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Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

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  • Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

    Hi, i'm new to the forum - so greetings to you all.

    I am currently looking for your help with a bailiff (Bristow And Sutor) who have collected on behalf of Cannock Chase District Council.

    Last year, i fell into difficulties with my council tax, and also had a 1 week housing benefit overpayment during a very difficult period financially and emotionally for us (my partner left her ex, to move in with me and created a few issues with the family)

    the bailiffs have been "helpful" apparently, in allowing me to pay the housing benefit overpayment with the council tax payment, just to confuse the situation
    The situation is as follows:

    Original Creditor balance as passed to the bailiff - £600.88

    there was then a dispute as to the balance with the bailiff - this was put "on hold until disputes were resolved" on the 30/09/2010

    on 30/09/10 a reduction to the balance was made of £42.32
    and on 13/10/10 a further reduction was made of £399

    a balance then remained of £159.56 (which was still incorrect, however this was to be a higher figure - i told bristow and sutor on this day that a further adjustment will be made following this, and until the balance is correct to hold further action)

    on 22/10/10 a bailiff attended the property and charged £24.50 for the A.T.L Fee (first visit)

    this was BEFORE the dispute had been resolved.

    on 25/10/10 a £10.08 increase to balance afterwards

    following this visit a second visit was made on 16/12/10 - charging me £18.00 A.T.L fee (second visit)

    on 18/03/11 a levy fee was applied of £28 and a walking posession fee was charged of £12, AND a further £24.50 redemption fee

    on the 18/05/11 a card transaction fee was added to the account of 17.84
    a van / abortive removal fees of £120

    a card payment was made of 463.88 on 18/05/11 and the remaining 49.40 was transferred over to the other account

    i hope you followed that...

    but just incase you didn't i'll summarise againt he dates and fees:

    Opening Balance : 600.88
    30/09/10 - £42.32 reduction to balance
    13/10/10 - £399.00 reduction to balance
    22/10/10 - £24.50 A.T.L fee (first visit)
    25/10/10 - £10.08 increase to balance
    16/12/10 - £18.00 A.T.L fee (second visit)
    18/03/11 - £28.00 Levy fee
    18/03/11 - £12.00 Walking Posession fee
    18/03/11 - £24.50 redemption fee
    18/05/11 - £17.84 card transaction fee
    18/05/11 - £120.00 van / abortive removal fees
    18/05/11 - £463.88 card payment
    20/05/11 - £49.40 overpayment transferred to other account and account closed

    my questions are as follows:

    1) the levy fee applied on 18/03/11 - is this valid as it is on the SAME day as the walking posession fee (which i did sign)

    2) what is a redemption fee, and can i be charged this on the same day as the levy fee and walking posession fee?

    3) are they able to charge the £17.84 card transaction fee?

    4) van / abortive removal fees - as far as i was aware, the van fees could only be charged if goods were removed, which they were not - and this figure seems excessive as i know the local storage depot used by bailiffs is only about 5 miles away.

    5) if the fees are valid, are the values of the fees valid?

    6) should the bailiff have allowed me to pay the 49.40 at the same time or should this have been a seperate transaction?

    7) can i claim any of these fees back?

    8) when the bailiff called, he was exceptionally sarcastic and abrupt in the way that he spoke to me and my partner... how do i go about making a complaint against this man and his actions... he seemed to be inferring that he could come into the property regardless of whether i allowed him in or not, as his company had previously had peaceable entry. (i am in a multi-flat block, and if he pressed another buzzer another resident could have let him into the block, then he can easily come into my flat)

    hope that all makes sense. just ask if you need clarification.
    Tags: None

  • #2
    Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

    Originally posted by millercc View Post
    8) when the bailiff called, he was exceptionally sarcastic and abrupt in the way that he spoke to me and my partner... how do i go about making a complaint against this man and his actions... he seemed to be inferring that he could come into the property regardless of whether i allowed him in or not, as his company had previously had peaceable entry. (i am in a multi-flat block, and if he pressed another buzzer another resident could have let him into the block, then he can easily come into my flat)
    Bailiffs tell lies.

    Was the above untruth the reason why you let the bugger into your flat?

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

      The fees are incorrect.

      See here for details on the redemption fee, otherwise known as a Header H fee, post #12 Help!!!!!!! Jacobs Bailiffs - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum

      Card fees are now permitted since they are not a prescribed fee.

      The van fee is incorrect as he more than likely did not only visit you, so the cost of the van should be divided between all those visited. £120 is not a "reasonable" for visiting one debtor when you can hire one locally for around £40.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

        @ clever clogs. nope, i let them in because i was caught unawares first time that they were bailiffs... i'm not totally oblivious to the stupid rubbish they come up with all the time. my profession was (until recently) a debt management advisor - so i know the lies they spew all the time.

        @ amy thought not :-) thanks. will have a read through the relevant sections - hoped i'd be able to claim half of them back.

        by my calculations, there's still a mystery £80 missing somewhere.

        just to clarify, did you mean the card fees are NOT legal?

        thanks for your help.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

          You can claim the fees back and yes, the card fees are not legal.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

            thanks all for your help - i've checked online and noticed that the bailiff that visited me is exceptionally recently qualified... i have been told that they are not allowed to operate alone for 3 months after their certification? is this correct?

            i'm happy to provide the link to the certificated baliff register of the name, to show his registration is only valid from 22/02/11 - he visited me in 18/05/11.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

              Who told you this? I've never heard of this before.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

                Originally posted by millercc View Post
                @ clever clogs. nope, i let them in because i was caught unawares first time that they were bailiffs... i'm not totally oblivious to the stupid rubbish they come up with all the time. my profession was (until recently) a debt management advisor - so i know the lies they spew all the time.
                If you did not know they were bailiffs, what did you suppose them to be - meter readers or vampires?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

                  @amy - it was a friend of mine who used to work a LONG time ago in this field

                  @cleverclogs - no, i actually was distracted and when they buzzed my buzzer and said "it's about your council tax sir" it never registered as a bailiff.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

                    I believe your friend to be wrong. They have to prove competence as part of the certification process, so it would not make sense for that to be the case.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

                      a bailiff proving competence? oxymoron anyone?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Bristow And Sutor - Council Tax Collection

                        Originally posted by millercc View Post
                        a bailiff proving competence? oxymoron anyone?
                        Very apt, lol
                        CAVEAT LECTOR

                        This is only my opinion - "Opinions are made to be changed --or how is truth to be got at?" (Byron)

                        You and I do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.
                        Cohen, Herb


                        There is danger when a man throws his tongue into high gear before he
                        gets his brain a-going.
                        Phelps, C. C.


                        "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance!"
                        The last words of John Sedgwick

                        Comment

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