I wouldnt be alerting them to anything that you own , signed over to your dad or not. Keep paying the council regularly and keep receipts. This way you can prove you are not refusing to pay. Do not respond to any visits or correspondence from the bailiffs and do not open the door to them Just carry on paying the council. Once they have visited twice with no result, they tend to back off cos they know they cannot charge for more visits even though they all lie and say they can. Stick it out and pay the council direct.

I am fully aware that sometimes its the mothers fault that families break up. Whatever the circumstances are he still should be contributing to his kids, yes even if he doesnt get to see them. The CSA came about because so many parents were walking away from their responsibilites without a backwards glance. Alright they sometimes get their sums wrong but that doesnt negate the fact that the absent parent, male or female still needs to pay their way. Im not one of these who always thinks the woman is right, I think its disgusting that so many mothers stop the dads from seeing their kids because of their own issues and believe when they do this consistantly even after a court order then custody should go to the deprived parent. Im sure your friend does love his kids but not contributing towards their keep is just giving his ex ammunition to use against him for years to come. Why put himself into a position where his kids can be told "your dad pays nothing for you" not something to be proud of is it?

Sorry to be blunt here, on what i know should be a supportive forum but I have little sympathy for your friend. Instead of playing house husband and daddy to someones elses kids, he needs to get a job and pay what is due to his own. They did not ask for their parents to split up. Why should they suffer?

They can try Casbah, but if it turns out the car or whatever doesnt belong to you then the levy is invalid and they cant charge for it.

When you came to the £60 a week agreement did they make a list of your goods then? Have they ever, ever been in your home? If yes then unfortunately they can go in your home to seize goods but if not tell them to go whistle cos until theyve got in they can do nothing. Start paying the council direct online and bombard them with letters telling them what youve done and why. Tell them that you dispute the fee's the bailiffs are trying to charge, even if you dont it will buy you time to pay the bill. Good luck.

Thanks for the help. Letter winging its way now.

LOL, oh I will once im sure of the legalities. Ive already fought of the council tax bailiffs this week thanks to help from this site so im feeling very empowered. Just like to be sure of my facts first.

A few years ago a letter came asking if we knew the whereabouts of me, but with my maiden name. I called them and said ive been here lots of years but im now mrs gingernut. They asked me when i got married and said that they were chasing a debt with Lombard Tricity from 1996. Now I had no recollection of any debt with them and in 1996 i was already mrs gingernut. I asked them to send me the original agreement, i heard nothing until today. A letter arrives saying after our correspondence they have tried to trace the original agreement but the creditor no longer has in on record because of the age of the debt. they want me to send details of when my name changed and proof of where i was living at that time. Surely they cant enforce this alleged debt after all this time and certainly not without proof of any agreement. Shall I just ignore them?

Id be surprised if theyve managed to identify your car parked away from the property. Think they are blagging it and trying to scare you. Also by claiming to have listed goods they try to get away with charging a levy fee. Challenge them to provide you with a list of goods levied. I bet they cant.

Newlyns tried the car one with me too when I started to question and complain about their fee's. Not my car, not my problem. Im sure they just drive past when you start to question and take any number plate that happens to be nearby, certainly never mentioned it on their visit or in any correspondence until i started complaining. I complained so much the council have just agreed to take my account back.

You know what I think did it? Every time Newlyns sent me a letter with incorrect charges on it, I wrote to them and the council (enclosing newlyns letters) complaining and pointing out why they wrong, no levy, no enforcement etc. I kept offering to pay by installments and paid online each month to show willing. The councils letter to me refered to my 4 letters, 3 faxs and 2 emails. make a pest of yourself I say.

What a week!! On Monday i was facing repossession of my house for mortgage arrears and visits from the bailiffs for council tax. A very kind friend has sorted the arrears out and today my council wrote to inform me that they are taking the account back and i can pay them direct. Result or what??!! Gonna sleep well tonight I tell ya.

I think you are probably right on all 3 counts here. Someone more qualified than me to help will be along shortly though. Good luck.

No I dont think itd stand up in court! Lying bloody thieves. Time to call in your MP and maybe the press.

Thanks for everything Ell-enn.