Bailiff

An Englishman’s home is his castle.
Keep the buggas out and tell them to go to hell.
 


I received a letter last week from a bailiff company saying they've bought my debt from a housing association I used rent a flat from.

The debt is only £337. But after paying everything from my monthly wage I'm only left with £40 or £50 quid a week to live off. So it's gonna be a pain in the arse to pay it.

I'm certain when I left the flat I wasn't in any rent arrears. I moved out of there in 2014 and this is literally the first I've heard from it. I contacted the housing association and they've said they'd send me a statement out but it's been over a week now. I've emailed them again on Friday and heard nowt back. The bailiffs said they can only hold my account for another 3 days before they continue to take action.

Any advice? I'll be happy to make a payment plan if they can prove to me I owe money but I want to see evidence first. I know it's only £300 odd but it's a bit of a big deal for me.


As you’ve said, get evidence that you owe the money first. Lots of debt collection agencies give it the billy big bollocks sending you letters stating that they’re going to send the bailiffs. They won’t. They’ll probably send you fake legal CCJ letters as well, but they have absolutely no legal standing. That said, the worst thing you can do is ignore it. Get proof of what you owe, and set up a payment plan if necessary, they cannot make you pay more than you can afford. You have more power than they do.
 
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As you’ve said, get evidence that you owe the money first. Lots of debt collection agencies give it the billy big bollocks sending you letters stating that they’re going to send the bailiffs. They won’t. They’ll probably send you fake legal CCJ letters as well, but they have absolutely no legal standing. That said, the worst thing you can do is ignore it. Get proof of what you owe, and set up a payment plan if necessary, they cannot make you pay more than you can afford. You have more power than they do.

So if they're on the phone saying I need to set up a payment plan I can refuse until I get the statement from the housing company?

If I do owe money (although doubt I do) could they refuse an offer of say £20 a month?
 
If I do owe money (although doubt I do) could they refuse an offer of say £20 a month?

Start low, they will refuse your first offer, say a tenner and settle on £20. If you owe them that is.

If they've added unreasonable fees check if they can legally do that too.
 
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I've emailed them twice. Their opening hours to ring them is when I'm at work so can't ring them.

I just don't want bailiffs coming to the door. I've got nowt they can have anyway.

It's just they seemed like they won't be reasonable and wait for a statement to come through. Like I said I'd be happy to set up a payment plan if it's proved I owe the money. Its just came as a bit of a shock.

First letter and they’re threatening bailiffs?

Scare tactic. Bailiffs are only allowed in when it’s been to court. Keep everything in writing, don’t deal with them over the phone
 
I received a letter last week from a bailiff company saying they've bought my debt from a housing association I used rent a flat from.

The debt is only £337. But after paying everything from my monthly wage I'm only left with £40 or £50 quid a week to live off. So it's gonna be a pain in the arse to pay it.

I'm certain when I left the flat I wasn't in any rent arrears. I moved out of there in 2014 and this is literally the first I've heard from it. I contacted the housing association and they've said they'd send me a statement out but it's been over a week now. I've emailed them again on Friday and heard nowt back. The bailiffs said they can only hold my account for another 3 days before they continue to take action.

Any advice? I'll be happy to make a payment plan if they can prove to me I owe money but I want to see evidence first. I know it's only £300 odd but it's a bit of a big deal for me.
Worth seeing your local Citizens Advice- many have debt advisors who can help. They deal with bailiffs often
 
Tell the bailiff the debt is in dispute.

They cannot bother you then. If they do and you have notified them, they're breaking the law.

Tell whoever it is who think you owe them money they have seven days to provide evidence or the matter is closed.
 
Do not make any offer of payment until you've seen evidence that the debt is yours and indisputable.

Making an offer, constitutes acknowledging the debt is yours.

Agree to nothing unless it's in writing.
 
Also if you owe under a grand they probably won't take it to court as it costs a bit etc. £300 ish quid v £1000 + legal fees, no brainer really...............that's why they apparently sold the debt to some bullies.
 
One I had to deal with was right wanker. Got slapped with a bill for over a grand for council tax despite student exemption forms being sent previously.

He turned up at the house one day when I wasn't in, so I phoned him and after asking repeatedly if he had a warrant to forcefully enter, he had a right meltdown on the phone saying he'd show it to me as he was taking all my stuff :lol:. Since the council were f***ing useless, the documentation I'd re-sent hadn't been processed and he phoned again to say he was on the way to me and that I'd better have something for him. After getting tired of trying to be a civil, I just had to laugh down the phone and tell him to come and try, but to make sure he brings that same attitude he had on the phone... Never showed.

Loads of them are just fat deluded bullies who'll try anything and seem to assume that every debt they take on must be from some scratter.
 
One I had to deal with was right wanker. Got slapped with a bill for over a grand for council tax despite student exemption forms being sent previously.

He turned up at the house one day when I wasn't in, so I phoned him and after asking repeatedly if he had a warrant to forcefully enter, he had a right meltdown on the phone saying he'd show it to me as he was taking all my stuff :lol:. Since the council were f***ing useless, the documentation I'd re-sent hadn't been processed and he phoned again to say he was on the way to me and that I'd better have something for him. After getting tired of trying to be a civil, I just had to laugh down the phone and tell him to come and try, but to make sure he brings that same attitude he had on the phone... Never showed.

Loads of them are just fat deluded bullies who'll try anything and seem to assume that every debt they take on must be from some scratter.

They’re nee better than ambulance chasers, probably worse.
They don’t care a toss if a claim is ligit or not, nor have they any moral scruples.
There only aim is to put the frighteners on the weak and wobbly and screw them for whatever they can.
 
Firstly brush up on your soup and Bolognese recipes.

Also you should have budgeted for this.

The above are strongly recommended for people with only £40 to £50 a week to live on, by the resident financial experts on here.

I'm sure you can request to see the evidence of any debt, then come to an agreement to pay it off, to suit both parties.

Maybe take legal advice?
Celery soup is another firm favourite of @monkeytassle, only costs 3p a day for a family for 43

So if they're on the phone saying I need to set up a payment plan I can refuse until I get the statement from the housing company?

If I do owe money (although doubt I do) could they refuse an offer of say £20 a month?
Depends what point it is in the debt recovery process, if it’s just been passed to the collection agency then they should accept a payment plan, if it’s been with them a while and they’ve sent various letters then it could be they will remove goods of it’s not paid.

You can speak to the housing association and offer a payment plan to be paid via the collection agency IF the housing association are compassionate and apply common sense

As long as the collection agency isn’t equita you should be ok, they are a set of twats, that’s why we used them at the water board.
 
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I'll echo what a lot of people have said already and go and see someone at Citizens Advice as soon as possible. The will explain things clearly and will tell you all your rights and what to do. Don't over stretch yourself by trying to pay too much a month when you can't really afford it. Pay what you can comfortable afford. Good luck and I hope it works out for you.
 
Bailiffs only have power of entry etc., if they are acting on the order of a court. They could take you to a small claims court where you would have a chance to submit evidence either in person, or in writing, cost them about £70 for the court fee. However preparing the case to send to the small claims court, would be time consuming and therefor costly for the debt collecting agency, these fees are very rarely awarded against the debtor, so in practice it is highly unlikely they would take it to court.
 

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