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Hi can someone please help? I'm sorry if it seems complicated.
We owed West Berkshire Council £702.00. My partner was in talks with West Berkshire Council to settle the outstanding balance in instalments. We were informed that this was ok and that somebody would be in contact with us from the council regarding income and expenditure forms, my partner then filled in a form which stated our weekly wages and was awaiting a reply, which was never received. Since this, she has been in contact with West Berkshire Council regarding setting up a payment plan.
We were then visited out of the blue by a bailiff (Mr Barlow). He handed my partner a letter and she explained that there was a mistake with West Berks Council and hopefully the debt would be taken back due to the lack of communication from West Berks Council. Mr Barlow was very pleasant and suggested with the situation that we should continue paying West Berkshire Council and this should resolve the situation and the bailiffs charges would cease. She then spoke with Mr Barlow via telephone again to say she had paid £100.00 to West Berks council directly and should she carry on doing this? He said “to carry on payment as we were to West Berks Council and complain to West Berkshire Council about the lack of correspondance and to stop the bailiffs.”
My partner then spoke to West Berks Council again on Thursday 27th June with the advice from the bailiff to carry on paying the council, however they were unwilling to take the fee back and advised to sort out a payment plan with Rossendales. The girl advised with advice from her manager that the £100 would be accredited to Rossendales and reduced from the debt.
On the same day my partner spoke with Rossendales contact centre about the situation and was informed that the debt had been passed onto another bailiff and she was given a telephone number to contact this bailiff (Mr Duffy). She was not told that there would be charges added on and the reasons why another bailiff was placed in charge. The same day she contacted Mr Duffy regarding payment and he stated that he “did not have the files, he would pick them up tomorrow and to be in contact the following week.”
Wednesday 3rd July - We had a knock on the door from Mr Duffy again out of the blue, with no correspondance. I heard my partner getting upset and came down the stairs to find out what was going on, my partner was chatting to Mr Duffy about their phone conversation the week previously and that she did not realise he was coming to the house, they had came to an arrangement that they would speak the following week over the phone, not to attend the house to collect. He stated that he had put a levy on my vehicles and that he would be taking them away unless payment of £972.00 was paid in full within 24hours. £270.00 on top of the original fee owed. He also informed us that a letter had been sent to us saying a van was on its way. I stated that WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED THIS LETTER, Mr Duffy then said that it must have mysteriously vanished in the post. My partner then started to get more distressed as we have definitely never received this letter. I asked if it was sent recorded delivery, to which the reply was no. My partner also explained what Mr Barlow had said about paying West Berks Council and he said this was not the case and we had been misinformed. He then told us we should have received the letter for which we were charged, which again we explained we had not received it. We have only ever received one letter from Mr Barlow which he handed my partner on his ONE visit. Mr Duffy then told us that in his records Mr Barlow had visited us twice, which IS NOT the case, he had only visited us once and only ever handed us one letter, AND WE HAD NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING THROUGH THE DOOR, but of course we have been charged for this fictitious visit and fictitious letter. Mr Duffy then left the premises and explained that we needed to pay in full or he would take my vehicles. (Which by the way are hire purchase vehicles and used for business purposes).
My partner was extremely distressed and contacted West Berkshire Council immediately who said there is nothing they can do even though she had previously tried to make arrangements to pay. My partner thought that we were getting on top of her debts and there are records to prove the conversations she had about organising a payment plan.
We were so distressed I called the bailiff and said I would try to pay them in a couple of weeks and he said I have 2 weeks to pay or he will remove my vehicles. He also advised me that the way Mr Barlow had advised me of just paying off West Berkshire Council and forgetting about the bailiffs was wrong and that I should make a complaint and ask for a reply within 14 days. I have also spoke to West Berks Council and they have also told me pay the bailiffs and to file an email complaint to both the bailiffs and themselves. Myself and my partner are arguing and are extremely stressed as we cannot afford to pay the bailiff within this time frame. We were never unwilling to pay the debt, we tried to make arrangements with West Berks council and they took so long to reply it has resulted in this.
We are an honest family and are willing to pay West Berkshire Council £200.00 a month to clear the debt. We have 2 children and I feel this is a reasonable amount to pay back. We have taken all the correct steps and were arranging a payment plan. I cannot stress how much grief this has put us through. Why should we pay and then complain???? I do not want to pay these con men, I have no problem settling my debt with the council.
I also questioned the charges the bailiff had added on for just 2 visits an extra £270.00.....There are charges for 3 visits and we have never received this so called letter about a van being on its way, I cant remember the wording he used.
I have downloaded a cease and desist letter, will this work?
