Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

[toffeecrisp141271]

Hi,

Council sent me the wrong amount bill (should be 20% off due to single occupier). I never paid it and they went to court. Spoke to them today as don't want bailiffs round and have made an offer of payment £25 per week. They said well it ALL needs to be paid off by end of March (financial year). They said unless I pay it in full by the end of the month, the day after tomorrow they will assign it to bailiffs. What can I do? The original bill was wrong for a start even though they were told when I moved in that I was a single occupier. Also they have by employer details, why can't they deal with it instead of passing on to a bailiff incurring me excessive costs????

Help please.

P.

[bluebottle]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

Seems somewhat wrong to subject you to that sort of treatment when the error is on the council's part. Contact the appropriate department tomorrow and ask them to explain how and why they messed-up your CT bill and why they are behaving in the way they are. Also, contact your ward councillor and MP. You should not have to suffer because of the incompetence of your local council.

[gravytrain]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

Hi,

Council sent me the wrong amount bill (should be 20% off due to single occupier). I never paid it and they went to court. Spoke to them today as don't want bailiffs round and have made an offer of payment £25 per week. They said well it ALL needs to be paid off by end of March (financial year). They said unless I pay it in full by the end of the month, the day after tomorrow they will assign it to bailiffs. What can I do? The original bill was wrong for a start even though they were told when I moved in that I was a single occupier. Also they have by employer details, why can't they deal with it instead of passing on to a bailiff incurring me excessive costs????

Help please.

P.

Just for clarity, when you say you didn't pay, do you mean you paid the lesser amount(-20%), or that you didn't pay anything ?

[toffeecrisp141271]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

I didn't pay anything at all so the whole bill stands its about £430 ish don't know exactly as council want me to fill out a form to get the discount from the bill. Is there any option that I can force their hand to give me more time to pay, instead of paying it all by the end of THIS month like the want me to.

[gravytrain]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

I didn't pay anything at all so the whole bill stands its about £430 ish don't know exactly as council want me to fill out a form to get the discount from the bill. Is there any option that I can force their hand to give me more time to pay, instead of paying it all by the end of THIS month like the want me to.

I think it unlikely as you have not even paid the amount you say you owe, are you in employment ? perhaps you could suggest an attachment of earnings order.

[ploddertom]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

Unfortunately a wrong sum regardless of whose fault it is is not a defence to non-payment of Council Tax. You have to pay at the rate given until such time your Benefit/adjustment/discount is resolved. If you have then overpaid when it is sorted the monies will be credited against the following year's bill unless you ask for a refund.

Sorry I don't make the rules.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

Council sent me the wrong amount bill (should be 20% off due to single occupier). I never paid it and they went to court. Spoke to them today as don't want bailiffs round and have made an offer of payment £25 per week. They said well it ALL needs to be paid off by end of March (financial year). They said unless I pay it in full by the end of the month, the day after tomorrow they will assign it to bailiffs. What can I do? The original bill was wrong for a start even though they were told when I moved in that I was a single occupier. Also they have by employer details, why can't they deal with it instead of passing on to a bailiff incurring me excessive costs????

You should contact your local MP, your local councillor(s), the elected leader or Fuhrer of the Council and the leader of the opposition (or resistance) as it does rather look like Council Tax collection has been outsourced to the appalling Crapita. Another part of the Crapita group is the bailiff company, Equita.

Which Council is it?

[toffeecrisp141271]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

It is south cambridgeshire council. why do they need to incur me more costs by involving bailiffs. they have my employer details they could do a AOE themselves, no need to pass to bailiffs..

[CleverClogs]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

Apparently, CT collection is not outsourced.

The only possible reasons would therefore seem to be:

1. It's a Tory council and/or
2. Its staff are more than ordinarily stupid.

[gravytrain]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

It is south cambridgeshire council. why do they need to incur me more costs by involving bailiffs. they have my employer details they could do a AOE themselves, no need to pass to bailiffs..

They would have to gain a liability order which i think increases the bill by £70 before they can apply an AOE, have you asked them ?

[ploddertom]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

They pass it to the Bailiff as this is perceived as a nil cost option to them. To do AoE themselves means they have to do the work themselves.

[CleverClogs]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

But will it really be a "nil cost option", when the inevitable mistakes by the bailiffs come to light and when the LGO reports on the maladministration of the council?

[bluebottle]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

But will it really be a "nil cost option", when the inevitable mistakes by the bailiffs come to light and when the LGO reports on the maladministration of the council?

That's exactly my argument about it not being a "nil cost option", CC. It's high time the silly burghers who run our councils woke up to the fact that private sector bailiff companies are driven by one thing - profit - and will do anything and everything - even if it is illegal - to maximise those profits. It is time for taxpayers to send a firm message to the burghers to cancel the private bailiff companies' contracts and abandon the corrupt and illegal practice of "passing off".

[CleverClogs]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

That's exactly my argument about it not being a "nil cost option", CC. It's high time the silly burghers who run our councils woke up to the fact that private sector bailiff companies are driven by one thing - profit - and will do anything and everything - even if it is illegal - to maximise those profits. It is time for taxpayers to send a firm message to the burghers to cancel the private bailiff companies' contracts and abandon the corrupt and illegal practice of "passing off".

One way - perhaps the best way - would be to seek compensation from the council who needlessly resorted to bailiffs.

[bluebottle]

Re: Threatened with bailiffs - urgent help needed

One way - perhaps the best way - would be to seek compensation from the council who needlessly resorted to bailiffs.

Even better, surcharge the councillors for the compensation and any costs associated with it. They'd soon make sure it didn't happen again. As for any corrupt council officers, sack them or put them up on trial for Misconduct or Misfeasance in Public Office. Where Crapita is responsible, rescind their contract without compensation to the company and its shareholders. And Company Law allows shareholders to sue directors. See what I'm getting at?