Council Tax alleged arrears, bailiff seizing goods tomorrow.

[bamboo2]

So my wife and I have had a rough decade financially. Our local council (Bedford Borough Council) send their council tax bills in spring, and we fall behind on the monthly payment, the instant of which BBC gets a liability order for the full years amount and hands it off to Equita, usually by October we have bailiffs knocking on the door (Who we normally never let in) and agree to pay in full. This ritual has probably gone on now for about 7 of the last 10 years. Equita do their tiptoe visits so they can leave a letter saying a bailiff called and add god knows how many hundreds to the bill. Anyway, this year was slightly different, the bailiff called, then phoned when we did not answer the door, but he wanted payment for three years! I told him that was rediculous and that we only owed the current year. I very specifically used the words "I refute that I owe that amount" So we agreed for me to pay the current year (which I did) and he said I would have to contact BBC about the other two. I told him that was his job, he was the one chasing a false debt and that as far as I was concerned there were no debts outstanding. At this point the call ended. So 4 months later, today (Sunday) I found another letter from Equita in my post box stating that "Equita's contractors would be calling within 24 hours to remove our goods for sale". Normally I would not be nervous about this and simply refuse them entry, however, in last years 2018 bailiff visit, my daughter left our front door on the latch and the bailif noticed, pushed the door open, and walked right in! I knew he had us by the short and curlies once inside so I simply payed the 1 year outstanding as usual annd he left. No control of goods etc was signed.
What is bothering me is I notice some posts seem to imply if a bailiff has previously had access to yoru home he can force his way in again. Does this apply in this case? To be clear the 2018 visit did not state there was any other debt other than the one I settled in full there and then. It was the 2019 bailiff where this debt was first claimed.

A further complication we have moved bank several times over the last decade and are not the best record keepers, so reconsituting our payment history so we can prove we don't owe this is going to take some time. BBC have never provided any such claim of debt or statement of account, is it up to us to prove our innocence or BBC to prove the debt?


All normal precautions have been taken, no car's left within a mile of property, everything closed/locked. Do I have to let these guys in tomorrow or just deny them peacable entry?

[ploddertom]

If it was for another Liability Order that is now paid in full then he has no right of entry unless you allow him in again - bad move. Having said that there is little they can seize from the home these days as most items are classed as exempt - unless you have a TV in every room that is. As for the car then even if it is left on a main road somewhere it is liable to be found because of ANPR - better off in a locked garage or a neighbours driveway. Don't really understand why if you then pay it all off you wait for the Bailiff to attend.

Incidentally are you aware that a company called Capita probably do all the back office functions at your Council. Capita also own 2 Bailiff Cos one of which just happens to be Equita. It is therefore in their interests to make sure you face Bailiffs each time.