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Hello everyone,
I would like to ask for any advice about enforcement agent, Bristow & Sutor
(B&S). 3 months back B&S enforcement agent was in my rented house for the first time and tried
to get into by locked door but I was alone at home as my partner was in
Medical Centre at this time and I didn't opened. EA also been in my neighbour to get- I suspect -
information about us because she let him in (we have non-friendly "relation" with neighbour).
I didn't opened because of fear, I thought that was crime, I haven't had idea that was agent from Council, he left letter
with his mobile number AFTER trying to get into house. I also struggle
with deep depression and not open anybody at all when I'm alone, so I waited for my partner and after he was back, we sent text message to agent for making a new visit where we are both at home because we was scary: he knocked the door, windows very aggressive...
Enforcement agent came in next day and said that we have to pay £360 straight away or he
will call the police and we will go to the prison for 90 days. We was scary so much that I started to cry. My partner
said that we are unable to pay now (believe or not we didn't had any pound in pocket), but we suspect to have money in Monday (that was Thursday 5th of October) and unfortunately an agent didn't agreed
to wait until Monday for £360 payment and repeated again that we will be
arrested RIGHT NOW if we will not pay TODAY (5th of October).
At that time we were dealing with the decision from Jobcentre Plus about
our Jobseekers Allowance, which we claimed about 3 weeks before as well as
from Council about Housing Benefit. We already had letter from DWP about
providing more proofs and documents to be able to get benefit, so in the
time when enforcement agent been in our rented house we didn't even had any
penny. We struggled with living expenses waiting for benefits (starving). Also, what
is even more important my partner was seriously ill - pneumonia diagnosed
by GP and taking antibiotics as well as waiting to have some money to get
into Hospital to have blood test and X-Ray as doctor even suspected lung
cancer, which means we both was very depressed and extremely stressed out
about his condition at the moment as well as our whole life threatening
situation.
Even that our situation was like that:
- without ANY money
- unemployed
- without any luxury goods, which an agent could take (all we have is old tv worth no more than £10, washing machine, microwave, fridge-freezer, old and damaged xbox 360, old table and 2 summer cheap chairs, 2 double mattress without bed and dressing table with mirror: that's all and he listed everything)
- with serious health condition in my partner and depression in my case, which we informed of course
- waiting for benefits
...this didn't stop the agent from threatening us about calling the police
right now and being arrested if we not pay £360 now. Which is completely out of my mind, if I don't have any penny how I can pay £360 right now?
We was so scary that my partner desperately sent text message to his
previous colleague from job (he was working in restaurant before we claimed
for benefits), who is not even a friend about lending us £360 as soon as
possible because if not we are going to jail and he was so kind to borrow
us that money the same day...
After taking borrowed money from us, enforcement agent made a payment plan
without even asking how we can be able to pay that amount, which we are
unable to reasonably afford. He made this plan in moment where we was
without any money that we have to pay first payment £100 and then £200
every month. This offer is to high for us but we were very scared and too
stressed out about going to the prison that we didn't even tried to
negotiate any lower payments.
We have made our first payment on 4th of December - £100 and
from this day were constantly asking to keep that amount because we are struggle
even with that amount. Our debt now after paid £360 is £1700 from our 3
previous addresses. We are unable to make £200 every month. Our benefits
for both of us are:
- Jobseekers Allowance: £419.40 monthly for both of us
- Housing Benefit: £328.12 monthly for our landlord's account straight
away, which means we not have these money physically (our monthly rent is
however: £495, so we actually should pay the remaining amount to our
landlord, which is: £167 monthly, which means we will have £252.40 for
both of us per month and if we have to pay for Bristow & Sutor £200
monthly, we will have 52.40 PER MONTH for both of us, which means is £13
weekly for living expenses and not paying other bills at all).
We are genuinely struggling to pay this years tax on time but we are willing to pay: we just expect understanding our situation and give us chance to pay small amounts. Going to the
prison will not resolve the problem, it will make it worse. We are now on
benefits and we borrowed a laptop from our colleague and trying to improve
our situation by freelancer jobs and my partner considering to start self
employment if his work start to bring earnings. Letting EA to our house was mistake I think because we had worsen this problem.
