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AIBU?

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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:
Original poster
Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 20:22

Because four years ago I asked 'do I owe anything' to the council and they said no :)

I can see some of you are very determined to put me at fault and it is possible of course I missed a piece of correspondence or similar however I have in good faith paid what I owed left the property and moved on with my life before this reared its ugly head.

OP posts:
AliceInUnderpants · 15/04/2016 20:22

I asked 'do I owe anything else' they cheerfully said no, and that was four years ago.

So you paid it 4 years ago, within the time frame they gave you?

Original poster
Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 20:22

Thanks Agatha, glad it worked out for you.

OP posts:
FlyingElbows · 15/04/2016 20:23

So you've just left the £80 outstanding for the past four years? Perhaps that's where your problem's come from?

Ciggaretteandsmirnoff · 15/04/2016 20:23

Yes I did owe that money. I was severely ill with mental health issues and I miss filled a form in. I could not afford to repay it back at that time. When I could I tried but it had already been referred.

The fees these 'fuckers' charge is disgusting. And they prey on vunerable people. Council tax baliffs are the worst and bullying and underhand tactics. People done times can't just pull money out of there arses if they havnt got it. They wanted huge monthly payments I had no chance of repaying.

I was pregnant with dd the first time which was actually nothing to do with us, when I told him I was actually in and he hadn't knocked. He told me that if I didn't pay up he would be coming through my foot in the next five mins. The police were called.

So yes - they are fuckers. More than fuckers.

op don't engage with them. Why are the council not accepting your payment in full?

Original poster
Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 20:24

Goodness Alice - am I being very unclear? Really?

Third time:

four years ago I asked the council if I owed anything else and they said no

It is only in the past fourteen months or so bailiffs have been hammering on my door adamant I owe £80 to the council and many hundreds of pounds to them Hmm

OP posts:
AgathaMystery · 15/04/2016 20:24

It's in your interests to allow it to go to court. Hopefully you have paperwork/letters showing you were happy to pay the £80.

It is very stressful I know. Just make sure you lockup carefully when you leave home & never open the door to them.

Ciggaretteandsmirnoff · 15/04/2016 20:24

Front door*

ghostyslovesheep · 15/04/2016 20:26

but it will have gone to court already wont it - usually councils try to get you to pay BEFORE instructing bailiffs - not instead of

did you not get anything from them about this £80 in the past 4 years?

Rememberallball · 15/04/2016 20:26

Even if they remove bailiffs feed there will be more than the origin £80 council tax due. By obtaining a council tax liability order against you there will be court fees added that, as you admit owing the original amount, you are also liable to pay. Nowadays councils are also very reluctant to remove bailiffs fees as they are covered by specific legislation allowing for certain amounts (letter fee; visit fee; recovery fees) to be added legitimately.

Original poster
Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 20:26

No, Flying, I was unaware I owed it, having asked the council if I owed anything and being assured I did not.

Let me rephrase it.

You open a credit card in 2011 and make a payment of £1500 on it.

You pay off £1500 and then decide you won't use it again so close down the account. You call the CC company who cheerily tell you that's great, all dealt with.

Then four years later you discover there was a tiny amount (let's say£5) still owing and now it's gone to a debt management place and is now £300.

Would you think 'goodness, what a bad, disorganised person I am' or 'someone has ballsed up.'

OP posts:
Original poster
Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 20:27

No ghosty I didn't.

Literally all I knew about it was a nasty hand delivered letter out of the blue.

I don't suppose anyone DOES know how long this will take to return to the council, amongst the wee character assasination? Hmm

OP posts:
Tequilamockinbird · 15/04/2016 20:28

In the last year suddenly it's apparently a pressing concern

So the bailiffs have been chasing for a year? Or you've been waiting for them to send it back to the council for a year? I'm confused now.

Original poster
Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 20:28

Yes, the bailiffs have been chasing for a year. Why are you confused?

OP posts:
AgathaMystery · 15/04/2016 20:30

Ghostly that wasn't my experience. The magistrates court & threat of CCJ was dangled by bailiffs & debt company as a way of getting me to pay.

You get council letters, then usually letters that look like solicitors but are from debt company. Then debt company letters. The. Bailiffs. Then court appearance. Then I suppose bailiffs again if court hearing doesn't find in your favour?

I just kept saying 'nope, I want it to go to court, not a problem for me. I am not liable for this debt.' The letters & phone calls were really intimidating. Even though I knew 100-% I was right & that the council were mistaken, I was frightened. Esp going in to court

Tequilamockinbird · 15/04/2016 20:30

And you've contacted the council in that time but they've refused to allow you to pay this direct with them?

Or you've ignored everything for 14 months in the hope that the bailiffs will send it back to the council?

If the latter then YABVU

AliceInUnderpants · 15/04/2016 20:31

I'm guessing you have no form of receipt from council, or transaction on your credit card/bank statement to show you paid?

Original poster
Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 20:32

The former Tequila.

You call the council - 'ring the bailiff'
You call the bailiff - 'MONEY WE WANT MONEY.'

Agatha, never have I been more grateful for a poster coming onto a thread :)

OP posts:
Potatoface2 · 15/04/2016 20:32

4 years ago you owed £80....and never paid it....there must be court charges incurred now for it to be £1000.....you can be arrested for non payment of council tax and get a sentenced in a court....theres a few in my local paper today....all got suspended sentences though...you have 4 years of charges to go with your £80....you have been a tad silly not to pay the original money....so really you are in the wrong here

Original poster
Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 20:33

I will do Alice yes but the point is that isn't the right one.

If you go back to my CC example, you would have a statement saying you paid £1500 but what they are asking about it the unpaid £5.

OP posts:
Floggingmolly · 15/04/2016 20:33

I'm confused... You're simultaneously asserting that you owe the Council nothing, and owe them £80.
I've a nasty feeling it's you who is confused, op.

OrangesandLemonsNow · 15/04/2016 20:34

I don't suppose anyone DOES know how long this will take to return to the council, amongst the wee character assasination?

No they don't because no one has a crystal ball or knows the council, or the baliffs.

Maybe get legal advise.

Baliffs can legally add on fees and the council don't have to remove them.

ghostyslovesheep · 15/04/2016 20:34

in your position then OP I'd not be ignoring it I'd be fighting it

Gather your evidence - you final Council Tax statement showing you owed nothing , proof of payment, evidence that they had your contact details

Then ask the council for proof they gave you time to pay BEFORE going to court - if not they have acted unfairly

But please don't ignore it - they wont just go away

Tequilamockinbird · 15/04/2016 20:34

You need to go into the council offices, with the £80 plus any court fees on Monday morning then IMO. Or at least the £80 with an offer of court fees being paid in X days.

Ignoring will make things worse.

Original poster
Thebrowntrout · 15/04/2016 20:34

Potato, I would have paid it promptly but I was never told!

In any case, according to the CAB they will only sentence you to spend time in prison if you are wilfully not paying - in other words 'I've got the money but you're not having it.' Whereas I am happy to pay.

OP posts:
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