Bailiff charges

[jta]

A friend has asked me to help him out.

He got into trouble with paying his CT when he was out of work earlier this year, as a result he is now being chased for the sum.

Originally the CT he had to pay, including court costs, was in the region of 1300 quid. He has had 2 visits from the bailiff so far (he has started to pay now he's back in work) and the bill has gone up by a swingeing 500 pounds, that's 250 per visit.

Not knowing anything about how bailiff's work or the costs involved I wondered if anyone knows if this can be challenged. We only pay the court bailiff about 110 quid per visit so how can it be justified?

[jjlandlord]

Found this:
http://www.advicenow.org.uk/adviceno...ml,621,FP.html

Don't know if up to date/accurate.

[jta]

Found this:
http://www.advicenow.org.uk/adviceno...ml,621,FP.html

Don't know if up to date/accurate.

Wow! That's a real eye opener, I've printed it for reference and I'll be speaking to the firm tomorrow. My friend will be very pleased if I can get the bill knocked down a bit.

Thanks JJ.

[vicks]

Bailiff fees for CT are set in law

Letter fee 11.20
1st visit 24.50 where no levy is made
2nd visit 18.00 where ni levy is made
No further visit fees can be applied if no levy is made.

If the Bailiff makes a levy then a levy fee will be applied which won't be much, the bailiff may also charge other reasonable fees such as an attendance to remove fee (usually around 100) no VAT is payable.

£250.00 pound per visit does not sound right!

Tell your friend to ask the Bailiff for a breakdown of fees.

Has a levy been made?

Regards
Mark

[vicks]

P.S tell your friend not to take any advice from non-government websites or Internet forums. Tell him to call into his local cab office or seek legal advice.

[jta]

Tell your friend to ask the Bailiff for a breakdown of fees.

Has a levy been made?

Regards
Mark

Thank you Mark.

I will be speaking to the company for him myself today, he is a bit inarticulate and tends to be a bit fatalistic over this.

So far as I know no levy has been made, and since he does not actually own anything of value then no levy could have been made.

I'll post the result of my inquiry after I've spoken to them.

[vicks]

Hi,

As a rule when you call the Bailiff company they will just say call the Bailiff, as the office wont get involved with a case once its out for enforcement. The Bailiff won't speak to anyone other than the debtor due to data protection, however they will take payment from anyone. They may say you need a letter from the debtor saying it's ok for you to act on his behalf.

Good luck

[jta]

Thanks Mark, I did realise that. In the first instance though I will just be asking the general questions about pricing visits etc, then I will make sure from my friend what the real facts of the case are before going off half cocked. If I find they have been acting dishonestly, or maybe unethically I will consider the options first.

[jta]

Well I called them, I did not find out a lot, the young lady on the phone confirmed that the charges for first and second callouts were 24.50 and 18 quid. she could not or would not discuss further aspects with me (as expected) but did let slip they might be for levy's, there have been no levy's to my knowledge, I mentioned that if I found illegal or unethical charges there might be a complaint started. She is going to send a breakdown of the charges to my friend, I will get him to forward them to me and see what we see.

I felt quite sorry for the young lass having to deal with me, fifty awkward questions in ten minutes.

[Lawcruncher]

Worth having a look or posting here: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...ement-Officers

[theartfullodger]

Sounds like you were more successful than many: I've had to call these guys (never for me ..) on behalf of others (who would be sitting next to me & would OK them talking to me..) and some/many can be incredibly rude, unhelpful, bullying...

Oh, and advice should "bailiff" turn up... Make sure all doors & windows are shut. Don't let them in (no, really, don't let them in..) and if they persist making demands on doorstep, say you'll call the police & then do so..

Some say only talk to these guys through the letter-box....

[jta]

Worth having a look or posting here: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...ement-Officers

I probably will LC, but before that I would like to have all the information at my fingertips, otherwise I'm talking out of my backside. I am going to get my friend to make it ok for me to speak on his behalf.

[jta]

Oh, and advice should "bailiff" turn up... Make sure all doors & windows are shut. Don't let them in (no, really, don't let them in..) and if they persist making demands on doorstep, say you'll call the police & then do so..

Some say only talk to these guys through the letter-box....

Exactly the advice I gave my friend Artful.