Council Tax Bailiffs seizing good for fees

[dmac11]

Hi

 

Can anyone help on where I stand on this

 

Council tax due for £900+ to Coventry Council, court summons issued, court order issued, passed to Equita

 

I since then re-payed the council all off the council tax due, via the councils portal

and followed up with a phone called to check the amount owed was £0. This was done in November last year.

 

I have be getting sporadic hand delivered letters from Equita chasing a further £310 for compliance and enforcement fees

 

I wrote to them explaining that this debt had been settled and that the court order was as such no longer in effect

and they should cease and desist from entering my property to post letters.

 

fast forward to this morning (05/03/15)

 

 

I have had a knock at the door from a Equita bailiff chasing the £310, during which another bailiff arrived,

I called a friend for advice as they were talking about clamping cars etc.

 

 

During this call, one of them took the opportunity to seize my iPhone and made demands for me to pay or it would be taken,

a further £110 added to the bill and sold at auction today.

 

I call the police, explained the situation, and they replied with its a civil matter and not our problem.

 

I then had to make the full payment, under duress as I need my phone for business, as I made them aware at the time.

I also got it written in the notes that the money was paid (by debit card) under duress and took photos of their bailiffs ID.

 

where do I stand with this

 

 

as as far as i`m aware the bailiffs fees are an unenforceable debt on the original court order

and would have to be chased through the civil courts???

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

The forum guys should be along over the course of the day with advice for you. Please bear with us until they're able to get here.

 

My best, HB

[Bailiff Advice]

Can you tell me whether I have the right information.

 

You had council tax arrears and a Liability Order issued and the account passed to Equita. By November last year you had paid the council just the amount of the council tax debt (minus bailiff fees) and you consider that enforcment has therefore ended.

 

Whan you paid the council were you already in possesion of correspondence from Equita?

 

How much were Equita requesting at the time? Were their fees just £75 for the Compliance fee?

[dx100uk]

if these arrears and the LO are from after April 2014

 

 

the old dodge of not paying the bailiff fees was removed

[dmac11]

Hi

 

Yes I believe that had written to me at that point, I can`t remember what their fees were at that point though.

[dmac11]

Hi

 

The LO was issued after April 2014,

 

 

but the main point of it is can they legally chase their fees/levy against possessions for them?

 

 

They were also threatening to clamp all the cars at the property unless I proved ownership,

 

 

one of which is worth approx £12k which i would think would be a bit of an unfair levy on goods?

[dx100uk]

yes

 

 

the rules changed

 

 

dx

[dx100uk]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?421862-Guidance-The-Taking-Control-of-Goods-Regulations-2013-An-Introduction