council tax

[budjet]

Re: council tax

yes just found out outsourced to (Mouchel) french company

[CleverClogs]

Re: council tax

yes just found out outsourced to (Mouchel) french company

That would probably explain their incompetence, but not their apparent inability to do basic arithmetic.

£4941.81
18.10 add bailiff fees (inc VAN FEE)
4960.81 total

Even in France, £4960.81 - £4941.81 = £19.

And this council have never taken you to court, issued a summons against you or caused a summons to be issued?

Get onto the council on Monday morning and, assuming they speak English tolerably well, try to get them to tell you which court was involved and when.

[budjet]

Re: council tax

hi no we have had no summons only this card.
What does outsourced mean, do we have a contract with them
------------------------------- merged -------------------------------
and bailiff,s are not the council.

[WendyB]

Re: council tax

If the bailiff is chasing you for Council Tax, then the bailiffs are working for the council. It is the council who will be able to tell you how much you owe. Speak to the Council and ask them if a Liability Order has been granted against you, and when.

Outsourcing means, basically that the council have privatised their council tax collections department. However, even if they had not, they would still pass the debt to bailiffs for collection if they had had no luck in collecting the debt themselves.

[CleverClogs]

Re: council tax

Outsourcing means, basically that the council have privatised their council tax collections department. However, even if they had not, they would still pass the debt to bailiffs for collection if they had had no luck in collecting the debt themselves.

But the council would still have needed to take the matter to court before they could use s bailiff in an attempt to enforce payment.

From what budjet wrote, that does not seem to have happened.

Still, at least the French paper-pushers have not (yet?) subcontracted collection to the Légion étrangère.

[WendyB]

Re: council tax

But the council would still have needed to take the matter to court before they could use s bailiff in an attempt to enforce payment.

From what budjet wrote, that does not seem to have happened.

Still, at least the French paper-pushers have not (yet?) subcontracted collection to the Légion étrangère.

we don't know whether or not that's happened or not, which is why it has been advised that Budjet contacts the Council to see what the situation is.

[CleverClogs]

Re: council tax

we don't know whether or not that's happened or not, which is why it has been advised that Budjet contacts the Council to see what the situation is.

I agree, which was why I suggested that in posting #17.

[budjet]

Re: council tax

The thing that I dont understand is that this is just a card from the council with no Bailiff name on it.
Do I ask the council what the name of the bailiff are.
We are still not in a position to pay not that we dont want to but we cant would I have to make some kind of gesture.

[WendyB]

Re: council tax

Contact the council tomorrow and find out exactly what the situation is. Until you know the full facts, you are not in a position to make any offers.

[budjet]

Re: council tax

Thanks a lot to everyone for your help, will be in touch tomorrow

[Caspar]

Re: council tax

Sorry Budjet - I find it hard to understand why it has taken 25 posts to say what was already said in posts 7 and 9. Everything else (as I think Wendy was trying to point out) is irrelevant until you have contacted the council to find out exactly what the situation is.

[shamen]

Re: council tax

How are things going with this? Were you able to find out from the council what the state of play is?

[budjet]

Re: council tax

hi thanks for all your support.
Well went to the councill this morning was put onto the one in the debt department
was told thet there was 2 Liability notices against us, they have private bailliff within the council.
They could not discuss arrangement because in was in the hands of the bailiff and they would have to speak to them first. How much could I pay. I arranged to pay £10 that day until I heard from them.
When I left the building I thought This is not right so I went to the CAB luckily they saw me.
I was advised to go back with the questions one again basically what you good people had already said, plus why was we not given14 days notice of the bailiff turning up.(not followed procedures) What was the options for paying the debt.
Could we consider bankruptcy.
They then made me another appointment for 2pm.
There reply was;
They use there own bailiffs within the council.
Liability orders were issued 2006 and 2008 they gave the dates and the court and when they were posted.
An arragement can be made with the council to discharge the arrears.
We can consider bankruptcy and CAB can advise the best way to proceed.
The 14 days notice is the liability orders.
The CAB tried to ring them about 8 times for me but could not get through, so I then had to go back to the council has I did not want it left like that.
I was then put back on the phone within the debt recovery department they asked how much I could afford per month. I told them £10 This was not excepted and I was put through to the person on the Bailiff notice card.
He then said that he would except the £10, it was a old dept and looking at our situation could see that we was not in a position to make any higher payment.
This apparently is the arrangement with them to discharge the arrears.
So I Went to the bank and paid the £10 and await there payment slips which are going to be sent in the post.
Long story, but I think it is a positive solution.

[shamen]

Re: council tax

Thanks for following up.

First of all, get on the phone to the court to check the liability orders actually exist. They probably do, but when speaking to bailiffs and debt teams, who knows what the true circumstances are.

Next, the bailiff accepting £10 does not mean things will stop. Right now he is taking money off you with just a verbal agreement (eg, no one can prove that agreement exists). Its is their job to get money out of you, no matter how little. For all we know that £10 is going towards his bailiff fees and your actual debt to the council is not going down.

You should write to the council (not the bailiffs), recorded delivery, with an explanation of your circumstances and expenditure sheet showing how much you can afford to pay. Enclose a payment (cheque is a good idea, i wouldn't recommend a postal order). Ask them to take back the debt from the bailiffs as you are willing to pay as much as you can afford and adding bailiffs fees is just going to make the situation worse. Its also worth asking them if they have a policy of using bailiffs to recover money frmo people on benefits (such as the ones you are on).

They will likely cash the cheque but tell you the offer is not enough - no matter, keep sending them payment as you proposed in your letter and expenditure sheet (assuming they cashed the first cheque). Also write a recorded delivery to the bailiffs, telling them you are paying the council directly for the debt.

Never, EVER, let bailiffs into your house. Not for a 'chat', not to 'use the loo', nothing. Makes sure you keep all windows, gates and doors locked securely - they can come in through these.

Im sure the others here have better advice, but this is what I would be doing.

[budjet]

Re: council tax

have posted my event of the day, not sure if I have done it correctly.
please excuse me must be the age