Bristow & Sutor

[Milly29]

Hi....Im looking for some advice/tips on how to deal with Bristow & Sutor. My local council contacted me In December last year and told me that my partner and I owed around 4 months in council tax from a previous year. I currently dont work as I have a baby ( and two other little ones) and at that time my partner had only recently signed off from job seekers allowance and was working in his usual job as a self-employed sub-contractor in the construction trade. The council told us that we needed to pay £190.00 on the 1st of Jan, Feb and March this year. I wrote to them and told them about my financial circumstances and that I couldnt afford to pay those amounts as my partner cant work over the christmas period as building sites close. I asked them if it would be possible to make more affordable arrangements with themselves rather than take it to court and then pass it to bailiffs. The council refused and passed the debt on to Bristow & Sutor. I received a letter from them saying that they now had the debt and I needed to pay it or make arrangements to pay it. I went on the website and tried to set up an arrangement. My partner is once again claiming job seekers allowance and has been since 21st feb this year. I told them this and told them we received £111.00 per week. The only offer of arrangement to pay that they would accept was 1 payment of £57.00 and then several weekly payments of £42.00. Obviously i rejected this offer. They told me I had just a few days to think about it. I phoned them yesterday and requested a callback as i couldnt get through. They called me back 2 hours later but i missed the call. They sent me a text asking me to contact their office, which i did but, again, i couldnt get through so i rquested another call back and left them a brief message. I hadnt had a callback by this morning so i phoned them again and this time i managed to get through. I spoke to a very rude, patronising woman who told me that it was a waste of time calling as there was a bailiff out to visit me today! I asked her if it would be possible for me to make arrangements with her so as to prevent the visit (and further fees). She said " no, the agent will come and either take full payment or levy your goods. He will try to make arrangements with you but if you cant agree on it he will have to seize your goods. We wouldnt make arrangements to pay without first levying your goods"??!! I asked her how come I was able to make arrangements online just 3 days ago but she told me i should have this conversation with the agent. I eplained my circumstances to her, I told her I am ill ( i have SLE), i explained that i was anxious not to incur more fees and i told her i have 3 little ones but she wasnt interested. Im so worried now. I dont know what to do when he comes?? Do I answer the door? Do i let him in to levy my goods?? Please help if you can, any advice would be much appreciated

[Rob0000]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Hi, I'm quite new here too. My understanding is do not let them in, do not open your door, do not sign anything. If you have a car or anything of value outside your house go and hide it now. Tell them to leave your property, if they fail to do so they are trespassers and call the police. The police cannot work on thier behalf and they cannot allow them access to your house. I find recording it all on your phone or camera can be good, but if you go outside with it they may levy it if they see it!...then wave nicely as they leave.

someone better than me will come along to help you more soon.

[bizzybob]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Whatever you do DO NOT let Bristols & Stupid into your home, keep any car away so they cannot gain a levy, Have you claimed for the council tax benefit redplacement?, remind the council that as you are reliant on JSA, you are vulnerable under the National standards that the council and bailiffs are signed up to, and inform Busted and Stupid that as you are reliant on benefits and vulnerable they should return the debt to the council:

Vulnerable situations
? Enforcement agents/agencies and creditors must recognise that
they each have a role in ensuring that the vulnerable and socially
excluded are protected and that the recovery process includes
procedures agreed between the agent/agency and creditor about
how such situations should be dealt with. The appropriate use of
discretion is essential in every case and no amount of guidance
could cover every situation, therefore the agent has a duty to
contact the creditor and report the circumstances in situations
where there is evidence of a potential cause for concern. If
necessary, the enforcement agent will advise the creditor if further
action is appropriate. The exercise of appropriate discretion is
needed, not only to protect the debtor, but also the enforcement
agent who should avoid taking action which could lead to
accusations of inappropriate behaviour.
? Enforcement agents must withdraw from domestic premises if the
only person present is, or appears to be, under the age of 18; they
can ask when the debtor will be home - if appropriate.
? Enforcement agents must withdraw without making enquiries if the
only persons present are children who appear to be under the age
of 12.
? Wherever possible, enforcement agents should have
arrangements in place for rapidly accessing translation services
when these are needed, and provide on request information in
large print or in Braille for debtors with impaired sight.
? Those who might be potentially vulnerable include:
? the elderly;
? people with a disability;
? the seriously ill;
? the recently bereaved;
? single parent families;
? pregnant women; how old is the baby? as this head should be applicable until the baby is at least 6 months old, or for whatever period maternity leave is
? unemployed people; and,
? those who have obvious difficulty in understanding, speaking or
reading English.
9

