Urgent, please help me again

[distressedcarer]

Sorry to be a nuisance.
I know what to do with regards to getting my CCJ repayments reappraised - I have the forms etc now and shall send them as soon as confirmation of my benefit income arrives - should be tomorrow. Both Croydon and Northampton County Court Bailiffs have been very kind and helpful in advising me, but I was warned Bryan Carter could get private bailiffs on the case.
As said previously, I am sleeping on the floor of my 85 year old father's council-owned sheltered housing one-bedroomed flat because he needs 24 hour care. I have no assets or savings etc, and he is on pension credit. It's not his debt.
He is worried about an operation scheduled for end of Feb, but I had to tell him about all this tonight in case bailiffs come. He is now very frightened and I am close to killing myself.
Do you know if these people will send private bailiffs?
Thank you for your support.

[Amethyst]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

You aren't a nuisance at all xx Hopefully your benefits evidence for the EX150 will be there tomorrow and you can get the forms for redetermnation in to the court. Please try not to worry about bailiffs, they can't just break in (as it isnt a magistrates court fine just a ccj) so just don't let them in and try ignore them.

I agree you were right to talk about it with your father - have a read of Amy's Bailiff guide together and it should give you both some reassurance on what they can and can't do Bailiff Guide - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum Also it may help if you have a read of some other threads in this forum.

I'll link this thread with your other one so people can see the background and Nibbler, who was talking with you on there, will be able to see you have posted.

[distressedcarer]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

Thank you so much for replying so quickly and for being so kind. I feel so desperate and alone. I know it is my fault, but now it is making my father ill. If I get out the other side of this, I shall not forget your site. X

[enaid]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

Are you your fathers only carer?

[Amethyst]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

If you need help filling out the forms just shout.

[distressedcarer]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

Hello both of you. Yes, I'm my father's only carer. I have been invited into a forum for people who are distressed, I think, but I don't know how to get there. I'm not a regular user of social network sites.
Thank you so much again. I've re-read my post, it sounds so dramatic and I hate a fuss. Sorry, and thank you again. I really shall find a way to help you when I am better.

[Amy]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

He is now very frightened and I am close to killing myself.

If you do this, who will care for your already fragile father?

Have you only had the one letter from the solicitors? Have you been contacted by any bailiffs yet?

When you strip it all back and think about this logically, which you clearly are not doing and I appreciate how difficult this must be, but the long and short of it is, they cannot take what you do not have.

You cannot be sent to prison for being unable to pay a debt. It is not a crime to be in debt, so no more of this silly talk. We will help you all we can.

[enaid]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

I don't mean to sound nosy and indeed rude at all but how and why are you sleeping on the floor of your dads flat when you are his sole carer?
Are you living with your dad ?


Getting help | The Princess Royal Trust for Carers

The above link is The Princess Royal trust for carers, a phone call to them may be of help to you as they will talk you through all you are entitled to and also what help you can get caring for your dad. You will also have people as part of your local council that can offer advice and assistance too, use them that is what they re there for.
Enaid x

[distressedcarer]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

Hello dear friends,

First, thank you for your care and understanding.

No, I'm not going to kill myself but when I sent the message I wished that I could, that is the truth.

I've been caring for my Dad for well over 10 years - first heart stuff then so many different probems it's pointless listing them. I had been juggling work and caring during that time. It was almost manageable becuase my younger sister pitched in occassionally if I had office-based work, but she had her first child - at 43 - February 2010.

It all went out of hand when he sustained a fracture to his spine in March 2010. My sister is trying to work while brining up the baby, and so she can't help.


My debts are my problem, but I cannot move out without leaving my father in the lurch.

[enaid]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

I can understand you wanting to carry on caring for your dad, but I m sure that sleeping on the floor of his sheltered accomodation is not ideal at all and I don't know for certain but I expect the council wouldn't accept this either.

[Nibbler]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

Just saying hi as I posted on the last thread.

I hope you get things sorted soon, and don't worry about the threats of who may call and what they may do. As said, they can't take what you haven't got.

[distressedcarer]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

The council are aware of my/my father's situation. They don't care.

[Sapphire]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

They may not care, but they have a duty of care and you need to remind them of that fact. Tell them if they don't improve the situation you'll report them.

[Nibbler]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

I was warned Bryan Carter could get private bailiffs on the case.

Who told you that? They can only use the County Court's own bailiffs.

[WendyB]

Re: Urgent, please help me again

Bryan Carter is generally all mouth and no trousers - as soon as anyone stands up to him and points out that the Ladybird Book of Law read in your lunchbreak whilst watching the Cartoon Channel is not quite the correct way of using our legal system he tends to back down and scuttle off back under the stone he crawled out from under.

That said, it can be distressing especially in your situation. Down to the practicalities........

Do think about letting the warden of the sheltered housing know what is going on, you don't have to tell them the whole story, just make them aware that there is a dispute going on and ask them to keep their eyes open if anyone calls at your dad's while you are out etc. If it's sheltered housing then the warden is paid to look out for the residents and be on hand for emergencies etc - that's the whole point of sheltered housing (not fending off bailiffs as such but you get the general idea). The warden is paid to be on site and look out for the residents and so on.

As a carer both you and your dad will be classed as vulnerable and you should not worry about making people aware of this, use it to your advantage. I know that might go against the grain but you have to use everything at your disposal and if that includes playing the vulnerable card then do it, not least because you are indeed vulnerable.
There must be some sort of respite care available, even if it's only for a few hours to allow you to get a good night's sleep.

As well as that, and I know this might be something you can't think about now, but when things have calmed down and got sorted out a bit, then you should send a SAR (Subject Access Request) to MBNA. There are bound to be loads of charges they have applied to your account (late payment, overlimit, etc etc).. You will be able to reclaim these charges. As you owe them money, they won't actually send you any cold hard cash refunds, but the refund of charges will be offset against the balance on the account, thus reducing the amount you owe them.