Rossendales

[Chynablu]

I had a visit from Rossendales in march regarding unpaid council tax ..

 

..i didnt let them in but they took a list of goods as they asked me what id got and i told them .

..they listed my 3 piece suite , telly, tumble dryer and microwave as i only owed £76.00,

they also left me forms to fill in and i had to make an offer to pay by installments ..

 

..i offered to pay £8.00 a week as im unemployed ,

 

got a letter back declining my offer and demanding i pay £28.00 a week even though i told them i was on benefits ..

 

..on the 10th April i got a letter from the department of works and pensions

saying the council had ask them to stop £3.85 per week out of my benefit for unpaid council tax thus i thought it was all sorted.

 

on the 31st may i had a bailiff call at my house saying he had come to take my goods away because i hadnt paid my bill,

 

i wasnt in when he called but my dad was here and he told him about the money being stopped out of my benefit ..

 

..the bailiff left as my dad wouldnt let him in but he left a bailiff removal notice

on the notice it said i now owe £288.27

 

. being as though i didnt here anything else from the bailiffs

i thought that was the end of it

 

but on the 16th of September i received a letter from rossendales saying i've still not made payment

and they intend to remove my goods if i didnt pay the total amount in full or contact them to discuss settlement of the account ..

 

....what should i do next

[brassnecked]

Contact the council tomorrow and ask them as they are deducting your council tax arrears from your benefit, why are bailiffs still calling for the council tax arrears, and adding unaffordable fees?

 

As the bailiff didn't actually come in and list the goods, by actually seeing them, the levy is likely invalid, but others will know more

 

If the bailiff returns you don't have to let him in and he cannot force entry bring locksmiths etc, in fact there is no law that says you have to deal with a bailiff. Are DWP actually deducting the £3.25, have you kept any letters from them saying they are, If so I would send copies to the council and tell them to call rossers off, if not start a Formal Complaint Others will know more

[ploddertom]

Are you sure you only owe for 1 Liability Order, if you do only have the 1 then they cannot run 2 lots of enforcement together.

 

PT

[Chynablu]

Hi

 

Ive sent a letter to the council and im waiting to hear back from them , ive also sent them a copy of the letter from the DWP as proof of the deductions

 

Ive checked and i only have the 1 libility order...... it was for £76 and now Rossendales are saying i owe £288 with charges added

[brassnecked]

Phone rossers, (normally don't) it would be better if you could record the call, and tell them that your arrears are being deducted from benefit therefore you are classed as vulnerable and they shouldn't actually be involved, as the council should have withdrawn your case from them. Phone the council also and ask them why it is still with the bailiff as your arrears are being deducted from benefit.

 

If indeed the deductions are ongoing you may need to initiate a Formal complaint to the Head of Reveneus, the Council leader and your MP as bailiff action is inappropriate to someone who can have deductions from benefit applied, viz you cannot afford the arrears, and ergo cannot afford bailiff fees from your subsistence only benefit payment. remind the council that as you aren benefits you could well be classed as vulnerable, and that THEY are wholly responsible for any inappropriate action by their agents, Rossers.

 

 

The National Standards for Enforcement Agents say this:

 

Department for Constitutional Affairs - Enforcement - National Standards for Enforcement Agents

 

Those who might be considered vulnerable include the following:

the elderly;

people with a disability;

the seriously ill;

the recently bereaved;

single parent families;

pregnant women;

unemployed people; and,

those who have obvious difficulty in understanding, speaking or reading English

[Amy100]

The levy would be invalid as you told them, they did not gain entry into your house. Money is already being taken from your benefits. I'd contact your MP and file a Form 4 complaint.

[brassnecked]

The levy would be invalid as you told them, they did not gain entry into your house. Money is already being taken from your benefits. I'd contact your MP and file a Form 4 complaint.

 

 

A form 4 is not to be taken lightly but you could try a letter to the council stating they have 7 days to sort it or you will be naming them as a defendant in a Regulation 46 complaint at the magistrates court, as you are aggrieved by the irregular levy by their agent Rossendales, for whose action the are WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE, notwithstanding the fact your account arrears are being recouped via deductions from benefit, rendering the continued bailiff action vexatious and abhorrent as you are being persecuted by bailiffs who shouldn't even be calling.

 

There appears to be a growing issue with rossers and their methods recently