Jacobs enforcement agents

[Jordi]

Hi there I'm hoping somebody can help me or offer some advice.

I've received a removal within 24 hours from Jacobs today. I'm in council tax arrears which was £658 pounds and they council obtained a liability order from the courts which I accept I'm liable to pay. I received a letter from Jacobs on the 1st of September and filled in the income and expenditure form offering £100 a month which I thought was reasonable but never received a response. I didn't chase this up due to work and life and ha e now received the above letter or removal of goods. This after I called the bailiff and she claimed they had no record of the letter and would be proceeding with the removal of goods, she wouldn't accept the same offer of a payment plan that I sent back to Jacobs originally and said the full amount which now stands at £1063.87. I have no way of paying this in full and when I've searched online there's plenty of advice but none of it is recent. Am I right in thinking as long as they aren't allowed to enter via peaceable means and my doors are locked that they can't just enter using a locksmith? And if they can't enter what is the next step to take?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[ploddertom]

Firtsly they may only seize and/or remove goods belonging to the debtor. Most household goods are exempt from seizure anyway which really only leaves any goods of value outside - usually a car or similar but that has to be free of finance, not that they would be particularly bothered initially. At this time of year they are looking to clear any outstanding Council Tax debts before the end of the financial year - some 5 months away which means they will be looking for some £200 a month which is double what you have offered - how they expect to get blood out of a stone is beyond me.

Are your arrears just from this year? Is there a particular reason why it has gone unpaid?

I would suggest you contact your local Councillor(s) www.writetothem.com and explain you did reply but the Enforcement Co say otherwise. Ask they intervene on your behalf to see if the Council will take the debt back. They can only enter your home by peaceful means and would suggest it is a bad idea to invite them in. If they do call then talk to them through the letterbox or if you go out then lock the door behind you.

[Jordi]

Thanks for the reply PLODDERTOM.

They are from this year, it's my own fault they went unpaid. My council tax was £93 a month and for the first 3 months I paid £110 so I would always be in front but the last two payments were a day late, I didn't set up a direct debit and when I called the council tax office to explain the lady on the line was awkward and said they had sent a notification saying it must be paid in full or they would take me to court. I then became awkward and argued that I shouldn't have to pay the full amount as life could change and I may get hit by a bus tomorrow or move somewhere like family where I wouldn't be liable and if I'd payed the full year then would I be able to recoup the extra I had paid. Basically my own fault for being argumentative.

I've just spoke with somebody at pay plan and they advised continuing to make the same offer for the next few weeks and they will either accept or return it to the council. She also recommended contacting the council again and trying to get them to take the debt back as Jacobs have been uncooperative.

[ploddertom]

I assume you don't know this. CT is due on 1 April each year but as a dispensation the Council allow you to pay in instalments and usually with Direct Debit you have a choice of payment dates, if paying cash then normally that would be due on the 1st of the month by cleared funds. If as you say you were only a day late then I feel you may have been hard done by and wonder if your Council have outsourced their back office procedures to a private company which means you may not have spoken to an actual Council employee.

This is how unpaid payments are treated, see https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article...id-Council-Tax as an example. I would certainly urge you to contact your Councillor(s) to help get this sorted - I can just about guarantee that Jacobs would try and engineer a default on any payment plan you make through them in order to garner extra fees.