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!
We owed West Berkshire Council £702.00. My partner was in talks with West Berkshire Council to settle the outstanding balance in instalments. We were informed that this was ok and that somebody would be in contact with us from the council regarding income and expenditure forms, my partner then filled in a form which stated our weekly wages and was awaiting a reply, which was never received. Since this, she has been in contact with West Berkshire Council regarding setting up a payment plan.
We were then visited out of the blue by a bailiff (Mr Barlow). He handed my partner a letter and she explained that there was a mistake with West Berks Council and hopefully the debt would be taken back due to the lack of communication from West Berks Council. Mr Barlow was very pleasant and suggested with the situation that we should continue paying West Berkshire Council and this should resolve the situation and the bailiffs charges would cease. She then spoke with Mr Barlow via telephone again to say she had paid £100.00 to West Berks council directly and should she carry on doing this? He said “to carry on payment as we were to West Berks Council and complain to West Berkshire Council about the lack of correspondance and to stop the bailiffs.”
My partner then spoke to West Berks Council again on Thursday 27th June with the advice from the bailiff to carry on paying the council, however they were unwilling to take the fee back and advised to sort out a payment plan with Rossendales. The girl advised with advice from her manager that the £100 would be accredited to Rossendales and reduced from the debt.
On the same day my partner spoke with Rossendales contact centre about the situation and was informed that the debt had been passed onto another bailiff and she was given a telephone number to contact this bailiff (Mr Duffy). She was not told that there would be charges added on and the reasons why another bailiff was placed in charge. The same day she contacted Mr Duffy regarding payment and he stated that he “did not have the files, he would pick them up tomorrow and to be in contact the following week.”
Wednesday 3rd July - We had a knock on the door from Mr Duffy again out of the blue, with no correspondance. I heard my partner getting upset and came down the stairs to find out what was going on, my partner was chatting to Mr Duffy about their phone conversation the week previously and that she did not realise he was coming to the house, they had came to an arrangement that they would speak the following week over the phone, not to attend the house to collect. He stated that he had put a levy on my vehicles and that he would be taking them away unless payment of £972.00 was paid in full within 24hours. £270.00 on top of the original fee owed. He also informed us that a letter had been sent to us saying a van was on its way. I stated that WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED THIS LETTER, Mr Duffy then said that it must have mysteriously vanished in the post. My partner then started to get more distressed as we have definitely never received this letter. I asked if it was sent recorded delivery, to which the reply was no. My partner also explained what Mr Barlow had said about paying West Berks Council and he said this was not the case and we had been misinformed. He then told us we should have received the letter for which we were charged, which again we explained we had not received it. We have only ever received one letter from Mr Barlow which he handed my partner on his ONE visit. Mr Duffy then told us that in his records Mr Barlow had visited us twice, which IS NOT the case, he had only visited us once and only ever handed us one letter, AND WE HAD NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING THROUGH THE DOOR, but of course we have been charged for this fictitious visit and fictitious letter. Mr Duffy then left the premises and explained that we needed to pay in full or he would take my vehicles. (Which by the way are hire purchase vehicles and used for business purposes).
My partner was extremely distressed and contacted West Berkshire Council immediately who said there is nothing they can do even though she had previously tried to make arrangements to pay. My partner thought that we were getting on top of her debts and there are records to prove the conversations she had about organising a payment plan.
We were so distressed I called the bailiff and said I would try to pay them in a couple of weeks and he said I have 2 weeks to pay or he will remove my vehicles. He also advised me that the way Mr Barlow had advised me of just paying off West Berkshire Council and forgetting about the bailiffs was wrong and that I should make a complaint and ask for a reply within 14 days. I have also spoke to West Berks Council and they have also told me pay the bailiffs and to file an email complaint to both the bailiffs and themselves. Myself and my partner are arguing and are extremely stressed as we cannot afford to pay the bailiff within this time frame. We were never unwilling to pay the debt, we tried to make arrangements with West Berks council and they took so long to reply it has resulted in this.
We are an honest family and are willing to pay West Berkshire Council £200.00 a month to clear the debt. We have 2 children and I feel this is a reasonable amount to pay back. We have taken all the correct steps and were arranging a payment plan. I cannot stress how much grief this has put us through. Why should we pay and then complain???? I do not want to pay these con men, I have no problem settling my debt with the council.
I also questioned the charges the bailiff had added on for just 2 visits an extra £270.00.....There are charges for 3 visits and we have never received this so called letter about a van being on its way, I cant remember the wording he used.
I have downloaded a cease and desist letter, will this work?
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!
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