Tweet
ARGHHHH!!!
Just need some reassurance that my knowledge is correct as these chaps do a brilliant job of unnerving me...
5 years ago, due to horrendous debt, we lost our family home, this ended up in us moving into 5 different properties (rented) in the space of a year :-/. Result being massive co*k up with council tax, our bills were all over the place, at one time being charged for 3 properties at one time. Managed to get this sorted, but apparently still owed the council around £700+ in arrears.
This was about 4 years ago, and since then have had an on going battle. Equita have been involved from the start, as the council wouldn't deal with it anymore! Throughout year 2011/ 2012 we were paying Equita ( I know, I know, daft thing to do!) £100 a month via debit card...after several months of doing this, asked for account balance from council and "quelle surprise" only about £300 had been recieved by them from the bailiffs. By our reckoning we should have been hundreds of pounds in credit. Met with the council, armed with all relevant paperwork, and on most occasions when we had paid £100, the council got anywhere between £1- £27.32 :-/. Backwards and forwards to Equita, phone calls, e mails, registered SAR requests, 3 x £10 cheques....to never receive a comprehensive breakdown, just to be told fees were charges. They had never levied anything, nor gained access to my home, I know the legal charges are £24.50 1st visit, £18 2nd visit. We heard nothing further from them, haven't for the past year.
Until today.....Ross and Roberts called, same council tax debt, now been passed onto them, now a grand total of £870!! Initially thought, this chap seems reasonable, seems to be listening to what I am saying....how wrong was I?!
Despite telling him and showing him all relevant paperwork, proving payments etc (with front door closed behind us), still not budging and saying I owe that amount. Was saying that I could set up a payment plan...I agreed to this probably stupidly as KNOW we can't possibly owe any money, but in mitigation, am a childminder and had children here, and knew he wouldn't go otherwise. He agreed to £50 pm beginning 30/5/13. This I agreed to as was aware I had 2 weeks in which to try sort this out once and for all..
this is where I'm sure he was lying, he has arranged for a colleague to call 2 weeks tomorrow, to levy goods and also before I can start payment I have to pay incurred charges ( yes more!!) to value of £398 in one lump sum on same date. That's before I begin paying the £870 :-/
I told him I was not a fool and knew those charges would be false, also that it is not the case that my goods have to be levied prior to an arrangement being made
I know that I never let them in etc etc but what do you suggest I do next?
I have done the usual letter to council and requested them to take debt back, but to no avail.
Am soooooo angry that people can be treated as such, I never denied that I owed the original debt several years ago, but am disputing the arrears still remaining as we have paid over £1200 towards it!!!
FYI we are totally up to date with the past 3/ 4 years CT
Sorry for length and ramble!!
Thanking you in anticipation
Just need some reassurance that my knowledge is correct as these chaps do a brilliant job of unnerving me...
5 years ago, due to horrendous debt, we lost our family home, this ended up in us moving into 5 different properties (rented) in the space of a year :-/. Result being massive co*k up with council tax, our bills were all over the place, at one time being charged for 3 properties at one time. Managed to get this sorted, but apparently still owed the council around £700+ in arrears.
This was about 4 years ago, and since then have had an on going battle. Equita have been involved from the start, as the council wouldn't deal with it anymore! Throughout year 2011/ 2012 we were paying Equita ( I know, I know, daft thing to do!) £100 a month via debit card...after several months of doing this, asked for account balance from council and "quelle surprise" only about £300 had been recieved by them from the bailiffs. By our reckoning we should have been hundreds of pounds in credit. Met with the council, armed with all relevant paperwork, and on most occasions when we had paid £100, the council got anywhere between £1- £27.32 :-/. Backwards and forwards to Equita, phone calls, e mails, registered SAR requests, 3 x £10 cheques....to never receive a comprehensive breakdown, just to be told fees were charges. They had never levied anything, nor gained access to my home, I know the legal charges are £24.50 1st visit, £18 2nd visit. We heard nothing further from them, haven't for the past year.
Until today.....Ross and Roberts called, same council tax debt, now been passed onto them, now a grand total of £870!! Initially thought, this chap seems reasonable, seems to be listening to what I am saying....how wrong was I?!
Despite telling him and showing him all relevant paperwork, proving payments etc (with front door closed behind us), still not budging and saying I owe that amount. Was saying that I could set up a payment plan...I agreed to this probably stupidly as KNOW we can't possibly owe any money, but in mitigation, am a childminder and had children here, and knew he wouldn't go otherwise. He agreed to £50 pm beginning 30/5/13. This I agreed to as was aware I had 2 weeks in which to try sort this out once and for all..
this is where I'm sure he was lying, he has arranged for a colleague to call 2 weeks tomorrow, to levy goods and also before I can start payment I have to pay incurred charges ( yes more!!) to value of £398 in one lump sum on same date. That's before I begin paying the £870 :-/
I told him I was not a fool and knew those charges would be false, also that it is not the case that my goods have to be levied prior to an arrangement being made
I know that I never let them in etc etc but what do you suggest I do next?
I have done the usual letter to council and requested them to take debt back, but to no avail.
Am soooooo angry that people can be treated as such, I never denied that I owed the original debt several years ago, but am disputing the arrears still remaining as we have paid over £1200 towards it!!!
FYI we are totally up to date with the past 3/ 4 years CT
Sorry for length and ramble!!
Thanking you in anticipation
msl:
Comment