council tax enforcement after bankruptcy

kimplus8 · 11 January 2018 at 2:28PM

hi guys, I posted a few weeks ago about JBW trying to enforce collection of council tax after I had been made bankrupt.
I contacted the OR office and was awaiting a reply but in the meantime they came to my house again and said if didn't pay immediately they were coming in to take good. I shut the door and he posted a document through tkhatoutlined locksmiths charges, auction fees etc and I was so scared that I went straight to the post office and paid the whole bill.
on Monday the OR got back to me and explained that I wasn't liable as the whole year 17/18 was in my bankruptcy.
I explained that I had paid as I was so frightened and he said that unfortunately he couldn't do anything to get the money back but that he wouldn't give me any penalties or sanctions for prioritising one debt over another because of the situation that I was put in.
well today he came back and demanded the money again but with another £65 added to it and said it was enforcement fees that I now owe as I paid the council directly.
im so scared and I don't have the money.
I shut the door and said I wasn't prepared to pay and again he posted a letter through about the locksmith and auctions etc.
I don't know what to do. can anyone advise me

Comms69 · 11 January 2018 at 3:25PM

kimplus8 wrote: »

hi guys, I posted a few weeks ago about JBW trying to enforce collection of council tax after I had been made bankrupt.
I contacted the OR office and was awaiting a reply but in the meantime they came to my house again and said if didn't pay immediately they were coming in to take good. I shut the door and he posted a document through tkhatoutlined locksmiths charges, auction fees etc and I was so scared that I went straight to the post office and paid the whole bill.
on Monday the OR got back to me and explained that I wasn't liable as the whole year 17/18 was in my bankruptcy.
I explained that I had paid as I was so frightened and he said that unfortunately he couldn't do anything to get the money back but that he wouldn't give me any penalties or sanctions for prioritising one debt over another because of the situation that I was put in.
well today he came back and demanded the money again but with another £65 added to it and said it was enforcement fees that I now owe as I paid the council directly.
im so scared and I don't have the money.
I shut the door and said I wasn't prepared to pay and again he posted a letter through about the locksmith and auctions etc.
I don't know what to do. can anyone advise me

Who did you pay at the post office??

National_Debtline · 11 January 2018 at 4:55PM

Hi Kimplus8,

I understand this can be worrying, but try not to panic. As long as the bailiff has not been inside your home before and you have not signed anything with them, they cannot use a locksmith and there are no more fees they can charge. Without a valid controlled goods agreement the bailiffs should now cease collection of the debt. You can write/ email the office, with your bankruptcy reference number and state that you will not be paying anything else and you do not want anymore visits. Any further visits will result in you making a formal complaint to their trade association.

However, if they have a valid controlled goods agreement, (meaning this was signed) then those items still belong to the bailiffs and they could, technically, force entry for them. However, this would be very rare, and even less likely with only £65 owing. Can you clarify if they ever gained entry to your home or if you ever signed anything with them please?

Laura
@natdebtline

kimplus8 · 11 January 2018 at 5:36PM

Comms69 wrote: »

Who did you pay at the post office??

I paid the council via the waypoint at the postoffice.

kimplus8 · 11 January 2018 at 5:37PM

National_Debtline wrote: »

Hi Kimplus8,

I understand this can be worrying, but try not to panic. As long as the bailiff has not been inside your home before and you have not signed anything with them, they cannot use a locksmith and there are no more fees they can charge. Without a valid controlled goods agreement the bailiffs should now cease collection of the debt. You can write/ email the office, with your bankruptcy reference number and state that you will not be paying anything else and you do not want anymore visits. Any further visits will result in you making a formal complaint to their trade association.

However, if they have a valid controlled goods agreement, (meaning this was signed) then those items still belong to the bailiffs and they could, technically, force entry for them. However, this would be very rare, and even less likely with only £65 owing. Can you clarify if they ever gained entry to your home or if you ever signed anything with them please?

Laura
@natdebtline

thanks for your reply, see update below.

kimplus8 · 11 January 2018 at 5:39PM

*UPDATE*
hi guys
I called the council and they leased with my OR. The manager out the council tax department called me back and said that she has recalled the debt from JBW so they shouldn't come to my house again.
thank god. I was so frightened by their bullish threatening tactics
thanks for you replies
kim x

council tax enforcement after bankruptcy

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