[Milly29]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Thankyou

[Milly29]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Thankyou so much .... Great advice

[bluebottle]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Hi....Im looking for some advice/tips on how to deal with Bristow & Sutor. My local council contacted me In December last year and told me that my partner and I owed around 4 months in council tax from a previous year. I currently dont work as I have a baby ( and two other little ones) and at that time my partner had only recently signed off from job seekers allowance and was working in his usual job as a self-employed sub-contractor in the construction trade. The council told us that we needed to pay £190.00 on the 1st of Jan, Feb and March this year. I wrote to them and told them about my financial circumstances and that I couldnt afford to pay those amounts as my partner cant work over the christmas period as building sites close. I asked them if it would be possible to make more affordable arrangements with themselves rather than take it to court and then pass it to bailiffs. The council refused and passed the debt on to Bristow & Sutor. I received a letter from them saying that they now had the debt and I needed to pay it or make arrangements to pay it. I went on the website and tried to set up an arrangement. My partner is once again claiming job seekers allowance and has been since 21st feb this year. I told them this and told them we received £111.00 per week. The only offer of arrangement to pay that they would accept was 1 payment of £57.00 and then several weekly payments of £42.00. Obviously i rejected this offer. They told me I had just a few days to think about it. I phoned them yesterday and requested a callback as i couldnt get through. They called me back 2 hours later but i missed the call. They sent me a text asking me to contact their office, which i did but, again, i couldnt get through so i rquested another call back and left them a brief message. I hadnt had a callback by this morning so i phoned them again and this time i managed to get through. I spoke to a very rude, patronising woman who told me that it was a waste of time calling as there was a bailiff out to visit me today! I asked her if it would be possible for me to make arrangements with her so as to prevent the visit (and further fees). She said " no, the agent will come and either take full payment or levy your goods. He will try to make arrangements with you but if you cant agree on it he will have to seize your goods. We wouldnt make arrangements to pay without first levying your goods"??!! I asked her how come I was able to make arrangements online just 3 days ago but she told me i should have this conversation with the agent. I eplained my circumstances to her, I told her I am ill ( i have SLE), i explained that i was anxious not to incur more fees and i told her i have 3 little ones but she wasnt interested. Im so worried now. I dont know what to do when he comes?? Do I answer the door? Do i let him in to levy my goods?? Please help if you can, any advice would be much appreciated

This sort of behaviour is typical of Bristols & Hooters and it does make me wonder why local authorities risk litigation employing these idiots. Trying to make it difficult for you to pay off the arrears in order to justify visits and bullying is not only unethical, it may breach Human Rights legislation and amount to harassment. Make the council and B & S aware of your SLE. If they still persist, there is a provision under anti-harassment laws whereby you can obtain a without notice injunction should this become necessary.

[ploddertom]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Unless you can record the calls, stay off the phone to the Bailiffs - they will have a different version of what was said to that you recollect. Do it all in writing to them and yes you can use email. B&S may tell you the only electronic way to communicate is through their website. You can however use enquiries@bristowsutor.co.uk .

As for payments why not start paying the Council direct at a rate you can afford - use online banking, Council website or automated phone.

[crazyhorse4]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Do not let them in and do not sign an agreement... as previously advised, deal directly with the council.They can not refuse to take payment. Pay via their wesite.. I did this and I set up a regular standing order via online banking. I just ignore the bully boys.