Could You please take any advice, what to do? We would like to back our
debt into Council again but do they take it? Should I write about that to
Council as well? Because I am actually in contact with B&S via their contact form, which allow me to put only 250 characters...
They answered that they are unable to reduce the monthly
instalments.
Here is their e-mail:
"In regards to your arrangement we have offered you the maximum time to
clear the balance and are therefore unable to reduce the monthly
instalments.
Failure to comply with the arrangement will result in further recovery
action being taken against you and you will be liable for any additional
costs incurred.
We trust this clarifies the matter."
Yesterday was our second date to pay £200. We didn't had it obviously, so I contacted via this short form with 250 characters and sent them 4 of them that I am asking for keep the amount £100, which is still unbelievable high for us at the moment, we are still unemployed.
My partner is going to doctor next Wednesday and we will know the results of his lungs, he is feeling really bad and lost much weight as he don't eat not only because we have very little but also he lost appetite. We are living now in extremely life threatening time, I am so depressed that I'm looking for suicide methods in internet because I'm so afraid going to the jail.
Here is the fresh answer from B&S:
"We acknowledge receipt of you recent emails, the contents of which have been noted.
We must advise, however, that in respect to the two accounts we hold, both have a liability order that has been granted through Isle of Wight Magistrates Court. Once a liability order has been granted the balance, including costs, becomes legally due in full. Bristow and Sutor are under no legal obligation to set an arrangement and if we go it must be within our strict client guidelines.
In light of the above we must advise that your proposal of payment is still unacceptable as it is not within our guidelines.
Notwithstanding of the above, we have referred your proposal of payment, along with your current circumstances, to our client. We now await their instruction and once we are advised further we will update yourself accordingly.
In the meantime we urge you to maintain the existing arrangement and will allow until 12.01.16 to make a payment of £142.76 to bring the arrangement up to date.
We trust this clarifies the situation.
Yours faithfully"
I am very sorry for that long post, I don't even believe if someone will read that but I cannot focus and think properly to make it shorter, I just have huge brain fog.
I will appreciate any advices and help.
Thank You in advance.
I would like to ask for any advice about enforcement agent, Bristow & Sutor
(B&S). 3 months back B&S enforcement agent was in my rented house for the first time and tried
to get into by locked door but I was alone at home as my partner was in
Medical Centre at this time and I didn't opened. EA also been in my neighbour to get- I suspect -
information about us because she let him in (we have non-friendly "relation" with neighbour).
I didn't opened because of fear, I thought that was crime, I haven't had idea that was agent from Council, he left letter
with his mobile number AFTER trying to get into house. I also struggle
with deep depression and not open anybody at all when I'm alone, so I waited for my partner and after he was back, we sent text message to agent for making a new visit where we are both at home because we was scary: he knocked the door, windows very aggressive...
Enforcement agent came in next day and said that we have to pay £360 straight away or he
will call the police and we will go to the prison for 90 days. We was scary so much that I started to cry. My partner
said that we are unable to pay now (believe or not we didn't had any pound in pocket), but we suspect to have money in Monday (that was Thursday 5th of October) and unfortunately an agent didn't agreed
to wait until Monday for £360 payment and repeated again that we will be
arrested RIGHT NOW if we will not pay TODAY (5th of October).
At that time we were dealing with the decision from Jobcentre Plus about
our Jobseekers Allowance, which we claimed about 3 weeks before as well as
from Council about Housing Benefit. We already had letter from DWP about
providing more proofs and documents to be able to get benefit, so in the
time when enforcement agent been in our rented house we didn't even had any
penny. We struggled with living expenses waiting for benefits (starving). Also, what
is even more important my partner was seriously ill - pneumonia diagnosed
by GP and taking antibiotics as well as waiting to have some money to get
into Hospital to have blood test and X-Ray as doctor even suspected lung
cancer, which means we both was very depressed and extremely stressed out
about his condition at the moment as well as our whole life threatening
situation.
