Jacobs and Council tax

[RedVixen]

Jacobs are chasing for council tax.

 

I am in and out of work but for the year Jacobs are chasing for I was actually not only up to date but ahead of my payments at the time of the court hearing. However because I paid over the monthly ammount (ie it did not match exactly the monthly installment) to take into consideration previous arrears the council decided my payments were SOLEY for the previous year because of course I just LOVE having CCJs

 

Anyway in and out of work and I am crap at paperwork.

 

I have had a new contract since August and have been using my payment card to make payment directly to the council it amounts to about £100 per month paid in weekly installments. Jacobs did their first visits although at least one of their letter arrived by post (sadly I didn't keep the envelope)

 

Yesterday I got a call from someone claiming to be the Jacobs Bailiff trying to sound reasonable in that he said did you know a van has been booked to take your property. my response - sorry so what, I am paying the council direct, you will not under any circumstances gain entry and I will not be paying you anything - repeated a few times as he pretended not to understand

 

He even phoned back after a couple of minutes to ask 'are you alright' to which I reiterated what I had said previously he said he would make a note of what I had said about paying the council

 

I get home to a letter with a printed signature allegedly from the chief bailiff Mr E Davies

 

The balance has mysteriously gained over £200 and the letter was short on words but included the phrase removal might take place even in your absence

 

I calmly and coldly scanned yesterdays letter plus a previous one to show the difference in balance, and sent them attached to a long email to my local councillor, MP and local rag

 

The local councillor knows me as he used to serve on the council with my mother what will come of this I don't know

 

When I searched for Mr E Davies on the certified Bailiff register I couldn't find him - nearest is an Ian Davies that works for Jacobs

 

I will continue to pay the council and ignore Jacobs as much as humanly possible - I have put a notice of widthdrawal of implied rights of access

 

The council is using our council tax money to pay thugs to bully and intimidate local residents - its just not on. I know what they can and can't do others will be terrified of them

[brassnecked]

Just make sure all doors are locked windows shut, and no garden furniture lying about he can levy, you need to ask the council

 

How many liability orders they hold for you

When were they obtained

How much is owed on each one

When were they passed to bailiffs for enforcement.

 

This should give you the up to date position.

 

As it stands you will likely owe a first and second visit fee a total of £42.50. definitely not a couple of hundred. Keep paying the council and make sure the scrotes from Jacobs cannot get a levy. I have personal experience of their muppetry as a third party, and I stand by my description of them as scrotes.

[RedVixen]

All the doors and windows are locked the only thing worth levying on is safely inside and out of view

 

I have had nothing back via the council but the local MP wants to explore teh wider issues which is fine by me I can deal with the council and the excess fees0.

.

I will see about the £42.50 as why should anyone pay those fees albeit that they are legitimate when the company claiming them don't behave in a legal and legitimate way - I think any sniff of this sort of behaviour and they should lose the right to it all

 

The previous Bailiffs they used - Swift (who I know people have similar problems to the ones I am having with Jacobs) did the two visits a few extra letters no extra charges then passed it back - I will swallow those charges because I know how crap I am with some things

 

I am not sure how many CCJs there are anymore Jacobs just have this year - when I have spoken to someone at the council a while ago the unofficial word was - once its back with the council as long as they can see it coming down they will step back as they know there is nothing else they can do since there is no wilful avoidance - Hopefully the current contract will run into next year it would be so good to be arrears free for a change its eating up £100 a week of my income but I don't need flash phones or tellys (although my PC is so old I usually go and make a cup of tea while it is loading excel straight off the hard drive)

[RedVixen]

I will try and find out what the original Liability order was for although the amount they were chasing is less that the actual order on account that once they had the liability order they decided to acknowledge all the payments I have made that year and took them of the post CCJ demand

[ploddertom]

All the doors and windows are locked the only thing worth levying on is safely inside and out of view

 

I have had nothing back via the council but the local MP wants to explore teh wider issues which is fine by me May I suggest you direct them to this website whereby they can see at first hand the sort of things that are happening. I can deal with the council and the excess fees0.

.

I will see about the £42.50 as why should anyone pay those fees albeit that they are legitimate when the company claiming them don't behave in a legal and legitimate way - I think any sniff of this sort of behaviour and they should lose the right to it all - I'll second that

The previous Bailiffs they used - Swift (who I know people have similar problems to the ones I am having with Jacobs) did the two visits a few extra letters no extra charges then passed it back - I will swallow those charges because I know how crap I am with some things

 

I am not sure how many CCJs there are anymore Jacobs just have this year - when I have spoken to someone at the council a while ago the unofficial word was - once its back with the council as long as they can see it coming down they will step back as they know there is nothing else they can do since there is no wilful avoidance - Hopefully the current contract will run into next year it would be so good to be arrears free for a change its eating up £100 a week of my income but I don't need flash phones or tellys (although my PC is so old I usually go and make a cup of tea while it is loading excel straight off the hard drive)

 

Please note that for Council Tax you do not get a CCJ, it is a Liability Order which is not recorded on your credit history.

[tomtubby]

As many people on here are aware I have a commercial business advising the public with regards to a bailiff visit and I have no hesitation in making public my concerns that the bailiff industry is completely out of control.

 

I have never before seen such dreadful situations whereby bailiff are as a matter of course deceiving the public. This is most commonly being done by their systematic abuse of the fee scale relating to a fee for "attending to remove"

 

A "van fee", "enforcement fee" and many times "other" are nearly always an "attending to remove" fee.

 

However, the debtor needs to know that such a fee CANNOT be charged UNLESS a PRIOR VALID levy had been made on the debtors goods.

 

If you have been charged £200, then please ensure that a complaint is made to the COUNCIL and they are wholly responsible for the fees and levy of THEIR AGENT !!

[RedVixen]

The email that went to the councillor clearly stated that the council is jointly responsible for the behaviour of their agents - I haven't heard a word from anyone apart from the MP's PA since I sent the emails and talked to the Councillor

 

I am wondering if Jacobs have been told to back off since I would have expected him to pile up the pressure after sending the +200 demand with 24 hours to pay attached to it

 

I think if I looked at how much I should have paid if I was still on monthly then even with the 10 week out of work break I would be ahead

[RedVixen]

I have had a response back from the MP - apparently not going to look at the wider issues just the fact that the electronic register of bailiffs is out of date - so much for worrying about the vulnerable

 

A response from the council is attached which basically says that they have asked for sample letters of the type that Jacobs use and that they are perfectly reasonable - haven't addressed the £200 they illegally demanded - in writing

 

Suggesting that a statement saying that I HAVE to contact if I want to avoid SUBSTANTIAL costs being added - AFTER the statutory have already been added is reasonable and not at all misleading

 

Ignored the fact I have been paying them direct and suggesting I need debt counseling

 

Apparently all statements made by Jacobs on their letters are sound and fair advice - including the bit about removal MAY take place even in your absence or the more than a hint that if I don't contact them it will cost me at least £150

 

But apparently the collection of my arrears is on hold where Jacobs are concerned

 

I want to blow this up as far as I can

[RedVixen]

Update - Jacobs went away I am in the process of organizing a payment plan to clear all Council tax arrears as I have had a period of financial stability and my next contract is the best paying yet (starts tomorrow)

 

I have seen my payment record screen at the council and there are NO bailiffs fees apparently as far as Newport are concerned if the Bailiffs get no where that's their problem there is not arrangement for the council to pay the bailiffs first its all down to the Bailiffs which might explain the agressive techniques used

 

Should be up to date in 12 months

[tomtubby]

Thank you for updating the thread. Well done !!!