Phillips Debt Recovery/Bailiffs

[kingsland61]

I am hoping that someone can give me some quick advice. My daughter has apparently failed to pay a court fine relating to a TV Licence. The debt has been handed to Phillips. Today she returned home to find a letter (posted) from Phillips demanding immediate payment of £945. Her fine apparently was £125 - when she asked Phillips how on earth she owed this amount the reply was that Baillifs had twice been to her home - once in June and the 2nd time on 15th. July. My daughter came out of hospital on 14th. July and was unable to go out of the house so she was at home all day on 15th. an is adamant that no Bailiff came to her home. She has had no letter through her door to say a Bailiff had been or notification that a Bailiff was even coming - so how on earth can she be charged money for that? The 'lady' from she spoke to this evening was extremely rude and totally unhelpful - when my daughter said she couldn't pay £945 she was told to " Ask a relative for the money". My daughter is asthmatic and was in such a state her sister had to call an ambulance and she was taken to hospital. I telephoned Phillips and they would not speak to me because of Data Protection so I went to the hospital, phoned them again and my daughter said approximately 6 words to them and I was handed the phone. I went outside to speak to them. I asked them to reduce the amount by removing the Bailiff fee because we do not believe any Bailiff actually came to the house - they refused (politely) - I was so worried about my daughter I agreed to pay the full amount. I gave the card number and then I thought what am I doing? so I said that I was going to seek further advice before paying - and then his whole attitude changed immediately - he wanted payment in full NOW! I have not paid them and asked for 2 weeks to seek advice - and that is how it all stands at the moment. I know that the Bailiffs can force entry to her house because it it a Magistrates Court & TV Licence debt but I very much believe that no Bailiff has at any time been to my daughters house. The first 'Lady' she spoke to when questioned as to why they didn't put anything through the door to say they had been,said that they didn't have to do that. To me that is ridiculous. Please, can someone give me advice on this matter? I will pay the amount owed but £945 is shocking! Can I just say - when my daughter was on the phone to them she was told she had to pay £175 per week!! This Company is absolutely dire! My daughter is a single parent. Works part time as a Child Minder and is in receipt of benefts. She has been paying £20 per week to Phillips for a year yet the Magistrates Court told her today that they have received nothing since January! When she asked Phillips why they had received nothing she was told the payment was coming off the Bailiff fees! The whole scenario is unreal - fictitious Bailiffs at her home and absolutely disgusting charges resulting in the original fine of £125 escalating to £945!! Can someone please advise me on what to do next? Many thanks

[Amy]

Re: Phillips Debt Recovery/Bailiffs

You really need to send a Subject Access Request and find out exactly how these fees are broken down. Have a read here and send the letter contained within Bailiff Guide - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum

[kingsland61]

Re: Phillips Debt Recovery/Bailiffs

Thank you so much for your reply Amy. Today I took my daughter to the CBA - we spoke to a really helpful young man who has now passed her documents to someone who deals with Bailiffs - apparently this person previously either worked WITH baillifs or was himself a bailiff and he detests them! Stuart, the person we spoke to today said exactly what you have said Amy that we need to get a breakdown of the charges etc. so we are now awaiting her new appointment with the 2nd person. I will keep you updated with the outcome. I know that she owes this money to the court but I am so very concerned about Phillips charges and the manner in which they dealt with my daughter - being told that "The bailiff will just break your door down Miss R. and take all your stuff if you don't pay" sent my daughter into an asthma attack.
Thanks very much again for replying Amy

[Amy]

Re: Phillips Debt Recovery/Bailiffs

You're welcome, let us know how you get on or if you need any more help xx

[Tommy]

Re: Phillips Debt Recovery/Bailiffs

"The bailiff will just break your door down Miss R. and take all your stuff if you don't pay" sent my daughter into an asthma attack.

Make a complaint to the relevant bodies, and include any health/medical reports, thats seriously out of order.

[grahamfields]

Re: Phillips Debt Recovery/Bailiffs

[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Anyone with probs with Phillips, unjust fines, fees Etc. I won! you can too !!!! PROPER address below, these people are within the law, unfortunately however, they use bully boy tactics galore, IT STINKS! [/FONT][FONT='Times New Roman','serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] The Magistrates ARE AWARE OF THE COMPLAINTS BEING LOGGED AND THEY HAVE THERE OWN PROBLEMS WITH THEM, that was the Court staff telling me this! I personally have had to employ a solicitor to sort them out. They said I owed money when I did not. I WON. Not one reply to My Solicitors letters, not once, they are ignorant! I wrote to them 7 times both addresses to no avail. They hide behind PO Box Numbers they are that deviant, they have had to move several times. I know the new Darlington address link of map below, they now have no sign up saying Phillips and I was told it was a Secret to their Location. You see their website with pictures of professionals in black and white uniforms etc, poppy cock; the girls wear holey jeans and have more jewellery on than Geoff goldsmiths in Oxford St, Chav tasstic! These are the front line people we are dealing with on the phone! Phillips debt collection agency Both Doncaster and Darlington have had many many complaints about all their tactics especially adding fees, fees and even more FEES and to bully people into paying. Bailiffs issuing notice of attendances without knocking I have seen a lot of people complain about this, and I personally have witnessed this tactic for myself. Confronted the Bailiff and all nice as pie and been told by them there is nothing they can do but log it down, I was told to ignore the threatening letters wink wink by one of them! It ads fees that mount up to more than what they collect in a lot of cases. It’s what they are trained to do, they won’t call in some cases if cars present /someone in, they slip the letter in to your letter box then sharp exit to the car parked round the corner, I promise you this is true. They also lie about not receiving genuine letters of complaints pointing to a clear mistake, all they are interested in is ‘raking it in’ if someone has failed to pay a fine and the courts etc have employed there services, Pay them directly or you will regret it to the tune of hundreds, less you fight it, hard work, but if you owe money in first place just pay it, do not get involved with these unscrupulous, unprofessional Debt collectors. They are based at Trinity court in Faverdale, Darlington DL3 0PH it’s the building in the middle of the 3, no signs, supposed to be top secret. copy paste link or google Trinity Court, Darlington, Hope this helps anyone having probs with these guys, More results are gained from face to face conversations, less rude and actions result! GOOD LUCK. I won! you can too !!!![/FONT][FONT='Times New Roman','serif'][/FONT]