Bailiffs

[Crazyvaperlady]

Hi
Its gonna be a long one so bear with me. I 'owed' council tax from quite a while back due to an error on my council tax benefit. It's escalated to the point where I now have enforcement agents visiting my property. I stupidly signed a controlled goods agreement even though the agent knew I couldn't afford to make the payments he told me I needed to make :( I've just shut the door on an enforcement agent and he's now threatened to come back with a locksmith! Can he really do this? I am in a privately rented property and my landlord will SCREW if he does. Please help me!

Unfortunately yes they have legal right to enter the property and remove good under the controlled agreement. Best to let them in. You could be arrested for obstruction

If they have a court order and you have defaulted on the previous payment terms then yes they can, at no notice. You need to try to raise something to start repaying. Or you give them access so it doesn't damage your ll property. You may need to prove what dies the belong to you.

Ok. First of all, make a cup of tea and calm down.

Have you allowed the agent into your home at all? Signing the paperwork doesn't matter - if they have had peaceable entry (been invited in) then they can't force their way in.

Are you making any payments at all? I know you said you can't afford the payments they asked for but have you paid anything at all? Having made regular payments shows you are at least willing to pay it off.

Ring the council office and ask if they can help. Some will take the debt back, so won't.

I'm sure there will be others along soon with more advice on what to do going forward. I have had bailiffs back off and allow me to go back to weekly payments but that was due to a cock up of theirs, not mine.

Do you think they'll accept another payment plan? Tried ringing but keeps going to voicemail. I've never ever had debt issues before so just shut the door as I was scared tbh :(

They might if you can raise a down payment. How much is the debt, every visit will raise the amount due. Have they already listed the property they need to seize? Can you call their main office number?

It's been a few hours now and he's still not been back... read online that if it's council tax debt and it's been more than 90 days since the debt was 'defaulted on' then they have to pass the debt back to the council but not sure :/

Ring the council? How much do you owe? CT is a preferential debt, to default is serious.