scared of bailiffs

[bluebottle]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Have spoken to Leeds City Council and obtained correct postal address for letter. I will try and draft it this evening. Do stop worrying about the brainless buffoons who work for Jacobs.

[samwiggy]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Really hard to, to be honest don't know what they will do if I don't contact them and pay them. I paid council 20 this morning on automated thingy and will do every Wednesday

[Sapphire]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Please, please stop worrying, the guys here are very experienced and will do everything they can to help you, the best thing you can do is stop stressing.

[samwiggy]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Bailiff came round again to post a final notice that haa now gone up another 200 pound since I spoke to council this morning. I got mad so Ive just rung the council, explained that he's added another 200 and that I am not in a mental state to deal with bailiffs and told her why im not so she put me on hold for 10 mins then asked to do a financial expendicture thing over the phone, I told her all my outgoings and then she said I cant afford anymore than 25 a week so there going to tell bailiffs I'm going to pay council direct and so bailiffs won't be coming anymore as long as I keep up with payments. She said she will also send me confromation of that through post too. Omg I couldn't do it all without all your help, Thankyou all ever so so much xxx

[labman]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Make sure you do get it in writing, and also make sure that you NEVER miss a payment, otherwise you might find yourself in this predicament again.

Well done for sorting it out yourself - see you didn't really need us anyway in the end. I'm delighted for you that you can sleep easy!

[samwiggy]

Re: scared of bailiffs

I did. If it wasn't for all your posts and words of wisdom I wouldn't have been able to do it. Before chatting to you all I would have just opened door to bailiff, I didn't know I had rights and what I could do. Again Thankyou ever so much

[ploddertom]

Re: scared of bailiffs

There's nothing better than having a hissy fit, I've had one today with our Water Co. Did the trick abject apologies and very sheepish employees.

[bluebottle]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Bailiff came round again to post a final notice that haa now gone up another 200 pound since I spoke to council this morning. I got mad so Ive just rung the council, explained that he's added another 200 and that I am not in a mental state to deal with bailiffs and told her why im not so she put me on hold for 10 mins then asked to do a financial expendicture thing over the phone, I told her all my outgoings and then she said I cant afford anymore than 25 a week so there going to tell bailiffs I'm going to pay council direct and so bailiffs won't be coming anymore as long as I keep up with payments. She said she will also send me confromation of that through post too. Omg I couldn't do it all without all your help, Thankyou all ever so so much xxx

Well done, Sam. The saying, "A problem shared is a problem solved," comes very much to mind in your case. We're all glad to have given you the necessary advice and support. In the end, it was your inner strength that came shining through and, by the sound of it, gave your local authority a bit of a jolt.

[samwiggy]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Well this morning is a complete different story. Woke up and bailiff was sat outside. He's rung and text me say council have asked him to help me but he can't if I don't speak to him. I've council cause the women said last night that she would email the bailiffs saying I could pay the council 25 a week and they'd pass it on to bailiffs but the women I spoke to said she didn't say that. She saying this morning i can pay bailiff 25 pound a week direct and he has to come in and make levys and me sign. Is there anything I can do? The council has totally lied to me. But she did say last night by getting something from citizens advice is the only way I could get council to take debt back completely. So upset.

[ploddertom]

Re: scared of bailiffs

There is no law that says you have to deal with or speak to a Bailiff. The only reason he wants to come in is to make a levy on your belongings - he will charge you extra for doing this. I can nearly guarantee he will engineer a default on any payments you make thus your arrangement will be cancelled and the debt comes payable in full immediately plus he will charge extra fees for this. The Council are wrong in telling you he has to come in - a complaint should be made about this.

Whatever happens do NOT allow him in. Personally I would ignore the Bailiff - easier said than done I know - and pay the Council direct using online banking etc.

[cards down]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Will that call not be recorded on the council system?

[bluebottle]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Further to what Ploddertom has said, you will need to pursue this with the Head of Revenues and Benefits, in the first instance, escalating it to the Chief Executive of the council. If the harassment continues, you can pursue the matter with the Local Government Ombudsman or, if it is serious, ask your local Law Centre, which can provide free legal advice/assistance, to help you seek an ex parte (without notice) injunction against the local authority and Jacobs. However, you would only seek an injunction if the harassment reached unacceptable levels and/or deteriorated into threatening behaviour by bailiffs employed by Jacobs.

[samwiggy]

Re: scared of bailiffs

After an hour long phone call to council they've agreed to recall the debt. The women I first spoke to this morning basically called me a lier about phone call last night and have complained cause she had no right to tell me I had to let bailiff in to get levy and sign what they want me to sign. The manager told me she shouldn't have said that to me so he said they will recall the debt and phoned Jacobs. I've told them I want it in writing cause after this morning I don't believe anything they say over the phone, he agreed to that. I told them ill pay 25 pound a week cause I myself would rather the debt be paid off as quick as possible. The manager told me just to pay the original debt direct to them which is 978 pound thought i got a final notice from bailiff stating 1267.3 total. There's 4 liability orders but even that doesn't come to that amount and the council stated there has been no levy made so god know how he does his maths?

[bluebottle]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Jacobs, like most firms of certificated bailiffs, employ the ghosts of the Brothers Grimm (of fairytale fame) to do their book-keeping. If the manager at Leeds City Council Revenues & Benefits Department has told you to only pay the original debt of £978.00, then that is what to pay.

From what you say in your post, it sounds like Leeds City Council didn't have a lot of choice in recalling the debt from Jacobs, in view of the conduct of their employee. It could have been very embarrassing - and expensive - for the council if the matter had gone as far as the LGO or, even, the courts. You've done well and, hopefully, this will be the end of your dealings with the Jerks from Jacobs.

[labman]

Re: scared of bailiffs

Samwiggy,

We are now back to EXACTLY where we were yesterday. Totally ignore the bailiffs as said many times before. Pay online to the council or via automated telephone.

Don't over-react in any action with the council, you want and may need to keep some cards up your sleeve. By all means write to the Head of Revenues (BB said he'd draft a letter), but please don't go to the Chief Executive yet. Keep it in proportion.

If you hadn't lost your rag with the council yesterday, we'd still be doing this, so let's just revert back to what we were doing - nothing more, nothing less.