Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6

Original poster

To ignore bailiff

135 replies

Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 19:31

Anyone got any experience of this, I have bailiffs coming round for unpaid council tax and I don't owe it.

I'm waiting for it to be referred back to council, does anyone know how long this normally takes?

OP posts:

SavoyCabbage · 15/04/2016 19:35

Can you not just provide some proof that you don't owe it to them?

londonrach · 15/04/2016 19:36

Show your passport if not your debt. If your debt dont ignore this.

AliceInUnderpants · 15/04/2016 19:37

Is the debt in your name? Who is referring it back to the council?

OwlofMinerva · 15/04/2016 19:39

Whatever you do, do not let them in the house! Do not leave any doors or windows unlocked as they can make a peaceful entry, but they can't force entry. Tell them you are in dispute over the bill. Remember, no matter what they say they CAN'T FORCE ENTRY. If they try to then call the police.

hejsvejs · 15/04/2016 19:39

Just tell them it's not your debt.

PegsPigs · 15/04/2016 19:40

How has it got to the baliff stage if you don't owe it? Is there a contact at the council you can make aware of the imminent baliff visit?

RaspberryOverload · 15/04/2016 19:41

If your phone has the capability, record your conversation where you tell them the debt is in dispute/not yours.

Original poster

Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 19:44

Thanks for your replies.

I haven't had a conversation with them. The council messed up years ago and so while I am willing to pay original debt I am not willing to pay the bailiff fees. This has been going on for over a year now.

Got a letter the other day telling me to pay up or they will refer it back to the council which is good and what I want. Just wondering how much longer it might take.

OP posts:

DownstairsMixUp · 15/04/2016 19:44

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster

Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 19:46

I know Downstairs but you can 'just tell' a bailiff anything and it's unpleasant living a life where I can't park my car outside my own home.

OP posts:

Buckinbronco · 15/04/2016 19:47

Email the council and tell them you will pay them the original amount directly and that's the end of it. Detail why. If it's their mistake they won't be able to enforce anything via bailiffs anyway because you'll be able to tell the court the same.
In terms of how long it'll take without contact, who knows? Depends on the bailiff and council.

Don't know why anyone would do anything to prove to a bailiff a debt isn't theirs though as advised above. I wouldn't show a bailiff ID in a million years

Jujuheyhey · 15/04/2016 19:48

Get help from a local debt adviser. I don't know where you live but I do this work and we deal with issues like this all the time. Try local CAB or ring National Debtline/Money Advice Service.

AliceInUnderpants · 15/04/2016 19:49

You are willing to pay the original amount, and told them so a year ago? So how is it at this stage now? Have you been making agreed payments?

Original poster

Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 19:50

Yeah I've spoken to CAB who have said to just keep them out.

Alice, I owed originally £80 which is now nearly s thousand pounds.

I will pay £80 to the council. The bailiffs are getting nothing.

OP posts:

Jujuheyhey · 15/04/2016 19:51

Oh, and Buckinbronco, if it's gone to bailiffs it's already been to court so OP won't be able to defend it now.

Buckinbronco · 15/04/2016 19:53

Not necessarily- if the bailiffs had a court order they're could've forced entry so I wonder if it's just been turned over to a collection agency which for £80 it might. I have dealt with bailiffs for unpaid council tax which hasn't gone to court.

londonrach · 15/04/2016 19:53

Not sure it works like that op as costs have been added to the original £80 especially if its been to court. How old is the debt and why not settled before. You need to talk to cab and the council! Can you do that tomorrow.

witsender · 15/04/2016 19:55

Sadly you do owe it. What have the council said?

Original poster

Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 19:56

I have spoken to the CAB :)

The council don't listen: just say it's with the bailiffs now.

According to the CAB it's just waiting it out. Just hope it ends sooner rather than later. It's all got a bit ridiculous.

OP posts:

Original poster

Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 19:56

I owe the £80, nothing else.

OP posts:

Tequilamockinbird · 15/04/2016 19:56

Don't wait for the bailiffs to refer it back to the council, ring the council with your debit card handy to pay what you owe, or go to their offices and pay them there.

AliceInUnderpants · 15/04/2016 19:57

Jeezo, how did it get from £80 to £1k? How old is the debt and why didn't you pay it when it was due, or when it was first requested?

Original poster

Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 19:58

It doesn't work like that Tequila if it did I'd have paid it sixteen months ago.

OP posts:

AndYourBirdCanSing · 15/04/2016 19:58

I didn't think they could force entry for council tax, it just eventually gets deferred back to the council again?

It must be awful for you OP, what a nightmare

Thatrabbittrickedme · 15/04/2016 19:58

If you have evidence showing your correspondence with the council show them this, and dont let them in. If you dont, then I dont see how you have any other option than to not answer the door and ensure you are fully locked in until you have resolved this with the council.

Its not clear from your posts when you started trying to address this with the council, however in your position I would be very proactively seeking to get the £80 you owe to the council asap (like, at their offices in person on Monday) so that you can then show the baliffs evidence that the debt is paid.

This is not the kind of matter that you can let drag on for months and years, particularly as you do actually owe money (understanding that the council messed up, the fact of it is that you do have a debt and it is in your name/on your property).

I hope it gets sorted, it must be a very stressful time for you

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6

Swipe left for the next trending thread