Bailiff Coming This Weekend - Please Help Me!

MacabreDee

Hello Everyone!

First let me say how much help this site has been already - just reading other posts has given me hope!

On to my problem, I was issued with 3 parking tickets some time ago (for parking in my own street - long story) which have now been passed to Equita bailiffs to collect, they stuck a letter through my door a couple of weeks ago (open for whole household to see :mad: ) saying that they have 3 warrants each at £420, I have this week received a further letter stating that they will be calling at my home with a "removal contractor" to remove my belongings.
I am quite prepared to not open the door under any circumstances (if this is the best thing to do - what do others think?), but I am worried about my car which is parked outside my property, can they take this :question:

I have had dealings with them before over previous parking fines & they have NEVER accepted payment arrangements, just kept insisting on full amounts, fortunately in the past I have been able to pay the amounts due (by begging & borrowing), but now I am not in the position to do so.

The fact that I dispute these parking tickets doesn't help matters (I have to admit that this is why it has got this far), but I would pay it just to get rid of them if they would only accept an arrangement.

Thanks for taking the time to read this & sorry that this is rather long-winded, I am a bit of a waffler, esp when I'm nervous!

I am at my wits end & literally a bag of nerves _pale_ over what will happen tomorrow, any advice would be gratefully received!

Dee.xxx

scheming_gypsy

They can take your car so i'd move it as soon as possible so they can't find it.

ben500

Be very wary opening a window to speak to them is effectively an invitation to enter and pursue the warrant if I am correct!

check this site out

http://www.insolvencyhelpline.co.uk/debt_basics/bailiff-guide.htm#bg7

MacabreDee

Thanks for such a speedy replies.xxx At least I'm not the only night owl around here...

The car is in my name on the log-book, however my mother-in-law took out the HP for it & we still have a year or so to pay on that, does that make any difference at all? Or can they just take it regardless, not keen on them taking a £5000 car for £1200 debt and auctioning it off for a bloody pittance

It gets worse (for me anyway!) although the car is in my name it is really my partners - he makes the payments etc, so he will hit the roof if they try to take it!

Really don't know what to do here!

OOOh & I have no intention of opening ANYTHING, I intend to HIDE Only cos I'm a scardy cat & don't do well in confrontations!

ben500

MacabreDee wrote:

Thanks for such a speedy replies.xxx At least I'm not the only night owl around here...

The car is in my name on the log-book, however my mother-in-law took out the HP for it & we still have a year or so to pay on that, does that make any difference at all? Or can they just take it regardless, not keen on them taking a £5000 car for £1200 debt and auctioning it off for a bloody pittance

It gets worse (for me anyway!) although the car is in my name it is really my partners - he makes the payments etc, so he will hit the roof if they try to take it!

Really don't know what to do here!

OOOh & I have no intention of opening ANYTHING, I intend to HIDE Only cos I'm a scardy cat & don't do well in confrontations!

With the car being in your name they may well seize it and it would be up to you to demonstrate you are not the owner, the fact that the finance is in another name may well be of little consequence depending on the type of finance as it is most likely the finance was an arrangement to borrow money and NOT purchase the vehicle. MOVE IT!

I suspect {please correct me if wrongly so} that your partner is not fully aware of the situation and if so would recommend you come clean immediately, don't forget they could knock the door and he answer once they are in they are in and off goes your kit!

Poppy9

If the car was bought on HP though doesn't the ownership remain with the HP company? You need to check the credit or HP agreement (or even ring finance company) and have it to hand to show Bailiffs if it states that ownership is not transferred until monies repaid in full.

MacabreDee

Well....my partner does know about this, but not that they have said they are coming round this weekend, you're right though, I have to spill it all!

The car was on HP rather than a loan, so technically (I thought??) the car still belongs to the HP company - or am I wildly off the mark here??

Dee.xxx

Poppy9

No if its HP it belongs to finance company. Read all of Ben500 excellent link and contact HP company.

Good luck.

In future if you are appealing a parking fine send payment for the original amount due with a covering letter saying you are paying under protest to prevent incurring extra costs and intend to appeal the fine. Then go through the appeals process.

ben500

Poppy9 wrote:

If the car was bought on HP though doesn't the ownership remain with the HP company? You need to check the credit or HP agreement (or even ring finance company) and have it to hand to show Bailiffs if it states that ownership is not transferred until monies repaid in full.

Probably not a good idea as it will only start the finance company flapping, I'm sure you can put your hands to the doc's and check them out or if in any doubt just move the car its not worth the risk, if it's not there and they can't find it they are stuffed.

Without wishing to sound condescending many people have credit agreements which they perceive to be HP agreements and even vice versa, check the doc's and pick up the phone and check again.

MacabreDee

Also one thing which has just struck me is that when I have dealt with them before they have sent a letter saying that they will take my car, but this time I no longer own the car which the tickets were issued to & I seem to be getting different letters...or have they just changed their letters...i just dont know!

MacabreDee

i dont take your comments as condesending at all, every bit of input helps

poppy i agree totally with you, i should have done that & will in future, got myself into a whole heap of :eek: by being stubborn. I did appeal but was rejected, still gets me in a rage now :mad: