Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

[IGotSatan]

Hi everyone,
I completed a 12 month tenancy in a property for which I paid council tax on a monthly basis (proven on my statement). Regardless, Newcastle Council Tax decided I should be taken to court and have added a Liability Orders fee and an Authority Summons fee (2 x £42 = £84) on my account. I contacted them several times using their online form to ask why they did this but recieved no response. I did not attend the court hearing because I had to go to work to earn money to pay my council tax (they did not inform me of the outcome either). I pretty much forgot about it and continued to make monthly payments until my tenancy ended and my account was closed. I gave Newcastle Council Tax my parents' address as my fowarding address but I went to university in a different city.

A few months later my parents told me that I had been recieving letters from Jacobs Enforcement Agency demanding £201.02. I checked my Council Tax Account and discovered that there was still a £42.02 deficit + the £84 court fees which were still there (Jacobs fee of £75 brings it up to £201.02). I paid the £42.02 immediately (direct to Newcastle Council Tax) but still wish to dispute the court fees with Newcastle Council Tax who are ignoring my emails.

Just wondering what the best course of action I should take is. I really don't want my parents' to be harassed by Jacobs especially when I have paid the agreed amount of council tax for my tenancy in full.
Thanks

[Kati]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

:bump: for [MENTION=9189]bizzybob[/MENTION] or [MENTION=30402]Milo[/MENTION] xx

[charitynjw]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

Councils/bailiffs make a fortune out of liability orders, so they won't want to play fair.

The £421sh pounds will have gone towards bailiffs fees (I think they have first dibs on any monies paid in after the LO).

But if the bailiffs/council are aware that your parents' address is a forwarding address only,for post, etc., they shouldn't turn up at parents' door (I think).

Does the council know your current address, or are you :behindsofa:, lol!

[IGotSatan]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

My current whereabouts is unknown. I informed Newcastle Council Tax that I am now a student in a different city and now exempt from paying council tax, but I don't know if this includes any kind of debts XD. Should I contact Jacobs directly or ignore them?

[charitynjw]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

Well, it won't go away, & the bailiffs will find a way of adding more & more charges to the bill.

We do have some 'resident' experts re CT/bailiffs. (I'm thinking outlawgo, for one)

(I would give a 'nudge', but I still can't work out how to do it!)

Perhaps Kati could do the honours? :tea:

[charitynjw]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

Ooops, I see that Kati already has 'nudged' on post #2.

I'll go back to , lol!

[IGotSatan]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

Are these bailiff fees really legally binding? I don't see why I should pay a company for their "services" when I don't have a contract with them. Same goes for Newcastle Council's court fees. It was their decision to purchase the services of the court despite the overwhelming evidence that I was paying my council tax every month.

[charitynjw]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

Are these bailiff fees really legally binding? I don't see why I should pay a company for their "services" when I don't have a contract with them. Same goes for Newcastle Council's kangaroo* court fees.

Yes & Yes

But you can dispute them.

* My insertion, lol!

[Kati]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

Ooops, I see that Kati already has 'nudged' on post #2.

I'll go back to , lol!

msl: ... I'm quick off the mark with some things Charity

[MENTION=80611]IGotSatan[/MENTION] ... if you were paying monthly, was it by DD?? do you have proof of payments?? Personally. I'd be going back to the council (CEO/formal complaint maybe) asking why/how you owe money when you paid monthly (and have proof etc...)

[IGotSatan]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

I was making the payments manually. They're all listed on my account statement provided by the council themselves (I have downloaded the .pdf) and will be on my bank statement too. In most cases I also took a screenshot of the confirmation screen.

[bizzybob]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

I would take it up with the council, and ask for a complete account breakdown, and ask why if the account was up to date they went for the LO, as if Jacobs visit your parents, they will addan Enforcement fee of £235 to your account, along with the fact that Jacobs WILL try to force your parents to pay, or even clamp their car, they are good at snatching third party motors.

You might have to give your current address if you want to avoid Jacobs pressuring your parents. You should inform them that Jacobs have no right of entry so not to let them in under any circumstances if they fetch up at the door.

[charitynjw]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

Oh, & tell your folks to bring the doormat indoors as well, lol!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2005705/Bailiffs-seize-door-mat-refused-entry-forced-return-it.html

[wales01man]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

Expect Jacobs to clamp your parents car if you do not sort this they want the money

[bizzybob]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

Expect Jacobs to clamp your parents car if you do not sort this they want the money

Your parents should show their council tax bill to the Jacobs grunt at the door but not let them in to prove your non residence, they will be persistent unless you sort it.

[IGotSatan]

Re: Newcastle Council Tax - Jacobs Enforcement Agency

The council have finally explained that I did not follow their "payment plan" of confusing and arbitrary amounts. Apparently sending them 10% of my paycheque every month was not good enough as the amounts weren't sent in the same order as their letters. I'm therefore treated the same as a non-payer.

From what I've read online the council is only allowed to charge for reasonably incurred expenses (said to be £3 per person that they process). By charging £84 per person for the hundreds/thousands of people their computer system selects for one court date, the council would make a huge profit once the courtroom rental is subtracted. The Newcastle Council budget proposal for 2015/16 openly admits that liability orders generate substantial profits. Also it was pointless/a waste of money taking me to their sham "court" since I was willing to pay, and because the outcome of the court was fixed regardless of whether I attended or not.

My understanding is that Jacobs have no legal power because this case was never even looked at by a magistrate. That's why in this case they are operating under the name Jacobs Enforcement Agency rather than Jacobs Bailiffs (they have two different websites for these variations). I'll tell them my student accommodation address so that they don't sell my parents' door mat XD.