Originally posted by tongie
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But knowing that isn't going to make the problem go away. In these circumstances I suggest you do several things at once, because you don't know which of them is most likely to work fastest.
The first step is to work out if any of Thurrock Council's own policies Tuttle appears to have broken. Read https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...73231344,d.d2k.
That says on page 1 "Every effort is made to address benefit entitlement" - are you currently claiming housing benefit and council tax support? Have problems with these claims been the cause of your council tax arrears?
on page 2 "Allow for full appraisal of a debtors circumstances – providing appropriate repayment arrangements" have you been asked by the council to supply an income and expenditure statement? If not, you should have.
"Provide money advice referral (CAB) where a need is identified" have they suggested that you should take money advice? If not, you should have.
on page 26 "Experiencing Mental Ill Health" is listed as a reason why a debtor should be treated as potentially vulnerable. Have you informed Tuttle or any other council official that you have been diagnosed with depression? If you have, they should have noted this.
Next you need to do three things:
1) put in a formal complaint to Thurrock Council. The email for this is here https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/complain...ow-to-complain. Your email could look something like this (but obviiously change it for your own circumstances):
I wish to complain about the actions of Kevin Tuttle and Phoenix bailiffs. I have offered £120 a month to pay off my council tax arrears, which is all I can afford. Thurrock's policy says there should be a "full apraisal of debtor's circumstances" - this has never happened. It also says debtors should be referred for monay advice eg to CAB - this has never happened.
I have been threatened with prison and having my daughter taken into care - I am a single parent. As a result I am scared to be at home. I am suffering from depression - I have told [xxxxx] this but it has been ignored which I understand is against Thurrock's policy on handling vulnerable people with debts.
I request that the debt is called back from the bailiffs, the bailiffs additional changes are removed and that my offer of £120 a month is accepted."
This will be a Stage 1 complaint, you don't need help to put it in. If it is rejected you will be told how to put in a stage 2 complaint (Thurrock's name for this may be slightly different) at which point you should go to your local CAB.
2) talk to your local councillors. They will usually have "surgeries" once or twice a month that you can go to. There is a list here https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/current-councillors. If you don't know which ward you live in, the council switchboard will be able to tell you. This may not sound like a very promising option, but it can produce results quite fast sometimes!
3) go to your local CAB and ask for their help https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/socialca...-advice-bureau
Do you have other debts? Credit cards, loans etc? If so, you need to consider not making the usual payments to these but may off the council tax arrears faster. If you are in a debt management plan, who is it with? You should ask to stop making any payments to it for a few months to clear the council tax debt.
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