Debt collection agency

[Messedupagainffs]

Can someone please help with any advice as I am so stressed out about this I don't know what to do.

long story short I have had a really awful year for mental health difficulties, been in crisis house for a week and had lots of involvement with the cmht, been referred for autism assessments and basically had a whole breakdown this past year. No longer involved with cmht as I need to now wait for the assessment.

i have really messed up and not paid my council tax. Actually I wouldn't have even had to pay it if I filled out the council tax support form months ago but I have had a lot going on.
i can no way speak on the phone which is how it's ended up as bad as this in the fist place , because of you miss a payment they then want the full year and to stop that you need to phone and speak to them.
its been to court
rheyve sent CDER group bailiffs to my home who left a letter
i messaged the number on the letter and they ignored me
i spike to them on the online chat and they said I can't make a payment plan online as it's been allocated to an agent so I have to do it on the phone via the agent (the one who hasn't replied to my message)
and just now I've received an email they're in the area and will be attended my property again today and I will get yet more charged added on for the visits unless I contact them- I've tried!
how do I stop them from ignoring me or how do I stop them from visiting over and over and adding more onto the debt

Go to Citizens Advice or a non charging debt advice service, and get some advice from a qualified adviser.

Do you have support workers where you are? Could they ring the court on your behalf to freeze the action and help you sort out and backdate the funding.

I don’t know the exact formalities of this but, at some point, could you get one of the doctors or therapists who have treated you to write a letter explaining the history? It might help.

Also, if you are getting some benefits you should be eligible for a discount on your council tax - does this apply you? I’m not sure about whether this can backdated but, again, worth a try.

Yes get in touch with citizens advice asap

Op I see someone has already advised you to join the Beat the Bailiffs FB group. Here is the link, post on there and they will guide you through what you need to do.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/391465144350328/?ref=share

Have you got your health problems documented? If so use it to show how much you have been through when you do get to deal.with the agency as they have to take this into account

No judgement here either @Messedupagainffs .
I'd contact the CAB, as many have debt advisers who can help you through stuff like this, in a non-judgemental and confidential manner. They'll know your rights and how best to proceed.

You can get an SMI exemption if a doctor deems you severely mentally impaired and you recieve the qualifying benefits.

Is there someone that could speak to them on the phone for you, all you'd have to do is say you give permission for so and so to speak on your behalf. I do it for my mother all the time because her hearing is so bad.

OP, get in touch with your local councillor asap. They will be able to speak to the finance team at the council and get it straightened out much more quickly. It should be a quick google, we can help you if you can tell us whitch local authority you come under?

OP I know its difficult but the best way to deal with this is to speak to either the call centre of the bailiff company or to the bailiff directly- if you cannot do this is there someone who can call on your behalf- you would need to speak to them for a moment to give permission and will need to answer some security questions first
If you advise them of your mental health issue they will note that you are vulnerable and will refer you to their welfare team who can discuss an affordable payment plan with you - they may ask for some proof such as appt letters/medication if applicable
Appreciate this is a horrible situation for you but the bailiffs are for the most part not vultures or bullies or horrible people that are trying to break into your house and take your goods, their job is to collect money from people that wont pay and not people that cant pay, and they will listen and help you if you are able to communicate with them or have someone authorised to speak on your behalf
They wont start a convo with you about something like this via text- they need to confirm they are speaking to the correct person

At no point did I suggest not paying the money back, however dealing with the council where the money goes back to the council is far better for everyone then a bully on the doorstep who will use any tactic possible including illegal ones to get money out of vulnerable scared peopled.

How helpful do you think it is to imply that all bailiffs (who are people doing a job) are bullies and act illegally? Do you think this is actually true or helpful to someone that is scared and worried?

There are a lot of issues over Council Tax BUT

Unlike other debts, The Council cant refuse to allow you to move into a property in their area because you might not pay the Council Tax so the recovery options are a lot less nice than for say credit card debt

The Council has to have a discretionary Council Tax Relief scheme in addition to Council Tax Support so I suggest asking about that

My sister called him for me and he said no I can't do it in instalments.
i offered to pay over 3 months and he said no I have to pay it in full
I physically cannot do that now I'm panicking what do I do

Has it definitely been to court? Most judges will take a dim view of rejecting a reasonable offer to pay arrears. Can you call them?

Apply for breathing space, if you can afford to pay over three installments, then by the end of the breathing space you will have paid two thirds of the debt. They are not going to take action over a third of the debt when you have proved yourself by paying the other two thirds.

you can do this online, you don’t even have to phone anyone.

Court for council tax is quite different to country court for other tax. They usually do a court order fairly quickly but isn’t recorded the same.

Please please please go to beat the bailiffs and take advice from the admins there. Someone has posted the link earlier in the thread.

Don’t answer the door, open a window instead. Go on to google and search everything that makes you a ‘vulnerable household’, poor mental health, any children? Additional needs? Lone parent? Single vulnerable woman? All the things you can think of that make you vulnerable. Explain your situation and ask for a payment plan. They shouldn’t be able to take anything if you are a vulnerable household. They should accept a payment plan.
(I have regular debt collectors at my door, only for parking tickets etc, as I used to bury my head in the sand due to poor mental health)

This is wrong. It is still council tax liability. It is not a fine and gives them no additional rights. Do not open the door to them, they can not force entry without first obtaining peaceful entry ie you let them in they can break in next time.

All you can do is hold firm, they will accept installments but only once they realize they can't bully you into paying in full.

You relax.

He can’t take what you don’t have.

If he turns up ignore him. You’re not obliged to let him in. Make sure your doors are locked as he is actually allowed to let himself in if they’re unlocked.

Have you got a car that you own outright?

Ah fair enough!

Contact the council directly, there should be an email address for financial queries or difficulties. I have been in this situation and the council directed the enforcement agent to accept a payment plan that I could afford and were extremely helpful when I explained my circumstances. I did end up calling them as I wanted it resolved asap but then from then onwards I dealt with them by email and they were brilliant.