[Milly29]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Thankyou for all the replies. I was just on my way out of the door yesterday with my children and a Bristow and Sutor bailiff was on my doorstep. I shut the door in his face and he left after posting a letter through the door. The letter was to inform me of the amount owed.....plus a charge of £24.50 for the visit. On the back of the letter it says that they are prepared to allow me to pay in installments. £52.00 per week. They know I cant pay this amount as I rejected this offer in the 1st place. On thursday, I spoke 2 one of the staff on the phone (before I had received advice on here not to!!) and I explained that currently we only receive benefits, had 3 young children etc etc so they know how much money we have coming in per week and yet they still insist on asking for stupid amounts. I am more than willing to do as i have been advised by you lovely people but I was wondering, what happens to Bristow and Sutors charges if i pay the council directly? If B&S return the debt to the council, do they leave their charges on there or will they continue to persue me for those aswell?? Do i have to pay them or shall i give them the 2 fingered salute lol??? I imagine they will continue to visit and apply charges for a while at least. Any advice would be great, thankyou

[bizzybob]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

The bailiff knows you are on benefits and £52 is unaffordable, they should send the account back but won't so are ignoring the National standards. You need to involve your local councillor, and send in a Formal complaint to Head of revenues, CEO and elected leader, copied to MP also. Might be worth reporting Busted & stupor to the OFT under credit Fitness.

[Milly29]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Thankyou. They make it so difficult! I made a reasonable offer to pay as soon as they wrote to me but they are unwilling to accept it and the longer it goes on the more charges i get. In with the letter he posted was a means form, im not even bothering to fill it in because i gave them all my details over the phone and they still want stupid money that i cant afford. I get the usual rubbish that the debt has to be cleared within 3 months. Would it be better if, in the meantime, i just made payments directly to the council?

[bizzybob]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Thankyou. They make it so difficult! I made a reasonable offer to pay as soon as they wrote to me but they are unwilling to accept it and the longer it goes on the more charges i get. In with the letter he posted was a means form, im not even bothering to fill it in because i gave them all my details over the phone and they still want stupid money that i cant afford. I get the usual rubbish that the debt has to be cleared within 3 months. Would it be better if, in the meantime, i just made payments directly to the council?

Send the I & e to the coumncil and pay them direct using te online system, and tell them you are doing this, and that you cannot trust Busted & Stupid to deal fairly with you, as you are now totally reliant on benefits, your OH having to sign for JSA and will not recognise the vulnerability under the national standards, and keep adding fees you have no hope of paying.

[Milly29]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Thankyou bizzybob, much appreciated. I shall do as you have advised. Before it even went to court I did ask the council if I could make payments directly to them before they instructed the bailiffs but they flat refused........they said I had to either pay in full or they had no other option than to pass it to Bristow & Sutor. I have also been advised to reiterate to both the council, and the bailiffs that I have an illness, Systemic Lupus Erythmatosus, not because i want to "play on it" but because I am currently havin a "flare up" and stress and worry only make it worse. Thankyou again for your help. It means a lot having somewhere I can get good advise

[bizzybob]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Thankyou bizzybob, much appreciated. I shall do as you have advised. Before it even went to court I did ask the council if I could make payments directly to them before they instructed the bailiffs but they flat refused........they said I had to either pay in full or they had no other option than to pass it to Bristow & Sutor. I have also been advised to reiterate to both the council, and the bailiffs that I have an illness, Systemic Lupus Erythmatosus, not because i want to "play on it" but because I am currently havin a "flare up" and stress and worry only make it worse. Thankyou again for your help. It means a lot having somewhere I can get good advise

Systemic Lupus Erythmatosus, Are you under the doctor for this and are you prescribed medication? this is prima facie evidence of vulnerability without anything else, Formal complaint ASAP, the skanks at Bullies & Stupid are beyond the pale.

[bluebottle]

Re: Bristow & Sutor

Thankyou bizzybob, much appreciated. I shall do as you have advised. Before it even went to court I did ask the council if I could make payments directly to them before they instructed the bailiffs but they flat refused........they said I had to either pay in full or they had no other option than to pass it to Bristow & Sutor. I have also been advised to reiterate to both the council, and the bailiffs that I have an illness, Systemic Lupus Erythmatosus, not because i want to "play on it" but because I am currently havin a "flare up" and stress and worry only make it worse. Thankyou again for your help. It means a lot having somewhere I can get good advise

The local authority in your case has broken the law by refusing to accept a payment for Council Tax from you. I am also aware of what SLE is and how serious it can be. This matter needs to be put to the local authority asap. If they stick their fingers in their ears and sing, "La, la, la, we're not listening," you may have to go to court and seek an injunction legally-restraining them and B & S.