Even that our situation was like that:
- without ANY money
- unemployed
- without any luxury goods, which an agent could take (all we have is old tv worth no more than £10, washing machine, microwave, fridge-freezer, old and damaged xbox 360, old table and 2 summer cheap chairs, 2 double mattress without bed and dressing table with mirror: that's all and he listed everything)
- with serious health condition in my partner and depression in my case, which we informed of course
- waiting for benefits
...this didn't stop the agent from threatening us about calling the police
right now and being arrested if we not pay £360 now. Which is completely out of my mind, if I don't have any penny how I can pay £360 right now?
We was so scary that my partner desperately sent text message to his
previous colleague from job (he was working in restaurant before we claimed
for benefits), who is not even a friend about lending us £360 as soon as
possible because if not we are going to jail and he was so kind to borrow
us that money the same day...
After taking borrowed money from us, enforcement agent made a payment plan
without even asking how we can be able to pay that amount, which we are
unable to reasonably afford. He made this plan in moment where we was
without any money that we have to pay first payment £100 and then £200
every month. This offer is to high for us but we were very scared and too
stressed out about going to the prison that we didn't even tried to
negotiate any lower payments.
We have made our first payment on 4th of December - £100 and
from this day were constantly asking to keep that amount because we are struggle
even with that amount. Our debt now after paid £360 is £1700 from our 3
previous addresses. We are unable to make £200 every month. Our benefits
for both of us are:
- Jobseekers Allowance: £419.40 monthly for both of us
- Housing Benefit: £328.12 monthly for our landlord's account straight
away, which means we not have these money physically (our monthly rent is
however: £495, so we actually should pay the remaining amount to our
landlord, which is: £167 monthly, which means we will have £252.40 for
both of us per month and if we have to pay for Bristow & Sutor £200
monthly, we will have 52.40 PER MONTH for both of us, which means is £13
weekly for living expenses and not paying other bills at all).
We are genuinely struggling to pay this years tax on time but we are willing to pay: we just expect understanding our situation and give us chance to pay small amounts. Going to the
prison will not resolve the problem, it will make it worse. We are now on
benefits and we borrowed a laptop from our colleague and trying to improve
our situation by freelancer jobs and my partner considering to start self
employment if his work start to bring earnings. Letting EA to our house was mistake I think because we had worsen this problem.
Could You please take any advice, what to do? We would like to back our
debt into Council again but do they take it? Should I write about that to
Council as well? Because I am actually in contact with B&S via their contact form, which allow me to put only 250 characters...
They answered that they are unable to reduce the monthly
instalments.
Here is their e-mail:
"In regards to your arrangement we have offered you the maximum time to
clear the balance and are therefore unable to reduce the monthly
instalments.
Failure to comply with the arrangement will result in further recovery
action being taken against you and you will be liable for any additional
costs incurred.
We trust this clarifies the matter."
Yesterday was our second date to pay £200. We didn't had it obviously, so I contacted via this short form with 250 characters and sent them 4 of them that I am asking for keep the amount £100, which is still unbelievable high for us at the moment, we are still unemployed.
My partner is going to doctor next Wednesday and we will know the results of his lungs, he is feeling really bad and lost much weight as he don't eat not only because we have very little but also he lost appetite. We are living now in extremely life threatening time, I am so depressed that I'm looking for suicide methods in internet because I'm so afraid going to the jail.
Here is the fresh answer from B&S:
"We acknowledge receipt of you recent emails, the contents of which have been noted.
We must advise, however, that in respect to the two accounts we hold, both have a liability order that has been granted through Isle of Wight Magistrates Court. Once a liability order has been granted the balance, including costs, becomes legally due in full. Bristow and Sutor are under no legal obligation to set an arrangement and if we go it must be within our strict client guidelines.
In light of the above we must advise that your proposal of payment is still unacceptable as it is not within our guidelines.
Notwithstanding of the above, we have referred your proposal of payment, along with your current circumstances, to our client. We now await their instruction and once we are advised further we will update yourself accordingly.
In the meantime we urge you to maintain the existing arrangement and will allow until 12.01.16 to make a payment of £142.76 to bring the arrangement up to date.
We trust this clarifies the situation.
Yours faithfully"
I am very sorry for that long post, I don't even believe if someone will read that but I cannot focus and think properly to make it shorter, I just have huge brain fog.
I will appreciate any advices and help.
Thank You in advance.
