Rossendales - Urgent advice pleeeease?

[manndysan]

I got into trouble with my own business a few years back now ... Very long story, I got ill, stopped opening my mail etc, became very ill...ended up on anti depressants...well you know, I am sure you will have heard it all before and I am not the 1st person to be in this position. Anyway..as a consequence I got seriously in arrears with Council tax. The debt ...spread across several cases is around £2k.

After many housing problems following my business failure...got evicted, so we kinda ended up moving around a lot....Anyway they caught up with me about 3 years ago, I had just started working full time when they did and really wanted to try and get it sorted out as it was keeping me awake at night, so Rossendales sent a guy around to discuss the matter, we made an agreement that I was to pay them £7O per month and he listed a bunch of stuff which they would take if I failed to pay. My tv, and stereo a computer and erm i think my old banger of a car :-( I guess I signed a walking possesion order then?

I made the payments we agreed, until I lost my job last July. Then I simply couldn't anymore...buried my head again cos I really didnt know what to do. I had a lot more going out than I had coming in at the time and felt it was all a bit hopeless. I am a single mum on income support and my 8 year old daughter lives with me..it has been all I can do to afford to feed and keep her clothed. I never go out and cant remeber the last time I spent any money on myself other than to eat :-(

The Rossendales bailiffs came demanding £6OO in september last year. Saying they had a walking possesion order and were there to take everything except my bed a chair and cooker. At the time I was terrified of sitting in my house with nothing so I borrowed the money.

I came home this evening to ..

-BAILIFF REMOVAL- magistrates liability order tonight :'-( saying no further arrangements are acceptable and payment in full is now required. It says they will re-attend and REMOVE goods, even in my absence! From Rossendales No indication of how much they actually want from me [there are several cases stil outstanding] or when they intend to come back :-S the only thing handwritten on is the date and time and in big letters 'assets to be removed' I have no money at all...I get my child benefit tomorrow...£8O that is it. We have nothing :-/ and sadly borrowing is not an option now ... Can anybody here answer the following for me?

So I'm screwed now right? I have to let them take everything? Except my cooker and bed?

Is it REALLY too late to make an arrangement? I moved into a much cheaper property just a couple of weeks ago...I no longer have make up rent to pay, which was crippling me before...I could afford to make a small payment regularly now..but I still really can't offer very much at all maybe £3O a month max ...which is what I am saving from my cheaper rent?

It's Friday night...are they likely to come back over the weekend?

I won't be at home on monday, I have a job interview and will be away from the house for most of the day...I am really trying so hard to get myself sorted. Will I come home on Monday to find my house broken into by these people and everything gone?

Is it too late to get in touch with the council and make an offer? Should I call them or the bailiff number on the letter or Rossendales office?

Help :'( I really don't know what, if anything I can do now?

I hate myself for putting my daughter through this...can they take her stuff too, she got a bike and a ds for christmas from her dads family...I have no family or anyone really here who I can turn to.

Am I beyond help?

[natweststaffmember]

Re: Rossendales - Urgent advice pleeeease?

First things first, have a read of the Bailiff guide

Bailiff Guide - Legal Beagles

[manndysan]

Re: Rossendales - Urgent advice pleeeease?

Wow thank you so much for quick reply

I Have read all the relevant links on here and have been the last 4 hours looking at various sites on the web. I am rather confused by whether or not I have signed an actual possesion order though..and whether this means I just have to roll over and let them take everything now, or wether I can refuse to let them in while I try to negotiate a payment option :-S

Sorry, my head is spinning a bit from all the conflicting info I read and yer, I am a bit scared atm. As far as i can tell by signing that..they can enter and there really isn't much I can do now. Did that walking possesion order just apply to the case I gave them £6OO for last year...or all of them..how can I find out what I signed? As I said I have very recently moved house...I honestly dont think I would be able to find that paperwork and stuff.

[Amy]

Re: Rossendales - Urgent advice pleeeease?

The debt ...spread across several cases is around £2k.

I don't understand this part. What do you mean by "several cases"?

I guess I signed a walking possesion order then?

Did you allow him access to your property for this levy?

The Rossendales bailiffs came demanding £6OO in september last year. Saying they had a walking possesion order and were there to take everything except my bed a chair and cooker. At the time I was terrified of sitting in my house with nothing so I borrowed the money.

So you paid £600, yes?

I came home this evening to ..

