Coventry City Council Bailiff Equita

[smudgexxx]

Hi there I am hoping someone can help. I got in from work on Tuesday evening, after going to the gym and found a letter on my door matt from a bailiff company threatening to seize my goods for non payment of council tax. It was an enforcement notice and referred to a liability order.

 

This was the first I knew that my direct debit payments to the council had not gone through (i've checked now and they were returned). I did not receive any letters or liability orders in the post either. Surely I should receive some kind of notification before the council involve bailiffs!?

 

For the two months missed payments it amounts to about £350.00.

 

The bailiff company have added on a further £300 in fees/ attendance charges.

 

Is there anything i can do, these charges seem punitive and i'm more than happy to pay the council tax arrears but not these excessive fees.

[citizenB]

Why were your Direct Debits returned and did you not notice this on statements ?

[smudgexxx]

My other half and I transfer money into our joint account each month. There was not enough money in the account to cover the bills, it was a genuine oversight, on our part. Again I'm guilty of not looking at my statement. the payments come out on the 1st of each month

[smudgexxx]

i'm fully aware that i owe the two months arrears and I'm happy to pay them.

[Andyorch]

Thread moved to the main Bailiff Forum

[Bailiff Advice]

Hi there I am hoping someone can help. I got in from work on Tuesday evening, after going to the gym and found a letter on my door matt from a bailiff company threatening to seize my goods for non payment of council tax. It was an enforcement notice and referred to a liability order.

 

This was the first I knew that my direct debit payments to the council had not gone through (i've checked now and they were returned). I did not receive any letters or liability orders in the post either. Surely I should receive some kind of notification before the council involve bailiffs!?

 

For the two months missed payments it amounts to about £350.00.

 

The bailiff company have added on a further £300 in fees/ attendance charges.

 

Is there anything i can do, these charges seem punitive and i'm more than happy to pay the council tax arrears but not these excessive fees.

 

I am assuming from your post that a Liability Order has been obtained and that you were paying this debt by agreement with the council by way of direct debits. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

Once a Liability Order has been obtained, there is no longer any legal obligation on the council (in theis case Coventry) to warn you that the account will be passed to a firm of bailiff. That said, there is a legal obligation on the enforcement company (Equita) to send you a Notice of Enforcement inviting you to make full payment or to enter into a payment proposal. A Complaince Fee of £75 is applied to the account when this letter is sent.

 

From what you have said, you do not appear to have received this letter and instead, the debt has been passd to an individual enforcment agent. The problem that you now have is that the PURPOSE of this visit, is to 'take control of goods' (hence the name of the regulations; The Taking Control of Goods Regulations 2013).

 

In the first instance you must contact Equita to enquire about the initial letter. Better still, contact Coventry Council. The council tax section of the council is outsourced to a seperate limited company called Capita. They in turn own Equita !!!

[smudgexxx]

thats the thing because i had not received a single letter i was completely unaware! nor did i receive notification of a liability order...?

[Leakie]

Typical Capita stitch up, by the sounds of it,

[Bailiff Advice]

In any case why is it considered a soft option , an AOE can be far worse than n agreed repayment schedule with the EA

 

I think that this person below would agree with you !!

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?460046-Council-tax-attachment-of-earnings-have-they-taken-too-much&p=4861861#post4861861

[Peterbard]

As for the real OP the query was answered in post six by BA they have not come back for further information.

[Andyorch]

All off topic posts moved to the Discussion Forum.Thread closed until the OP returns and requests it be reopened.

 

Regards

 

Andy