Need help with council tax bayliffs

[hubs72]

Last year I missed paying my council tax. I had been going through treatment for cancer so I was only working part time. My husband was also out of work at the time. I didn't think at the time about applying for any help. In November I was contacted by a bailiff working for Equita. I felt a little bullied to be honest. I set a payment plan up to pay £37 per week. It was gonna stretch my budget but it was the minimum they told me they could take. I made the first payment immediately. The day the next payment was due I was in hospital. I called a couple of days later to be told it was in the hands of the bailiff and the plan was cancelled. They would not take the £37 payment from me at that point. I was told it was the full balance or removal of goods. I have been trying since then to sort this out with them. My financial situation has got worse. I finally thought I had sorted this on 19/03/2013 when I got them to agree to a new payment plan. A one off payment of £70 then the balance split over 4 payments. Luckily I recorded the call. At 6.30am today a bailiff left a letter wedged in my door for all my neighbours to see, when I called him to question it he said there is no payment plan in place and is demanding full payment of just over £1,200 by tomorrow or he will be back to remove goods. Please can anyone give me advice on what to do. I am terrified.

[bluebottle]

Re: Need help with council tax bayliffs

Firstly, was the bailiff allowed to gain entry to you home? Secondly, they are not permitted to dictate how much you pay on any payment plan. It is a breach of their OFT Licence to put you in a worse position than you are already in financially. Thirdly, it sounds like they have engineered a default which, again, is a breach of their OFT Licence. Fourthly, Equita are under investigation by Northamptonshire Trading Standards for fee irregularities and overcharging.

As regards their threats to remove your goods, unless Equita have obtained a valid and lawful levy on any of your goods, they cannot remove anything, unless a judge has signed an order, in ink, authorising them to do so.

Could you post up the following, please -

1. The amount of Council Tax you owe;
2. What fees Equita have charged.

Have they left a notice of seizure at any time?

[hubs72]

Re: Need help with council tax bayliffs

Thanks for the reply... He was not able to gain entry in to my home, only the garden. The original amount of council tax was £1,278.01. I have since paid equita £107 and the amount showing on the letter he left today is £1356.01. If my maths is right that is £185 in fees. No notice of seizure have been left. Just letters with bailiff removal in large red font.

[ploddertom]

Re: Need help with council tax bayliffs

In future pay the Council direct via online banking, Council website or automated phone, you may even pay in cash at the Council office & if refused ask for the name & position of the person refusing as that will form the basis of anycomplaint to the Council. You also need a breakdown of the fees the Bailiff is charging particularly as it appears yet again Equita are front loading their fees rather than for work actually done. To do this use Letter 1 from http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...Useful-Letters

Taking this course of action will upset your Bailiff but so what. There is no law that says you have to speak to or deal with a Bailiff. He may well utter all types of threats - Locksmiths, Police, Imprisonment etc - but that is all they are - threats. He is an expert liar, cheat & bully so believe nothing he says.

Given what you have been through I would contact your local Councillor(s) and ask them to intervene on your behalf - you never know you may be able to back date your Council Tax.