-BAILIFF REMOVAL- magistrates liability order tonight :'-( saying no further arrangements are acceptable and payment in full is now required. It says they will re-attend and REMOVE goods, even in my absence! From Rossendales No indication of how much they actually want from me [there are several cases stil outstanding] or when they intend to come back :-S the only thing handwritten on is the date and time and in big letters 'assets to be removed' I have no money at all...I get my child benefit tomorrow...£8O that is it. We have nothing :-/ and sadly borrowing is not an option now ... Can anybody here answer the following for me?

You have no idea how much more you owe?

So I'm screwed now right? I have to let them take everything?

NO. Far from it. Please try and calm down. This will not happen and we will help you.

I won't be at home on monday, I have a job interview and will be away from the house for most of the day...I am really trying so hard to get myself sorted. Will I come home on Monday to find my house broken into by these people and everything gone?

Again, NO. This kind of intimidation from a bailiff is wholly unacceptable. See the link Nattie gave earlier on how to make a complaint - you should do this as soon as you possibly can.

I hate myself for putting my daughter through this...can they take her stuff too, she got a bike and a ds for christmas from her dads family...I have no family or anyone really here who I can turn to.

They cannot touch your daughter's things - so do not worry about this.

Am I beyond help?

Most certainly not. Stop berating yourself. If you can answer the above questions it will help greatly.

I know it's difficult, but please try to stop worrying.

xx

[manndysan]

Re: Rossendales - Urgent advice pleeeease?

ok...erm, there are a number of seperate outstanding amounts I believe. the oldest one is from a different council, and is about 4 or 5 years ago and is for about £33O, then there are others, from my local council. All are being chased by Rossendales. So they could be here to demand the full amount of what adds up to £2OOO ?

I had several reference numbers from when I tried to sort this out in the past...but couldn't manage to. I have no idea where all that stuff is now.

Yes I allowed them access..I got a letter from memory and called the mobile number on it, I made an arrangement for the guy to come to the house...filled in a bunch of forms..listed a few items, signed them and then started paying them £7O pm...up until I lost my job and simply couldnt afford to..then a few months later they came to the house..called me on my mobile saying if if I didnt give them £6OO they would come back with a locksmith and the police if necessary and take everything except bed, chair and cooker.

The Rossendales letter I got today says 'Magistrates liability order / distress warrant' on it...this is the thing that's confusing me...is this from the court? in the guide it says they can enforce the whole entry thing after this has been issued? It's on Rossendales headed paper >.< I am so confused...trying to be calm...but not very sucessfully atm, sorry.

Erm..what do I complain about? Kinda feeling like, yer I owe them money...who am I to complain.

Sorry
------------------------------- merged -------------------------------
Yes...I gave them £6OO ..

[Amy]

Re: Rossendales - Urgent advice pleeeease?

Good, ok - in the guide is a link to a Subject Access Request letter, you should send this as soon as you can to Rossendales not forgetting to include the statutory maximum £10 fee. On receipt of your letter Rossendales must furnish you with all the information they hold on you and this should not just be a list of payments you have made to them. They have 40 days from receipt of your letter.

Have you checked this bailiff is certificated - details of how to do this are also in the guide given earlier?

Legally once a Walking Possession is valid (i.e. you have allowed access and they have levied on your goods) the bailiff is allowed to break into your property if the agreement is broken, but this is very, very rare so again, I know it's easier said than done, but do try not to worry about this.

The grounds for complaint is the bullying behaviour of the bailiffs. Quite apart from the fact that you do not actually know how much you owe. A huge chunk of this will doubtless be made up of their "fees", but you need to send the SAR in order to obtain this information.

[manndysan]

Re: Rossendales - Urgent advice pleeeease?

OK I will do both those things tomorrow. Although it is now the weekend and this letter says i have 24hours to pay, should I expect them to come on monday while I am out?

Is it not worth trying to call this man also, and trying to get him to accept an offer of regular payment? The letter says not...but I really don't know.

The thing is if they took everything from this house, it would probably not cover the debt...from what I have read about them selling stuff of at auction for next to nothing...then I would have nothing, no money and still have them chasing?

urgh :'(

Thank you for your help Amy

[Amy]

Re: Rossendales - Urgent advice pleeeease?

I really would not speak to him on the telephone, he will simply bully you and scare you. Keep everything to writing from now on.

The thing about their letters is they are written that way for a reason - and the reason is to make you pay and make you pay it all. They are written to intimidate you.

Should the bailiff actually call to remove your goods, he is only allowed to remove what is listed in the WP. If removal of these goods is not sufficient to settle your debt, the bailiff should return the debt to the council.

Don't let them ruin your weekend, get your letter written and get some rest xx