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Hi Every one, and well done on an excellent site.
Hopefully you will be able to give me some advice to pass on to a friend whos uncle has just paid the baliffs
Friend owed council tax from a property that he was renovating, it was empty and uninhabitable, he was under the impression that he was exempt from council tax. As he was working away most of the time he took over a year to finish the work , so the council had sent out bills which for one reason or another were either not seen or put aside.
Eventually he had a visit from the baliffs trying to collect outstanding money. He contacted the council explained the situation, received a revised council bill which he paid to the council imediatley. The council informed him that was the end of the matter, and although the baliffs may call again he should tell them he'd paid the council and certainly not pay any money to them.
Several months later the baliffs returned whilst he was at work and spoke to his uncle who is visiting from the U.S. Not sure what happened on that visit except the Uncle confirmed my friend lived there and was at work.
Yesterday my friend left for work at 6.30 AM to find the baliff clamping his car which was parked on his drive. An early morning heated argument to place, which resulted in my friend trying to break off the clamp with a hammer.
The baliff rang the police who strangly managed to turn up 5 handed in seconds. ( wish they done that when I've needed them!!! ). Friend was warned he faced arrest as he continued to hit clamp. The police were not interested in anything which he said and just kept advising him to pay . The police told him to pay £270 and it would all be finished. The baliff said he was going to get a tow truck and tow his car away. This all continued for an hour and a half, my friend eventually parked his uncles car across the drive infront of his own and told everyone he was off to work, advising baliff he didn't need car for a couple of weeks. He left for work.
Once he had left the police left. The baliffs remained.
After a while the uncle ( 70 years old ) got involved in conversation with the baliffs, he was eventually convinced the car was going to be towed and the bill for removal and storage would run to thousands. The baliff convinced him it would be better for everyone if the Uncle paid. He was pressured into paying on debit card £550. The baliff tried to get him to get the cash but he refused. The only paperwork he was left with was a simple receipt for £550.
He phoned my friend who was dumbstruck. My friend rang the police to report the matter, telling them his uncle had felt menaced into paying..
I advised him today to have his Uncle speak with his bank and try to block the payment . he did this and the bank are looking in to it.
Would any of you have any ideas of other avenues they might be able to try to get the money back. None of the baliffs actions sound very ethical to me.
Sorry for the long post, but this is all i've heard about at work for the last 2 days.
Hopeing for any advice to pass on
Regards
Simon
Hopefully you will be able to give me some advice to pass on to a friend whos uncle has just paid the baliffs
Friend owed council tax from a property that he was renovating, it was empty and uninhabitable, he was under the impression that he was exempt from council tax. As he was working away most of the time he took over a year to finish the work , so the council had sent out bills which for one reason or another were either not seen or put aside.
Eventually he had a visit from the baliffs trying to collect outstanding money. He contacted the council explained the situation, received a revised council bill which he paid to the council imediatley. The council informed him that was the end of the matter, and although the baliffs may call again he should tell them he'd paid the council and certainly not pay any money to them.
Several months later the baliffs returned whilst he was at work and spoke to his uncle who is visiting from the U.S. Not sure what happened on that visit except the Uncle confirmed my friend lived there and was at work.
Yesterday my friend left for work at 6.30 AM to find the baliff clamping his car which was parked on his drive. An early morning heated argument to place, which resulted in my friend trying to break off the clamp with a hammer.
The baliff rang the police who strangly managed to turn up 5 handed in seconds. ( wish they done that when I've needed them!!! ). Friend was warned he faced arrest as he continued to hit clamp. The police were not interested in anything which he said and just kept advising him to pay . The police told him to pay £270 and it would all be finished. The baliff said he was going to get a tow truck and tow his car away. This all continued for an hour and a half, my friend eventually parked his uncles car across the drive infront of his own and told everyone he was off to work, advising baliff he didn't need car for a couple of weeks. He left for work.
Once he had left the police left. The baliffs remained.
After a while the uncle ( 70 years old ) got involved in conversation with the baliffs, he was eventually convinced the car was going to be towed and the bill for removal and storage would run to thousands. The baliff convinced him it would be better for everyone if the Uncle paid. He was pressured into paying on debit card £550. The baliff tried to get him to get the cash but he refused. The only paperwork he was left with was a simple receipt for £550.
He phoned my friend who was dumbstruck. My friend rang the police to report the matter, telling them his uncle had felt menaced into paying..
I advised him today to have his Uncle speak with his bank and try to block the payment . he did this and the bank are looking in to it.
Would any of you have any ideas of other avenues they might be able to try to get the money back. None of the baliffs actions sound very ethical to me.
Sorry for the long post, but this is all i've heard about at work for the last 2 days.
Hopeing for any advice to pass on
Regards
Simon
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