I have just had a letter from Rossendales (Bailiff Removal) re outstanding council tax. I had to close my shop in May of this year and I owe the council non-domestic rate for the last year on the shops premises. I have unfortunately put everything I had into the shop and subsequently applied for a DRO. I informed Rossendales of the DRO but it seems they did not take note.
When the letter came today my husband phoned the Bailiff on the number given and told him that the debt was related to premises on the other side of town, that the house did not even belong to me and that we are at the moment still dealing with the council to get the amounts sorted I owe (they charged me for a whole year when it should have been 2 months, but that is being dealt with). On the form from the bailiff it actually said council tax which is wrong in the first place - they are non-domestic rates and they want to seize goods at an address that is not the shop premises. Sure I live here but I do not own anything in or even the house, it is all in my husbands name who was never responsible for the shop since that was my venture and everything to do with this is in my name at the shop address.
We have now decided not to let anyone in, a letter (e-mail) of complaint was sent to the council since Rossendales are supposed to act on their behalf and I have told the council that the response my husband had from the bailiff was not only rude, unprofessional and threatening ("I can take whatever I want whenever I want") but also not too brilliant for my health (I am on tranquilizers since I was forced to close the shop). I myself work as supply for a nursery which is not guaranteed work (last month I had two days work @ £6 p.h.!!) and I also told the council that I would be willing to pay if I had the resources.......
Can Rossendales just walk into my husbands property and seize goods that do not even belong to me??
I still have some items from the shop which they could take away but they are mainly perishable goods (Health Food) and I think most of them are out of date and some items of furniture which were 2nd hand when I bought them so of no real value to Rossendales at all and some of them have now ended up at the local YMCA because I have no storage facilities and they are happy with tables & chairs they can re-paint and sell on.
So...I think I need help!!