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Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

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  • Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

    My partner has had a visit from Marstons bailiff.

    Basically, last year my partner was paying off a tv license fee via his jobseekers allowance. At the beginning of December he came off his benefits and became self employed. At this point he was not informed that there was a fine being paid direct from the benefit and so would need to make alternative arrangements to pay.

    In the mean time, our circumstances are that our baby daughter was born in May, we then spent 4 weeks living at Great Ormond Street Hospital as she was very poorly when she was born, we came home for a week and she then passed away very suddenly aged 5 weeks. This was 2 months ago.

    A bailiff visited this morning and gave us a piece of paper saying we have 2 weeks to find 385 pounds. He did not put his name on this paper, he has also put the wrong date on it.

    We called the court as we have no idea of what has happened, they informed me that partner had been paying off the fine via benefits but payments had ceased in December (at the time of the jobseekers stopping). The man at the court was very good and told us to call the bailiff office and tell them the situation and ask for more time to pay.

    So my partner has called the office and they were helpful but said he needs to liaise with the bailiff direct.

    Partner called the bailiff mobile. Explained situation and asked for more time to pay or to make weekly installments.

    The bailiff told my partner we have to pay within 2 weeks or they will come through our doors and seize goods, if we do not have anything to seize then partner will be arrested. Said that last week a man was put in prison for 7 weeks when he couldnt pay a fine.
    My partner said how the other man's situation would have been different to ours, the loss of our daughter, our heads have been all over the place neither of us are working, how can we at the moment.
    The bailiff then said to my partner that he was trying to use our situation to get out of paying, that he didn't care and he would be coming to break down the door to seize goods.

    I can't believe it, I can't believe how disrespectful and disgusting what he has said is. My partner is in pieces.

    We don't know what to do. I get paid on the 6th of October, we can pay the bialiff then but he said its not good enough and he wants money within 2 weeks or he will come through the door.

    Does anyone know what we can do? So sorry for my rambling garbled message.
    Tags: None

  • #2
    Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

    For a start please do not panic.

    have a good read here of our bailiff guide http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...ad.php?t=14113

    Hopefully someone with more exoperience will pop in and help you further.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

      Hi kikibean.

      I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your dear baby daughter.

      Bailiffs are particularly nasty people to deal with. Marstons are certainly no exception, I am afraid. They are nothing short of thugs, and they use fear to get what they want.

      You have more rights than you think, and you do NOT have to be in fear of these jerks. We have some EXCELLENT advisors here in this respect, and I am sure you will hear from them, soon.

      Chill, babe. You'll be OK. I'm sure of that. These guys are good.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

        Hi,

        I'm very sorry to hear of the death of your baby. This is the last thing that should be happening to you at the moment.

        As the fine was for non-payment of TV License it would have been dealt with in the Magistrates Court. This link Bailiff Guide - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum already posted above explains how to make a complaint which you should do as soon as possible (read about the Bailiff SAR - a copy of this is also in the Bailiffs Section - click tab at top of page - SAR is the 11th 'Sticky' down from the top).

        I would also send a copy to the courts with a covering note explaining what has happened and would also be inclined to copy all of this to your local MP and ask for his / her help.

        The loss of a child is a major event and you are likely to be very vulnerable at the moment.

        I would action the above asap.

        If you need any further help, please don't hesitate to post back up - we're all here to help you.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

          Thank you, I am going to get writing the letter this afternoon.

          I'm still in shock at what he said to my partner, like we would make it up to get out of paying or something!!

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

            Sadly it is a fact that many bailiffs are really pretty unpleasant people when performing their jobs. Please do not expect miracles with the letter. I say this as while I hope things run like clockwork for you, with bailiffs they often don't and I would hate you to think it all done and dusted when there may be more to come.

            However, you can only do what you can do at any one moment in time and there is little point in worrying about what may or may not happen in the future.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

              Can I add, the bailiff told my partner he had better start calling loan companies or apply for a credit card to pay off this fine, I have just read the OFT guidelines which state this is not acceptable.

              Also, the fine is 110, plus 75 admin and 200 attendance fee.... Is there any way to dispute the attendance fee? It seems pretty disproportionate to the original fine!

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

                The SAR will ask for a breakdown of fees among other things. This will then provide a solid base from which to make your complaint.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

                  Have a look here also about various fees that the Bailiffs can charge. http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...read.php?t=612

                  Originally posted by kikibean View Post
                  Can I add, the bailiff told my partner he had better start calling loan companies or apply for a credit card to pay off this fine, I have just read the OFT guidelines which state this is not acceptable.

                  Also, the fine is 110, plus 75 admin and 200 attendance fee.... Is there any way to dispute the attendance fee? It seems pretty disproportionate to the original fine!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

                    Hi Kiki

                    I'm so sorry to hear about your baby and that you are having to deal with Bailiffs at this very difficult time for you.

                    Just follow the advice you've been given, these guys really know what they are talking about, and we're all here for you.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

                      Also have a read of this thread, the poster was in a very similar situation to you, and got a result in the end, without too much of a battle marston bailiff help needed - Legal Beagles Consumer Forum
                      Is no longer here

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

                        Thank you for all your replies. My partner has said tonight that he vaguely remebers speaking to the court or the tv license people about this but it was all around the time that we had just got home from London before Emily passed away, so its all a blur and just been forgotten about.

                        He is going to call the bailiff again tomorrow and tell him we can pay in full on 6th October, but if the bailiff refuses that again then we def will be complaining.

                        Today has been a horrible day

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

                          Fingers crossed for you for tomorrow. It is wrong that you should have to try and deal with this while you must still be grieving your loss. See how your hubby gets on later today and if he can get through. Tell him to remain calm as getting angry will almost guarantee a lack of co-operation from the bailiffs.

                          If possible try to record the call somehow, so any unreasonable behaviour can be proven. Normally we try to only deal in writing, but sometimes this is impossible, in which case if you can record it somehow, then please try to.

                          Here's hoping for a better day!:beagle:

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

                            Emily.

                            We need names. I guess it helps when we hug.

                            Please accept mine.

                            Emily.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Please can someone help,horrible bailiff

                              Have you read the thread I mentioned at post#11? It would be well worth doing so before agreeing anything with Marstons.
                              Is no longer here

                              Comment

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