Leah-Lacie Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Just a quick query. Hubby owes some council tax from years ago when he lived in Maidenhead. Just had a bailiffs letter with no details at all and his name even spelt totally wrong. He set up a payment plan with he council last year and we have been paying it weekly. I've emailed the bailiff who says we cant do this and have to pay them, not the council as the council will not accept payments due to them having the liability order since 2007 its not owed to the council its now owed to the bailiff - they're lying aren't they? Posted from Sheffieldforum.co.uk App for Android Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manlinose Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 the short answer to your question is, usually the longer answer until someone who knows more about this sort of thing comes along is - ring the council and ask them - there will be a reason why the council has passed the debt on to the bailiff - it could be that they did it before your hubby got in touch with them and arranged the repayment plan - i wouldn't pay the bailiff anything till you get confirmation from the council also check your bank statements to make sure that the council has been accepting the payments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah-Lacie Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 They passed on the debt to the bailiffs in 2007 - The council sent my hubby a letter in 2011, and he rang them then and arranged to pay, and we have been paying weekly since June of 2011 - the payments are definitely being accepted. This is the first letter we've ever had from the bailiff (Rundles) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manlinose Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 in that case i'd definitely contact the council to tell them what's happened and, depending what the council says, refer the bailiff back to the council Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeX Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I thought liability orders only lasted a year. A bailiff cannot demand payment from someone unless they are 100% sure they have the correct person. Sending letters to an incorrect spelling of the person name would mean they do not have the correct information and cannot demand payment. Any attempt to do so would be considered harassment by the police. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah-Lacie Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 I thought liability orders only lasted a year. A bailiff cannot demand payment from someone unless they are 100% sure they have the correct person. Sending letters to an incorrect spelling of the person name would mean they do not have the correct information and cannot demand payment. Any attempt to do so would be considered harassment by the police. The letter is addressed with my husband's first name, and in the surname, where there should be EA they have got it as EE I emailed them to question, the spelling of the surname, and as the letter was very sparse on any details, other than it being a debt to Windsor and Maidenhead council, no dates, amounts etc, just a demand for 'full payment', I wanted the full details. Their reply was this "Hello. Any queries regarding the liability on these accounts must be made directly with our client. Any arrangements for repayment must be made directly with ourselves. Any payments made directly to our client will not be accepted and our liability to collect payment in full still stands. Failure to come to a mutually agreeable arrangement with us will result in bailiff action continuing against you." - they attached a letter dated today with the amount owing still showing as the original amount owing as of 2007 when they obtained the order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llamatron Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Heres my thread: http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1012663&highlight=bailiffs All a mistake by the city council and a lying through his teeth landlord. It was sorted out eventually but I did not contact the bailiffs at any point. I got CAB to do it for me and they were very helpful. The city council on the other hand were terrible. The city council probably sold your details to the bailiffs and they have been chasing you for the money but have taken until now to find you. Its an embarrasingly bad system. I was taken to court and was never told about it:loopy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeX Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 The letter is addressed with my husband's first name, and in the surname, where there should be EA they have got it as EE I emailed them to question, the spelling of the surname, and as the letter was very sparse on any details, other than it being a debt to Windsor and Maidenhead council, no dates, amounts etc, just a demand for 'full payment', I wanted the full details. Their reply was this "Hello. Any queries regarding the liability on these accounts must be made directly with our client. Any arrangements for repayment must be made directly with ourselves. Any payments made directly to our client will not be accepted and our liability to collect payment in full still stands. Failure to come to a mutually agreeable arrangement with us will result in bailiff action continuing against you." - they attached a letter dated today with the amount owing still showing as the original amount owing as of 2007 when they obtained the order. Money saving supermarket have some template letters that go into detail on how they [bailiffs] have to be sure they are targeting the correct person and if they are unsure they cannot harass you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leah-Lacie Posted February 25, 2013 Author Share Posted February 25, 2013 Heres my thread: http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1012663&highlight=bailiffs All a mistake by the city council and a lying through his teeth landlord. It was sorted out eventually but I did not contact the bailiffs at any point. I got CAB to do it for me and they were very helpful. The city council on the other hand were terrible. The city council probably sold your details to the bailiffs and they have been chasing you for the money but have taken until now to find you. Its an embarrasingly bad system. I was taken to court and was never told about it:loopy: Will check out that thread now The best bit is a good 8 months or so of the debt my hubby didn't even live in the flat in question - the landlord obviously just didn't inform the council of this Speaking of dodgy landlords! My hubby has been basically uncontactable for a few years since he moved back up here due to living with various family members until he moved in with me in 2010, which is why they finally caught up with him in 2011, and he does accept he owes it, hes not disputing it, apart from that 8 months, but its no good, they won't have that, as he has no definitive proof he didn't live there. ---------- Post added 25-02-2013 at 16:22 ---------- Emailed them back to tell them that as I have been paying RBWM Council for over 18 months now, I will be continuing to do so until they confirm otherwise. This was the reply "Hello, If this is your desired course of action, and you are unwilling to arrange a mutually agreeable payment plan with us, please be advised that a bailiff will call to your property in due course as stated in our previous email, and as detailed in our original letter." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davyboy Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Get yourself or preferably your husband down to the CAB.They will sort it. Often one council dept. doesn't know what another is doing!! How can they sell the debt on when he has an agreement to pay the debt and is doing so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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