The following statement was released a few days ago by the Government. This is in response to a Daily Mail campaign earlier this year regarding individuals who have found themselves unable to get a mortgage or credit because of the existence of a judgment against them that they were unaware of (usually because all correspondence had been sent to a previous address). Depending on the outcome, this consultation could have far reaching consequences for bailiff enforcement. Currently, in relation to council tax arrears, a local authority are permitted to issue a summons to the 'last known' address. In relation to an unpaid penalty charge notice, correspondence must be addressed to the address held by DVLA at the time of the contravention.

I write frequent press articles for CCR Public Sector publication. This important publication is read by senior professional workin in finance, collections, revenues, benefits and enforcement and is also read by most government agencies. The link below is to a copy of an article that I wrote for the June 2014 edition and concerns a very serious change that has been made to the Council Tax regualtions whereby a local authority are no longer under a legal obligation to send a debtor a '14 day letter' to advise that a Liability Order has been authorised and that if payment is not made within 14 days that the debt will be referred to an enforcement agent. [ATTACH=CONFIG]51657[/ATTACH]

]I was in arreas with my Council Tax (with Hammersmith & Fulham borough), due to late and non-payments and my account was passed to the Magistrates Court who issued a Liability Order, and have now passed my account to Whyte & Co Bailiffs (WC). I received the attached letter from WC which states that my case has been referred to the bailiff who will be calling me shortly. And that I am therefore adviced to contact the bailiff directly to discuss the matter (name of bailiff and mobile number has been given on the letter). The letter further states that failure to contact the bailiff will result into further visits to my address and could result in the removal of goods to satisfy the debt due. [ATTACH]40897[/ATTACH I have checked on WC's website by putting in the Case ID number (which was quoted on the letter) along with my council tax reference number. It states that I owe £1,862.74 and that I must contact the bailiff directly to set up payment arrangements. What I need advice on: 1 - I want to set up an instalment plan to pay £50 monthly (until the debt clears), however I do not want to contact the bailiff as I have read and understand that he will want to enter my home and demand that I sign into a Walking Possession Order. 2 - What should I do? Should I telephone the main WC office and if I can set up a payment plan? Or should I write them instead? 3 - Is there a way that I can get the debt transferred back to the local authority and set up a payment plan with them instead? Please help I'm so worried that I will get another letter or worse a visit as I know that each step the bailiff takes means that they are adding more charges.

Hi, There I am in need of some advice as to what options I have based on my situation. I have had a call from the bailiffs at my house regarding owed council tax arrears. He has shown a standard bailiff letter which notes that I have 2 liability order against me on the property. One is for £2400 and the other is for £1600. The bailiffs are Equita with L Jefferies the Bailiff in Charge. I do know I have been owing the council some arrears but due to some financial circumstances I have not been able to keep up with payments agreed previously. I don't recall seeing liability orders from the council, so this has been a surprise but at the same time I can see how it has got here, so I really want to sort this out. The bailiff is demanding that I make a full payment to cover one of the liability orders £1600 and he can them put in a payment plan to cover the other liability order. I tell him £1600 is not easy money to get hold of, If I could get hold of the cash easily I wouldn't be in this situation... Now I have offered to make a payment of £700 and the rest can be cleared by end of march at the latest, but he says that you can not have more than 2 liability orders against you. One needs to be cleared off. He further threatens that the £1600 needs be cleared by the 8th February otherwise he will send the case back to courts for commitall. Since he says nothing is of value in the house to cover the monies owed. Now I want to know where I stand before proceeding given I have a week left. What is the process to get to commital and do I have a window to extend this past the 8th, with a proposal to make a payment starting with £700 and the rest within a month or two? I have been told that I can fill in a form call the N245 form with a list of my outgoings. Any advice at present would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

My situation is this: I was diagnosed as bipolar a long time ago. I now work part-time (18 hours) but in the past I claimed Incapacity benefit, housing and council tax benefits from Hackney Council. I moved from Hackney in 2006. Before Christmas I was sent notice of historic LOs for council tax for 2004, 2005 and 2006 - the council tax was due in those years I think. Because my mental health is an enduring issue I live in a pretty bad state of disorganisation and I didn't open the letters about the enforcement of the LOs until last week, which is also when the bailiff for Chandlers arrived - only posting a letter - with the three LOs and adding £24.50 per order (despite only making one visit - is this permissible?). I have read the forums over the weekend and this morning sent an email to the council identifying myself as a vulnerable person because of my mental health and asking that they take the case back from the bailiffs. I have documentary evidence of my mental health status. I have not contacted the bailiffs, and because they will have seen my old banger outside my house when they visited I have parked it away from the house. Should I also send a recorded delivery letter to them as well as contacting the council, so they are aware of my mental health diagnosis. How I owe the money I don't know - I thought I was on full CTB for Incapacity Benefit. Maybe I wasn't. My mental health means I am not always on top of things, and it affects my memory adversely. I am hoping I can find some paperwork relating to that period - but as it is between 8 and 6 years ago I don't hold out much hope. Any advice appreciated. I am quite focused on staying well and getting to work and am trying not to melt down which is why I avoid the telephone - it's like a red rag to a bull to me.