missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

[Thom mc]

Hi I'm new on the site and looking for some advice.
We have a payment plan set up with Rundles for council tax arreas at £70 a month, we've had it set up since September. We paid septembers and October payments on time but we have missed Novembers payment for the simple fact we could not afford to pay it.
On Thursday 11th December a enforcement officer came to my house to 'take control of goods' he posted a letter through the door stating he'd been and he would be back later on that day. After calling him to try and work something out he basiclly fobbed my off and said if I don't pay £550+ on Monday 15th Decemeber he would return with a van and take control of goods. (He hasn't been in my property before)
Now there is no way I can afford to pay that much cash on monday in fact we are skint till payday. Today Sunday 14th December I have sent them an email asking if I can lower the monthly amount to £45. If they do not accept this and insist I pay all of it, is there anything else I can do to try and get the agreement to a level we can afford. (P.s I also forwarded the same email to my local council)
Also we never received a notice of 7 clear days that anyone would be visiting, in fact we didn't recive any notice what so ever.

Thanks in advance

[Thom mc]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

One other thing. Only one of us works while the other cares for our 2 young children at home, if that helps.

[bluebottle]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

Hi Thom,

It does make me wonder if Rundles set the payments at a level where default was inevitable. How much was owed altogether? Also, has any EA from Rundles ever gained peaceable entry to your home?

[bizzybob]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

If the Bumbles & Co EA hasn't been in,to your home and listed goods and you signed a Controlled Goods Agreement, he cannot come in.
As per BB above did you let him in to set up the payment plan?

[Thom mc]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

Hi Thom,

It does make me wonder if Rundles set the payments at a level where default was inevitable. How much was owed altogether? Also, has any EA from Rundles ever gained peaceable entry to your home?

The original debt was just over £460, we've since paid off £140 via two £70 installments. Rundels have NOT Gaines any entry to our home before.

[bluebottle]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

Thank you for your prompt response, Thom.

Rundles should not be setting payments at a level where default is inevitable. When was the Liability Order issued?

Unless Rundles gain peaceable entry, which you are not going to grant them and should not grant them, since they have not complied with current legislation, they are stuffed.

[Thom mc]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

If the Bumbles & Co EA hasn't been in,to your home and listed goods and you signed a Controlled Goods Agreement, he cannot come in.
As per BB above did you let him in to set up the payment plan?

The payment plan was set up over the phone when we first got notified Rundles were involved. Thursday was the first time anyone ever been. He didn't even knock, he simply posted the letter then left, I was in the whole time.

[bluebottle]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

It is important that we know the date on the Liability Order the local authority claim they have. If they do not have one, Rundles have no right to be involved or be doing what they are doing.

I am aware of irregularities involving the manner in which Liability Orders have been obtained/issued by a number of local authorities and until it is proven that a valid Liability Order exists, it has to be open to question as to whether one exists in your case.

You should have received the following from the local authority involved -

1. Reminder;
2. Final Reminder;
3. Final Demand;
4. Summons;
5. Notice of Liability Order

[Thom mc]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

It is important that we know the date on the Liability Order the local authority claim they have. If they do not have one, Rundles have no right to be involved or be doing what they are doing.

I am aware of irregularities involving the manner in which Liability Orders have been obtained/issued by a number of local authorities and until it is proven that a valid Liability Order exists, it has to be open to question as to whether one exists in your case.

You should have received the following from the local authority involved -

1. Reminder;
2. Final Reminder;
3. Final Demand;
4. Summons;
5. Notice of Liability Order

Just hunted for the letter and the liability order was issued 16th july.

[bluebottle]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

Sorry to keep asking questions, Thom, but when were you informed that Rundles were involved?

[Thom mc]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

Sorry to keep asking questions, Thom, but when were you informed that Rundles were involved?

We had a letter on 2nd September, I immediately contacted them via phone and arrange to make first payment (£70) on the 30th September then every 31 days thereafter.

[bluebottle]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

So there was a two-month delay between the LO being obtained and Rundles contacting you.

Did not Rundles ask you to complete an Income and Expenditure schedule so they could see how much you could realistically-afford? If they did not, then I would go as far as to say they were, at the very least, acting in an irresponsible manner and, at worst, engaging in practices the new regulations were supposed to have brought to an end.

[Thom mc]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

So there was a two-month delay between the LO being obtained and Rundles contacting you.

Did not Rundles ask you to complete an Income and Expenditure schedule so they could see how much you could realistically-afford? If they did not, then I would go as far as to say they were, at the very least, acting in an irresponsible manner and, at worst, engaging in practices the new regulations were supposed to have brought to an end.

We have been asked to fill out any form a income and expenditure paper work, we havent signed or filled in any form of paper work with them. We didn't even get a letter detailing the £70 payment plan we arranged.

[bluebottle]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

If you have never been asked to complete an I & E schedule, then Rundles are behaving irresponsibly and their failure to give seven clear calendar days notice in writing compounds this.

Did Rundles, at any time, ask how much you could realistically afford to pay per calendar month?

Allowing for essential outgoings, how much can you realistically afford per calendar month?

[Thom mc]

Re: missed one payment, now Rundles are knocking. council tax.

If you have never been asked to complete an I & E schedule, then Rundles are behaving irresponsibly and their failure to give seven clear calendar days notice in writing compounds this.

Allowing for essential outgoings, how much can you realistically afford per calendar month?

The most we can afford is £45 a month.