Advice please, Very confused!

[lollipopadopalus]

I received a letter dated 22/11/11 from Equita on Friday 25th November stating that my account for outstanding council tax had been sent to them. The letter stated that unless I pay the bill in full OR a satisfactory payment plan is entered into, they will have no alternative but to instruct their bailiffs to call and remove goods without further notice. I rang Equita and put my ref number and pin in the phone and a recorded message informed me that my account had been passed to a bailiff and a mobile number was supplied for me to contact him. I rang him and he had not got my case details yet and told me to call him back on Monday the 28th after 9.30am. When I asked him why my case had been passed to him when the letter said I could make a payment arrangement, he said he couldn't comment on that as he had not got my case details yet. I rang Equita back and spoke to a young lady who also could not answer my questions as she said it had been passed to a bailiff and I now had to deal with him directly. I informed her that he had not got my case details yet so was not very helpful and she suggested I just do what he said and ring him on Monday. I'm really angry that this has happened and feel that it's unfair what they have done. What are my rights here as I thought an account was only passed to a bailiff if you default on a payment arrangement with Equita. I have also been advised to put in a claim for council tax benefit and backdate it. I only work 20 hours a week, but have been paying full rent and council tax for the past 3 years as I didn't think I was entitled to housing/c.tax benefits. If I am entitled would this make a difference to this years c.tax bill? I hope someone can help me.

[charitynjw]

Re: Advice please, Very confused!

Hi lolli

http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...ad.php?t=18023

http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/...ad.php?t=14113

Have a read through these two threads.

Others will be along with more advice, I'm sure!

[labman]

Re: Advice please, Very confused!

Phone your local council and ask to be put though to the CT Recovery Department - do not talk to any switchboard operative in the CT department about it. Once through, get the name of who you are talking to and tell them what has happened and you are phoning as soon as has been possible to arrange a repayment plan.

Do not be fobbed off with we can't take the debt back as its been passed to bailiffs, they can and they know they can, they just don't want to. If they are still awkward tell that person by their name, you are reporting them directly to the CEO for laying the council open to litigation.

Also state you will refuse to deal with bailiffs at all, they will not be given access to your property, and you will be making all payments directly to the council as per your proposed repayment plan. Then stick religiously to your repayment plan paying the council directly, if necessary through their automated systems (online or phone).

Which council is it?

[lollipopadopalus]

Re: Advice please, Very confused!

Thank you labman and charitynjw. Its Birmingham council. I have been looking up my rights all morning and am feeling a little more confident. Thanks again.xx

[labman]

Re: Advice please, Very confused!

This is the e-mail address of the CEO if you need it:

stephen_hughes@birmingham.gov.uk

[ploddertom]

Re: Advice please, Very confused!

Are you aware that BCC outsource all their admin functions to a Company called Capita. When you contact the Council the majority of the time you are not speaking to a Council employee. Capita then have a vested interest as they also happen to own a couple of Bailiff firms - one such is called Equita.

[labman]

Re: Advice please, Very confused!

Indeed, hence the e-mail address of Stephen Hughes. He will be careful as he very nearly lost his job over a very similar situation a little while ago.