and was accepted on the 18th October for Breathing Space while the Order is set up 

Yesterday I received a home visit from a Ballif who left a letter detailing they want to collect goods and use them against the bill they have. They just left a letter with a mobile phone number.

I am a little concerned that they will take goods against the debt as the DRO is yet to be set up and my partner lives with me and don't want him to be involved. Can they take his possessions? Is this even legal with the breathing space in place?


Thanks 

la531983

If its not a High Court bailiff you can safely ignore it.

RAS

What debts are you referring to? Bailiffs for consumer debt is unusual.

And no, they can't take goods belonging to your partner unless it's a joint debt.

Keep doors and windows locked and only speak through the letterbox if you are in.

sourcrates

As above, what debt is the bailiff chasing, is it council tax?

Because it would be very unlikely to be anything consumer debt related.

Are you certain it was a bailiff? as they should of given you 7 days notice of attendance in writing beforehand.

But regardless of the why, keeping doors locked keeps bailiffs outside, they cannot force entry to private property unless they are evicting you, but they can enter through an unlocked door, so keep them outside and they can`t do anything in the short term.

ToxtethO'Grady

I know I'm late to this and I hope your DRO is going ahead and your application has been entered.

I'll include my advice just in case. You send them a copy of your breathing space notification and make them and the original creditor aware that you are in breathing space until 16th December.

What debt is it for? Some debts are excluded from insolvency and breathing space. The list is here of excluded debts.

Even if the breathing space ends you should make them aware that you are applying for a DRO and ask them for time for this to go through. I'd say do this in writing so any response is in writing too. If they refuse that I would raise a complaint as most guidance even for excluded debts is to give time to put in place debt alleviation or management.