Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

[beary1977]

looking around the North Somerset Council Site, come across their FAQ on non payment of Council Tax

Do you employ bailiffs to recover debts? We have the power to employ bailiffs to recover any debts that you owe us in relation to unpaid council tax or business rates if you've failed to make an acceptable arrangement to pay back the debt. The bailiff will send you a letter telling you that the debt has been passed to them for collection and will request full payment immediately.

Failure to make the payment will result in them visiting your property to remove goods up to the value of the amount you owe, including any costs for their visit.

Any goods removed can then be sold at public auction.

What can a bailiff do and how will they do it? Bailiffs can visit your property with a removal van and remove your belongings and goods including furniture, bikes and cars, and place them in secure storage before they are sold. They must enter your property peacefully and are not allowed to break down a door, but once inside may use necessary force on any internal locked doors. They may enter: if the door is open if a closed door can be opened without using force through an open window

How can I stop the bailiffs? If you pay your debt, including all costs before any goods are taken or sold, the seizure or sale will be stopped. You can also stop the bailiff taking the goods by: signing a 'closed possession' for the bailiff to remain in the property until the debt is paid or the goods are removed to be sold signing a 'walking possession' which means the goods to remain at the property and the bailiff can return at a later date to remove them if the debt is not paid as agreed.

The walking possession is used when an arrangement to pay the debt over a period of time is made, rather than the balance being paid in full as requested Do I have to be present for the bailiffs to remove goods?

If the bailiff returns to remove goods, you do not have to be there. - S

ee more at: http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Your_Co...arsFAQs.aspx#6

nice to see they are up to date with all the current regulations and giving great advice to people

[nemesis45]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

What is the date of this "guidance"?

[Kati]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

What can a bailiff do and how will they do it? Bailiffs can visit your property with a removal van and remove your belongings and goods including furniture, bikes and cars, and place them in secure storage before they are sold. They must enter your property peacefully and are not allowed to break down a door, but once inside may use necessary force on any internal locked doors. They may enter: if the door is open if a closed door can be opened without using force through an open window

as you say -

nice to see they are up to date with all the current regulations and giving great advice to people

I think someone needs to contact North Somerset Council and remind them of the 'new' regulations ... there's going to be a lot of complaints (and a lot less bailiffs) if they do enter through a window now! :tinysmile_twink_t2:

[Kati]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

What is the date of this "guidance"?

It's on the council's website Nem

[nemesis45]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

Must loosing the plot Kati can't see it

[Kati]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

Must loosing the plot Kati can't see it

http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Your_Co...arsFAQs.aspx#6

[beary1977]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

why should we inform the council they are giving woefully inaccurate advice :-) not like they would ever inform us of their mistakes

plus more fun if they do advise their bailffs JBW to enter through a window, (reminds me of the south park espiode where they can't shoot an animal unless it coming straight at them)

[Wombats]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

Yep, on the council's website but covered under their disclaimer which is hidden under the tiny bit, bottom left Terms and Conditions - it does not guarantee accuracy, blah, blah, blah:

"We do not warrant or represent that the functions contained in the material available on this site will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected, or that this site or the server that makes it available are free of viruses or represent the full functionality, accuracy or reliability of the materials."

The worst bit is the part about entering through a window, what they use to get there is their concern, push bike, juggernaut, whatever. It does appear to be referring to the old regs though and could be (and probably is being) interpreted as a threat to remove on a first visit.

I wonder how many other councils have not updated websites - I suspect not many.

[beary1977]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

if i was a newbie and didn't have experince dealing with these people i would take that as they can just turn up with a van, enter throught a window or unlocked door and take anything they deemed to be of value to cover the debt and charges.

[wales01man]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

If a bailiff was trying to get into my house through the window he wont be going out through a door more like a window into an ambulance

[Kati]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

if i was a newbie and didn't have experince dealing with these people i would take that as they can just turn up with a van, enter throught a window or unlocked door and take anything they deemed to be of value to cover the debt and charges.

I agree ... which is why I believe they have to change it! People NEED to know exactly what bailiffs can and can't do, so they don't get scr***d

[Wombats]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

I agree ... which is why I believe they have to change it! People NEED to know exactly what bailiffs can and can't do, so they don't get scr***d

I totally agree Kati. What people need out there is accurate information. We don't want vulnerable people thinking bailiffs are going to turn up, climb into their house through a window and remove a load of goods, we want them to know the true position.

[bizzybob]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

Perhaps a FOI to that council regarding how many bailiff visits have resulted in a WPA via window entry since April 6th 2014.

[Wombats]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

I'm happy to phone them. I used to work for that council and know a few of the admin and IT people, though most have changed since I left.

[MissFM]

Re: Interesting information from the North Somerset Council

They may enter: if the door is open if a closed door can be opened without using force through an open window

Just to throw a really tiny spanner into the works - I read that bit to say that they're allowed to reach through an open window and thus open a door from the inside in order to enter if it's possible to do so by hand without using any force - not that they're allowed to climb through the window.

Don't know at all whether this is, in fact, allowable. :tinysmile_hmm_t2: x