Having just found this site and read the messages left by people who have unfortunately had the misfortune of dealings with a Bailiff from Rossendales, I can only add my encounter recently with one. Although she was what seemed to be a very nice lady and very reasonable when it came to settling the amount the levies added were way above what they should have been. Because at the time she caught me off guard and I just wanted her out of the way, I paid up without even questioning the extra payments. The extra payments totalled over £200. The next day my husband and I took out legal advice on these charges and the way that this particular Bailiff went about things,and it was very interesting to say the least what we found out. One point to remember is that if it is a first visit then the most that they can charge on top of the amount to be settled is only £24.50, not over £200 that she put on. Also she had on her inventory list my car which she had put down before she even entered the house. For one she had no right to do this as she did not know that I was going to settle the amount anyway and secondly my name was not on the paperwork as owing the money, so she had no right to take my car anyway. Apparently it is only the named person on the paperwork whose items she can take. She tried to tell us that because we were married, she was entitled to do this, no she is not as we found out, so do not let them, they are committing an offence in doing so. We have now written a letter of complaint laying down exactly what happened and asking for the £200 back within 7 days(this is what we have been told to do by the advice company) and if they do not do as asked, we can then report them to the ESA and our local councillor and indeed the local press. Be very careful with these people, they are very crafty. They know they are catching you off guard and they prey on the fact that you are scared of them, as I was and just wanted them out of the way. One fatal thing I did wrong was to let them in the house. At the time all I wanted to do was get them off of my doorstep, paid up and out of the way, a mistake I will never make again, god forbid I ever have the misfortune to encounter one of these bully boys. Be very careful what you hand over to them and remember do your homework before they turn up, because they cannot do a lot of the things they say they can.