You don’t have to put up with harrassment, and, despite what these people try and get you to believe, the baliffs powers are very limited.

Are they telling you that they can attend your premises with a locksmith to remove your stuff? Wrong! And illegal!

Are they saying they can’t accept installments because their systems set up to accept the total payment only? Wrong!

Here’s what to do:

We’re going to over ride the baliffs. Total. For starters, let’s deal with the no installment part. All the councils are bothered about is getting all their money in for the end of the current financial year, so you’ve got to be prepared to offer them a settlement that clears your balance by next March, including baliff fees. Simply divide your account total by the number of months left until March. that’s the monthly payment you’ve got to be prepared to both offer and pay.

So you’ve got your monthly installment totals, and you’re OK for paying it? Good, we’ll move on then.

When you speak to your local councils’ council tax recovery department, they’ll always tell you to negoiate a settlement with the baliffs. You must talk to the council to get your call recorded with them. Evidence.

Then, you need to speak to your baliff (they always leave their mobile number on that letter they shove through your letterbox.) Tell him that you’ve spoken to the council, and offer him the same monthly installment as you did with the council.

Chances are, they can’t or won’t accept it, for whatever reason they can dream up. Wrong.

Now that you’ve covered your back and got recorded evidence you’re ready. This is what you do.

You’re going to send a court summons to both the baliff company and the Chief Executive of your local council.

What you need to do now is go to the courts service website and download a form known as N244. You can download the form here You use this form to make a formal application to the magistrates court that issued your liability order for a suspension of the liabilty order whilst you make regular payments direct to the council. You are requesting an hearing because of the lack of co-operation of the baliffs & the council.

The result is that the court will serve notices on both the baliff and the chief executive of your local council. Baliff action will stop, pending an hearing, and both the baliff company and the Chief executive of your local council will have to go to court.

There’s a fee for submitting this form - up to £35.00. But, hopefully, you won’t have to submit it.

You now know the process.

Talk to the council first, then the baliff, then the council again. Explain that the baliffs won’t let you reach an agreement, as they want all the money in one go. Explain that you’re going to submit a Form 244 to the court asking for a hearing because of this.

Explain that the form can’t be served on the Local council itself, nor the council tax department. It must be served on their Chief Executive. Again, make a formal offer to the council, telling them their refusual will mean a court appearance.

The councils virtually guaranteed to accept your offer. You will then pay your monthly installment to the council direct, which gets rid of the baliffs out of the equation.

But, if the council doesn’t accept your offer, simply fill in and submit the form to the Magistrates Court and wait for a hearing date.

These bullies cannot, and must never, be allowed to get away with what they try to do. This system works. Beautifully. Try it.

No council wants the publicity of a court hearing or the fact that their nominated baliffs have been breaking the law, or their rules.

Hope it helps!

Tags: Baliff Help, baliffs, council, court, form, how, how to, N244, summons, tax